Joan Curto salutes composer Jerry Herman

• Reprints

Joan Curto

Updated: February 21, 2012 7:59PM

Even if you have never heard of Jerry Herman, you’ve heard Jerry Herman.

On Feb. 26, Joan Curto will make sure concertgoers know his name. Curto, an acclaimed singer and Naperville resident, presents “No Tune Like a Showtune: the Music and Lyrics of Jerry Herman” at 6 p.m. Feb. 26 at North Central College.

“Jerry Herman is a composer and lyricist who’s composed some of the most popular and most successful musicals on Broadway, including ‘Hello, Dolly!’ ‘Mame,’ and ‘La Cage aux Folles,’ ” she said. “People often know his music, but they don’t always recognize his name. I chose to do a tribute to him because it would be his 80th birthday. He received the Kennedy Center honors last year. I love his music and wanted to develop a show that was a tribute to his songs, because he has so many great songs.”

An established performer, Curto has won the Chicago After Dark Award for Outstanding Cabaret Artist. She performs regularly at venues throughout Chicago, including Harris Theater, Drury Lane, Thorne Auditorium and Maxim’s; and nationwide at New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center and Gardenia in Los Angeles.

Her most recent CD release, “May I Suggest,” is a collection of classic ballads, standards and songs by new songwriters.

She developed this show a year ago over the course of about six months, and has since performed it several times in Chicago and in New York.

Hello, Jerry

“When I was invited to come to North Central College, they asked me what show I would like to do and at the time, they were doing ‘Hello Dolly!’ so I thought it would be nice to bring his catalog of music to North Central College,” she said.

She did quite a bit of research on Herman before carefully choosing the songs. She naturally chose some of the big “blockbuster” anthems he’s known for, but also looked for material that was more obscure.

“I listened to lots and lots of songs, and started pulling songs that I love and help tell his story,” she said. “I also really like to find material that might introduce people to some of the work they’re not familiar with, but I also think is wonderful and I think people would enjoy hearing.”

She also looks for songs that she relates to personally, to help her connect with the audience.

“It seems to resonate,” she said. “I tell a lot of stories. I think cabaret performers are storytellers by trade, and that’s why we gravitate towards this genre of performance. I create a script for the show and tell stories throughout it, and the songs lend themselves to the stories.”

Some stories are about the theme of the show, and others are personal.

Hard at work

This year will be a busy one for Curto.

She’s in the process of putting together part of a series that is going to be at the Mayne Stage, on Chicago’s far North Side. She also has private performances booked, and also plans to begin work on a new album.

“The goal is to be busy,” she said.

Audiences can expect to hear great music, she said, including many beloved show tunes.

“They’re hopefully going to hear some songs that
they are not quite familiar with but are equally as great,” she said. “They will hear stories and I hope they laugh. I like to incorporate a lot of humor in my shows. I’m hoping they have an enjoyable night of theater music and songs that they love. They will walk out loving Jerry Herman, and that’s the goal — to honor him and his talent.”