Producer, Donna Froomkin -- City Hall, November 11-15.

*** This was the fourth time that the islands of Manhattan and Bermuda have joined hands to present the best of Broadway, the success of which has been constantly underlined by the almost seamless union of New York and local talent. This was certainly the case this year as the entire cast overwhelmed with the sheer force of technical expertise and presentation.

Four years down the road, however, seems to have signalled, if not a change of direction, then certainly a change in emphasis: director Sheryl Kaller seemed to be demanding more from her adoring audiences, possibly in the belief that a little more sophistication in musical taste is now called for. There were few concessions in this rather lengthy programme to the hit tunes that have immortalised the `Great White Way'. Indeed, the list of selections included musicals that have hardly set Broadway on fire -- and a few that have sunk without trace. Like it or not, it was obvious from the rapturous reception that greeted the delectable Beth Dunnington's bravura performance of `I Could Have Danced All Night' from `My Fair Lady', fairly early on in the show, that this is what the audience wanted, and expected. Alas, the momentum never quite returned for the rest of the evening.

There was, too, a surfeit of Sondheim -- so beloved by professionals, but whose songs, stripped of context in concert form, can become decidedly yawn-inducing for general audiences (what, for example, was `Someone In a Tree' supposed to be about?). Perhaps, to ring some changes, a `gospel' theme permeated this year's proceedings -- again, hardly a genre that immediately springs to mind in musing on the delights of Broadway.

Cast-wise, several New York performers made welcome returns, including Sal Viviano who gave a memorably lyrical account of the very beautiful `Look to the Rainbow' (from `Finian's Rainbow'). Fresh from their success in the Washington production of `Sunday in the Park with George', he and the sparkling Liz Larsen gave a humorous twist to a duet from `Annie Get Your Gun'. Larsen, who moves as beautifully as she sings, also led the local gospel group `Rejoice' in Cole Porter's `Blow, Gabriel, Blow' which brought the first half to a rousing finale.

Tony award winner Willy Falk, also making a return visit, sang his heart out in the dramatic `This is the Moment' from `Jekyll and Hyde' and, with Beth Dunnington, provided another vocal highlight of the evening in a wonderfully ironic duet, `Barcelona' from `Company'.

Newcomer Michael Mandell, with a voice that is as rich as molasses, enchanted equally with the comic `Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens' and the passionate `Free At Last' from `Big River', while another newcomer, James Clow, gave a superb account of Sondheim's wistful `Marry Me a Little'.

Humour was well to the fore in this programme, exemplified in the first half by Paul Matthews leading the New York cast in the farcical number, `Something About a War'. In this and other numbers, Matthews revealed that he is, happily, back in impressive vocal form after a recent illness. He was joined by James Clow, Rebecca Faulkenberry and Joel Froomkin in the delightful and wittily performed `Book Report' from `You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown'.

Froomkin, back on a short visit from London where he has been enjoying directorial success in the West End, confirmed his own considerable talent in another slick, comic number, `Two Ladies' from `Cabaret' -- the two ladies in question being the gifted Nikki Rene and another newcomer to the local thespian ranks, Paula Maguire. Until now, this former dancer and singer has been best known to Bermuda for her annual `Kidfest' productions.

There were several medleys, including `Dreamgirls' which allowed the glittering, mega-voiced Sharon Wilkins to shine along with Deletta Gillespie and Nikki Rene, as well as a spirited rendition from the always popular `On the Town'.

Other highlights included the precocious, but highly gifted 13-year old Rebecca Faulkenberry, supported by pros Dunningtron, Larsen and Rene in an excerpt from `Bye Bye Birdie', the irrespressible Sondra Choudhury (and `Rejoice') in `The Wiz', some cynically female perspective on the `Big Spender' from `Sweet Charity' and, finally, the whole cast coming together in `Walk Him up the Stairs'.

Once again, Sheryl Kaller has produced some awesome talent for this annual showcase which also serves as an important fundraiser for Two Island Productions' continuing work in promoting music and drama projects for Bermuda's youth. While the inclusion of numbers from new and lesser known musicals is obviously a plus in any programme of this kind, there is a distinct feeling that, this year, she has perhaps pushed her own preferences on an audience that basically wants to wallow in the charismatic tunes that make Broadway the world's most famous musical magnet. There is certainly no shortage of these hit tunes around and rather more of them sprinkled in next year's extravaganza would probably go down a treat.

PATRICIA CALNAN SHARON WILKINS -- Starring in `The Life'.