Performing arts community celebrates life of John Meren
It would probably be difficult to find a person in the local performing arts community who didn’t know John Meren.
The 72 year-old New York City native founded, along with partner Thomas J. Gallagher, the “Brown Bag” concerts more than 20 years ago, and the Performing Arts Society of Nevada in 1997. The programs gave Las Vegans a chance to see a variety of talents at minimal cost and provided exposure for those just beginning to make their mark. Meren and partner also published “Smart Talk,” a magazine for the Vegas showman.
At a memorial Saturday at the Clark County Library Theatre, Meren (who died Oct. 5 from complications from a stroke) got the kind of send-off a man with his unusual talent deserved.
He was a painter but his greatest gift may have been his ability to bring people together.
About two dozen mostly professional singers and pianists who had worked with Meren and Gallagher took the stage and paid tribute not only with words, but mostly with music. These sorts of show tunes were his life, and it made sense that singing them would be a proper way to celebrate who he was.
The guest list was impressive, but even more so was the suggestion of the large cross-section of artists that Meren had helped.
Several established entertainers told of how their relationship with Meren and his partner benefited their careers when they were starting out.
Among the many notables: emcee Tony Arias, beginning the afternoon with about five minutes of stand-up (who expects a memorial service to begin with stand-up?); Brown Bag regulars Larry Garcia and Gary Oakes offering an exuberant “Mame!”; and brief appearances by Dolly Coulter, local actress Kellie Wright, “Jersey Boys” conductor Philip Fortenberry, Joan Sobel (“Phantom — The Las Vegas Spectacular’s” Carlotta), Rebecca Spencer (“Phantom’s” former Madame Giry), popular Vegas musician and vocalist Wes Winters, and many others whose names I regret having to leave out.
The legendary 83-year-old burlesque queen Tempest Storm was recognized and saluted in the audience. She still looks good. Arias couldn’t resist a jab: “Ah, if I were only 50 years older!”
Gallagher occasionally stood at the foot of the stage, waving a performer over, and sharing with the audience a personal story. At show’s end, after much glitter and enjoyable excess, Lloyd Ziel remarked, “This is like a who’s who of Las Vegas — no, no, a who’s what of Las Vegas.”
In the end, Gallagher brought things to a quick close: “Thank you all for coming today,” he said. “Now don’t cry.”
Moving on to less important things: My math is getting clumsy. In last week’s column, I complained that union actor/instructor Michael Tylo had been playing an excessive number of lead roles at Nevada Conservatory Theatre, a student-oriented organization. I said he had played the lead in four of the last six mainstage productions. That should have read four out of seven. I guess we can all rest easy now.
Anthony Del Valle can be reached at vegastheaterchat@aol.com. You can write him c/o Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125.
