Writer, speaker, consultant, administrative professional, Wendy Vickers, has been an active supporter and encourager of local musicians in the Twin Cities music community for several years. Her online newsletter on local coffeehouse performers and other music-related activities can be found on her website at www.wendyv.com . “Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.” When it’s time to go for the dream, you know it. It’s time for stepping out in faith to make it happen. Making sacrifices, making investments of time and money, planning, preparing, making lists, assembling a team. If you’re putting on a show, add lots of rehearsing to all of the above. Rachael Kroog has been carrying the above quote with her for most of her life. She had a dream of putting on a one-woman show to showcase her versatility and love for all the entertainment forms and music that shaped her as an artist. Earlier this year, she let go of a full time job to begin making the dream of “Showstoppers” happen. First, she started with a “to do” list of what needed to be done: working with her arranger, Shannon Pierce, on various logistics: fleshing out the program and arrangements, picking songs, hiring musicians. I went along with Rachael one afternoon as she went shopping for props and costumes for the show at Twin Cities Magic and Costume. If you ever get such an opportunity, you’ll find it an interesting peek at the planning process of a production. With both definite ideas in mind and going with the flow of possibilities, Rachael picked out and tried out a number of different props and costume items. Amazingly, whatever it was she asked for, the folks at Twin Cities Magic and Costume had! This fast paced show required a lot of costume changes—enough for Rachael to go out and buy a whole new clothes rack. Deciding to perform certain songs doesn’t necessarily mean you know them cold. One of Rachael’s biggest challenges two weeks before showtime was learning and memorizing all of the songs and styles she’d be performing throughout “Showstoppers” with her guest, talented singer Andy Kuula. Rachael also worked with a director and choreographer. She had a limited time with the choreographer, who needed to go out of town and wasn’t due back until 4 days before the show. Finally, the premiere of “Showstoppers” arrived. All of the work, the planning, quest for the right costumes, sweating on the treadmill to get in shape, came together as Rachael and her cast performed an ambitious, heartfelt and highly entertaining show. Two enthusiastic and supportive audiences showed their love with standing ovations. It’s exciting to be able to make your dreams come true…and exciting for those of us who are fans and friends of Rachael and followed her artistic journey to watch it happen. Wendy enjoyed the production with our resident theater/music critic, Michael Reinbold. His review is posted below.

A clever behind-the-scenes video sets up the musical revue Show Stoppers Starring Rachael Kroog. Frequent SJA guest singer-songwriter Rachael Kroog and singer Andy Kuula play for laughs in a fictitious scenario where they've been rejected from being cast in "A Chorus Line," the previous production that closed at Bloomington Center for the Arts. "That's okay. Who needs 'em. We're doing our own show," the two jest. Well, truthfully, Kroog, all along planned a show where she and Kuula could fulfill some musical childhood show dreams. Well, their ambitious moment arrived—February 26-27 at BCA's Schneider Theatre— aided by the remarkable talents of the ten member Show Stopper's Orchestra under the direction of conductor Shannon Pierce.

Kroog and Pierce have conceived a pastiche of Broadway show tunes, choreography and breezy banter for Rachael, a triple threat, to showcase her singing, dancing and acting/story telling abilities. Kroog hoofs, clowns, juggles, belts and croons her way through 105 minutes of sharp character creations that produce mighty genuine vaudevillian charm. Dressed in a royal blue sequined gown, her opener "There's No Business Like Show Business" seemed stiff in comparison to the rest of her numbers, but this Ethel Merman standard's sentiments wonderfully define Kroog's show trooper personality. Looser, more dynamic steps would help here. Kroog, proved vivaciously at ease with Liza Minnelli's popular tune "Old Friends." And this orchestra's glorious sound consistently blended beautifully with Kroog's voice.

Kuula, in white top hat and tails, superbly scats in the Swing standard "That Cat Is High," gorgeously illuminated by bold primary-colored lights (designed by Jon Tensel) shone through sail-shaped scrim panels. He and Kroog (in black pinstriped tux) had great fun with a 20s and 30s Medley: They began with "Aint Got That Swing;" followed with "Tired of Being Your Dummy" while she expertly mimicked the very same; turned into a swooning pair of Muppets for "I Can't Give You Anything But Love;" giving way to impressive basketball tricks from Kroog during "Sweet Georgia Brown;" switching to juggling during "Coney Island Baby;" followed by Kroog deftly balancing a ladder on her head to "Tuxedo Junction" and "Sunny Side of the Street;" and returning back to a strong finish of "Aint Got That Swing."

Kroog and Kuula, attempting to honor our state heritage by wearing Viking Horns, updated the old standard "That's Entertainment" to the words "That's Minnesota," replete with bad Ole and Lena jokes. They performed a tribute to Judy Garland that should've been wonderful but often times felt awkwardly rushed and unfocused with snippets of "Johnny One Note," "You Made Me Love You," "Strings of My Heart" "The Trolley Song," "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and finally "Get Happy." Kuula lacked chemistry by not connecting with Kroog on these well intentioned but too choppy arrangements. Transitions in general between each song could flow much smoother with a tighter control of direction.

