• Applause! Applause! Sept 9, 2001
• NY Sheet Music Society Newsletter, Dec. '01
• Cabaret Hotline Online, Sept. 17, 2001
• BACKSTAGE, Sept. 21, 2001

Applause! Applause! - Jan Wallman

“Taking the title and the theme of her show from the cheery Arlen/Mercer chestnut, Gerta Grunen stayed true to the optimism of that song and several others of that war time decade. They urged us (those of us who were around in those days) to be sunny, confident, look on the bright side and to be true to those we loved. It remains good advice today. Determinedly sanguine but not quite crossing the line into Pollyannaism, the perky Ms. Grunen delivered an upbeat fast-moving and very pleasing set with songs like “Ain't Misbehavin',”(Fats Waller/Harry Brooks) “Gotta Be This Or That” (music and lyric by Sunny Skylar) and “No Love, No Nothin” (Harry Warren/ Leo Robin). My favorite was a four song medley of Johnny Burke and James Van Heusen numbers which included “Moonlight Becomes You” and “Sunday, Monday Or Always.”

All the standards in the program have been done by a great many singers over the past fifty plus years and are familiar to most everyone but the clever arrangements by musical director Christopher Denny and direction and script by David Arthur, they were surprisingly fresh and bright.

Not to say that it was all fun and games. Gerta has been for some time an exponent of Kurt Weill's work performing his American songs in a one woman show, “A Lighter Shade Of Weill” a few seasons back. In the current evening, she had a stunning new treatment of his “September Song” which she began by speaking rather than singing the stirring Maxwell Anderson lyric. Very impressive.

The diminutive redhead's show ran for four Sundays in September and was extended by Danny's. If you get the chance I suggest you go hear nostalgia at its best.”

BACKSTAGE - Barbara & Scott Siegel

“…Gerta Grunen reminded us of another time when the country was united in a common purpose …Grunen painted a compelling portrait of the era ...She sang with sincerity and delivered her patter with panache…and recalled “The Boy NextDoor” who broke her heart in those innocent days and captured the loneliness of women waiting for their men during wartime in a sweetly understated medley of carefully chosen songs…”

“…impressively written by David Arthur...elegant arrangements by musical director, pianist Christopher Denny...”

“Gerta was adorable with Denny in a Bob Hope/Bing Crosby “Road” movie musical medley…”

Cabaret Hotline Online - Stu Hamstra

“I urge you to see this 40’s theme show. It is a marvel of great writing, great arrangements and great showmanship…”

“...this lady is such a great singer/actress /dancer …… the material so well written (David Arthur wrote and directed) … the songs and medleys were so well arranged (Christopher Denny) … I have to give this a show a special recommendation to everyone!”

“Gerta Grunen’s show, “Accentuate the Positive,” is just the ticket for these times!”

New York Sheet Music Society Newsletter - Peter Johl

“Gerta Grunen is a diminutive nightingale caught in the memories of a period when songs were about people talking to each other. Her take on nostalgia is precise and the material she recalls is the major memory bank of the Forties. Wonderful songs interspersed with anecdotes and reminiscenses: the time flies in a most beguiling way.”