Dining Chicago

Natalie Ford and Cooper David Grodin in Light Opera Works’ “Carousel,” running through Aug. 28. (Photo by Rich Foreman.)

This was a real nice clambake,
We’re mighty glad we came.
The vittles we et were good, you bet!
The company was the same.
Our hearts are warm,
Our bellies are full,
And we are feelin’ prime.
This was a real nice clambake,
And we all had a real good time.

Fust come codfish chowder,
Cooked in iron kettles,
Onions floatin’ on the top,
Curlin’ up in petals.
Throwed in ribbons of salted pork
(An old New England trick)
And lapped it all up with a clamshell,
Tied on to a bayberry stick.

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s poignant 1945 musical, “Carousel,” set in a 19th-century, seaside New England town, may be known for songs like “June is Bustin’ Out All Over” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” but it also contains one of the best tunes ever written about seafood.

Light Opera Works’ bounteous revival in Evanston serves up a delicious version of this ensemble piece, but its piece de resistance is the scrumptious Cooper David Grodin in the lead as Billy Bigelow, the swaggering, rough-edged, out-of-work carnival barker who reluctantly falls for and weds the uncommon Julie Jordan (the sweet-faced Natalie Ford) — only to become increasingly brutal and desperate as he finds himself unable to support her. Grodin’s stunning rendition of “Soliloquy,” Billy’s half-delighted, half-apprehensive reaction to impending fatherhood, deservedly drew show-stopping applause on opening night.

The musical’s plot, based on Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnar’s even darker “Liliom,” may not be the happiest, but the score is wonderful, and this production has it all — stirring voices and fine acting, including notable performances by Winifred Faix Brown as the motherly Nettie Fowler and George Keating as the comically priggish fisherman Enoch Snow; a glorious orchestra, led by Roger L. Bingaman; fabulous choreography by Stacey Flaster, who also directed; lovely dancing; and much more. Even the lighting design is exceptional: Andrew Meyers’ dramatic work with shadows strongly enhances several scenes.

Like all Light Opera Works productions, this has a regrettably short run. Don’t miss it!