The sound of Big Band Swing took center stage for two outstanding instrumental treats by the orchestra: "One O'Clock Jump" and "Opus Room." And what a band to behold: Sasha Burke on piano, Peter Johnson on drums, Michael Storms and Cole Goebel on trumpets, Rich Manik on trombone and SJA's very own Lee Vague on guitar, Jim tenBensel on trombone, Dick Hedlund on bass and his son Jordon Hedlund on synthesizer/percussion. All conducted superbly by Pierce who later introduced each member who gamely was indulged to play a few bars. One quibble of this production to point out is that the band needs to play throughout the duration of each scene change. The momentum and pacing suffers when dead space occurs.

Broadway tunes from the Hollywood screen featured Kroog and Kuula's duet of George Benson's signature "On Broadway." Kuula paired with an umbrella on "Singing In the Rain" while Kroog perfectly channeled the dimwitted fun of Ado Annie in "I Can't Say No" from Oklahoma. They greatly impressed with the title tune from Cabaret, coldly isolated from each other during "Memory" from Cats and connected in big Fosse spirit for "All That Jazz" from Chicago.

Kroog closed the first act in grand style by revisiting her irrepressible New Yawk Geek character Shirley Dvork(right) singing "Ring Them Bells," a John Kander/Fred Ebb composition tailor made for brassy belting. She performed this with great aplomb at SJA's tenth anniversary Cabaret last October while topping it this time with even funnier theatrical antics—"Norm, I'm feelin' a transformation here," quipped Kroog as she breaks out of her shell while Kuula, with great timing played her nerd suitor, Norm.

Act II got rolling with Kroog nailing her Geraldine Jones impression in an outrageously fab white shaggy coat and white platform boots. Naturally, she brought back Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made For Walking" while Kuula, in well suited voice and pink satin jacket, performed a medley of Elvis tunes—"Viva Las Vegas," "Don't Be Cruel," "Jailhouse Rock," "Can't Help Falling In Love" and "All Shook Up."

A clip from the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show primed Kroog to create three dazzling and deftly comic character transformations from the film: Ghoulishly masked with eerie voice for Rif Raf; provocatively wigged with Hungarian accent for Magenta; and capped and leggy with a squeaky high pitch for Columbia—all while doing "The Time Warp" as Kuula instructed audience members on stage.

A 70s TV Theme Show medley by the orchestra followed with a crisply smooth sounding delivery of familiar tunes: The Brady Bunch, Mr. Rogers, Gilligan's Island and The Jeffersons. Kroog and Kuula recreated famous television duos of the 70s: Hilariously switching genders for Donny (Rachael!) and Marie (Andy) singing "A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock n' Roll"; and playing Archie (Rachael) and Edith (Andy) with "Those Were the Days."

Even though they were awful—hey, why not— as Laverne (Andy) and Shirley (Rachael) singing "Make All Our Dreams Come True," they soared with greatness as Richard (Andy) and Karen (Rachel) Carpenter. Not only did Kroog recreate Karen's rich alto vocal with "Top of the World," but went wild with abandon playing the drums, a skill Karen offered early in The Carpenters' career. Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" and John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John's "You're The One That I Want" also were recreated, but for the highlight of 70s TV duos, an absolutely magical moment blossomed when Kroog played both Kermit, the Frog, and Miss Piggy while singing "Rainbows."

Kroog proves she is indeed a triple threat of talent: A chameleon at mastering a vast array of musical characters and styles. But certainly capable of revealing her personal side—a side that is vulnerable, socially conscious and compassionately in touch with nature, music and children. Having worked for the Minnesota Zoo for ten years, this self described naturalist showed her love for working with animals with the captivating video "Talk To the Animals," ingeniously put together by film maker James Godfrey. Kroog's lovely rendition of The Beatles' "Blackbird" resonates her intimate connection with animals. She joined another SJA singer favorite, Deb Harley, for the closing duet "Lyla," a song written by Kroog about the abundant spirit, wonder and growing opportunities of a sweet four year old girl, who coincidentally in a poignant moment, joined Kroog on stage by song's end. Kroog's passionate voice paired with Harley's produced golden harmony.

Michael Reinbold, a continuing web reporter, freelances as a writer and banquet caterer. A passionate believer in SJA's mission of social justice and collaborative ministry, Michael is an SJA Choir member, mass reader, Team Oz AIDS rider and Grace House volunteer cook. With an extensive background in theater, photography and fundraising, he relishes all aspects of the arts, staying fit and inspiring and working with people.

To send us home, Kroog virtually stepped into kick boxing high gear while energetically covering Kiki Dee's 1974 rocker "I've Got the Music In Me." Feel funky, feel good, this Show Stoppers star mightily rocks in the neighborhood. From the looks of it, she's gonna fly like a bird. Rachael, having left her ‘day job’, has now committed to performing full time. True as ever to her motto: Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.

Pictures courtesy of past Cabarets and our webteam.