Blue Rose: The Rosemary Clooney Story

The perfectly titled Blue Rose: The Rosemary Clooney Story is a valentine to one of the greatest vocal interpreters of the past 60 years. Clooney was indeed as lovely and fragile as a rose, with a silken, sophisticated voice that captured audiences worldwide. Her sunny smile, bobbed blond hair and trim figure were only part of her charm. Once she'd begin to sing, the audience would almost forget about the singer and get lost in the music. The show features two dozen of Clooney's best-known hits, such as "Come on-a My House," "Tenderly" and "Mambo Italiano."

This show also takes the audience down memory lane, and it turns out to be a bumpy ride. Clooney's onstage exuberance hid the problems that plagued her for a lifetime. Abandoned as a child, Clooney began to sing with her sister to make ends meet. She soon became a radio star. Almost miraculously, she was cast opposite Bing Crosby in the popular film, "White Christmas." (A couple of Rosemary's songs from the film are included in this showcase, including a very cute rendition of "Sisters." The male pianist (wearing a boa) fills in for the other "sister.") The tunes are mixed with snippets of rhymed verse, which is, perhaps, the show's only downfall.

Some of the serious episodes deserve more somber treatment than the lighthearted verse suggests. In real life, Clooney survived a failed marriage to womanizer Jose Ferrer, had five kids and regularly took pills to get her through the day. Finally, she had a nervous breakdown and spent months in a mental hospital. Thanks to the support of her lifelong friend, Bing Crosby, Clooney embarked on a successful comeback tour.

Blue Rose succeeds or fails on the merits of its single actor. In this case, the lovely Katherine Strohmaier plays the sole performing role as if her life depended on it. Bearing a striking resemblance to Clooney in her prime, Strohmaier intensifies the dramatic interludes and carries the songs to their fullest potential. Frequent costume changes show her in one figure-flattering dress after another. Clooney's frequent monologues drive the piece as much as the music.

Even longtime Clooney fans may learn a thing or two in the course of the show. For instance, Clooney often complained that the kooky lyrics of her nonsense songs were "idiotic." She yearned for weightier fare. However, some years later, another nonsense song, "Mamba Italiano," became such a national craze that even Rosemary Clooney couldn't resist. She actually bought a copy of the recording -- with her name listed on the label. One must also credit the talent and timing of pianist Paul Heim, whose contribution here is indispensable.

Behind the duo is a backdrop composed of giant scrapbook clippings. While a few of the photos are from Clooney's troubled childhood and marriage, many more photos show her with other "big stars" of that era, such as Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra and, of course, Bing Crosby. In almost every frame, she is joyfully beaming at the camera - youthful, full-of-life and as lovely as the "blue rose" she comes to be.