“A slice of heaven” is what Graydon Royce of the Star Tribune calls A Grand Night for Singing, the romantic musical that is currently on stage at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. If this description inspires thoughts of a huge moon and bright stars, or warm sunrays of yellow and orange, then you are getting the picture.

All this is achieved through the malleable backdrop by lightning designer Barry Browning. Add to this marvelous background the beautiful, touching and playful voices of five singers and the accompaniment of two pianists, and you’re getting closer to the romantic wonderland that is A Grand Night for Singing. Lavish sparkling teal and lavender costumes complete the picture.

By this point, you’re probably thinking about how much your mom would love this. Quite likely, but chances are you’ll like it too.

The musical is in celebration of Richard Rodgers’ 100th birthday and is a voyage through the careers of two of America’s greatest theatrical composers.

It includes music by composers Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein from the musicals The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!, Flower Drum Song, Allegro and Carousel.

Rodgers had a prolific career with more than 900 published songs and 40 Broadway musical scores. On top of it all, he received Pulitzer, Tony, Oscar, Grammy and Emmy accolades.

Hammerstein, the other member of this duo, is considered to have been as innovative in his contributions to the operetta as Rodgers was to the musical comedy.

Each song follows the other in the arrangement set by Walter Bobbie, the original director of A Grand Night for Singing. He was nominated for a Tony Award for the show after it opened the 1994 Broadway season. The director of the Ordway production, Michael Brindisi, said, “It’s ingenious the way they put the songs together and flow a story out of it.”

It is an enjoyable production all about…love! Love, and all that relates to it, comes with it or after it, fights with it, you name it—jealousy, irritation, bliss, pain, games, children, fidelity, infidelity, romance, trust, delight, infatuation—almost every emotion is covered. Just sit in your cozy place and let this gorgeous musical allow you to experience it all with the singers.

The moving voices belong to Dieter Bierbauer, Norah Long, Tinia Moulder, Thomas Schumacher and Angela Timberman. Although each one is impressive in its own way, the strongest voices are Long’s and Bierbauer’s, as demonstrated by their soulful readings of “Something Wonderful” (The King and I) and “This Nearly Was Mine” (South Pacific) respectively.

Overall, the acting, dancing and singing are expressive and truly touching—quite suitable for the theme of the musical. The first act is about falling in love, being loved, not being loved, looking for love––everyday matters of this sort.

The women sing about how they “Wash That Man Right Out-A My Hair,” (South Pacific) and the men wonder “How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?” (The Sound of Music).

The first act is characterized by youth and playfulness, which makes A Grand Night for Singing especially true to the feelings and worries of young people (other than paying loans, finding jobs or graduate schools and choosing majors).

As previously mentioned, A Grand Night for Singing is about love. It’s an adorable way of reminding you that your paper or problem set is only part of the picture. Or at least that it should be.

In the second act, the characters marry, cheat on one another and sing about their children. There is more to it, but little that relates to life at Macalester—unless your Homocoming after-party ended with a spontaneous marriage.

It is also possible that the second act will have you dreaming about your future.

The second act is probably the part that your parents would love best, so bring them with you if they are around. Perhaps they would find in the play “A Hundred Million Miracles” (Flower Drum Song) or would be pleased to travel to jazzy “Kansas City” (Oklahoma).

Yet, the overall journey would be enjoyable for anyone who decides to take a party-less weekend night at Macalester and head over to the heavenly Grand Night for Singing at the Ordway. Go, at least, for the sake of romance.