Rebecca Luker and Sally Wilfert had been best friends for two decades. They referred to each other as “soul sisters.”
When these two New Yorkers were asked about their bond and why they adore one another they responded, "Do you have two hours?"
Back in 2018, these luminous sopranos, beloved on Broadway, created the show, All The Girls, at Feinstein's/54 Below. All the Girls celebrated their deep connection on and off the stage. The show was also their unique tribute to women. “We wanted to show how women are powerful and multifaceted,” shared Wilfert. When they sang together their rich and nuanced voices blended seamlessly and beautifully.
“Sally are a lot of like,” said Luker, a three-time Tony nominee whose three decade career included lauded roles in The Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music, Show Boat, The Music Man, Mary Poppins, The Secret Garden, Fun Home and on and on. “We are Southern-ish girls. I'm from Alabama. Sally is from Ohio. But we feel like we had similar backgrounds and upbringings.”
“Sometimes we finish each other's sentences. But at the same time, we're very different people too,” added Wilfert whose Broadway credits includes Assassins, Tom Sawyer and King David. “One of the many things I love about Rebecca is that she is fiercely loyal, a fantastic listener and passionate about anything you're doing. She finds the same joy and passion that you are experiencing.”
The adoration didn’t end there. “I love so many things about Sally,” continued Luker. “She's the smartest woman I know. She has this analytical brain. Then, the other side of her brain is creative. And talk about a loyal friend. I couldn't have gotten through the past few years without her.”
This was August, 2018. The following year Luker was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (A.L.S.) Yet Luker remained unstoppable. The duo was determined to create an “All the Girls” duet record.
The album from PS Classics is an eclectic, moving and funny collection of songs about female connection by Stephen Sondheim, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Peter Allen, and Kander & Ebb. “All The Girls” also features medleys from musicals featuring iconic female duets and original settings of poems by Dorothy Parker. There are also poems written for them by their music director Joseph Thalken.
Offering empathy, tenderness and optimism “All the Girls” offers great storytelling from two exceptional voices. In their medley “Shows We Could Have Starred In Together” they do killer versions of “Every Day A Little Death” from A Little Night Music, “At The Ballet” from A Chorus Line and “For Good” from Wicked. Particularly poignant is their mix of “Be Careful” and “Dear Theodosia.”
As the chorus of “Be Careful” goes:
“Be careful how you bend me/Be careful where you send me/Careful how you end me/Be careful with me.”
Delayed by the pandemic and then by Luker’s A.L.S. diagnosis, “All the Girls” was released in digital formats on Christmas Day in 2020. Two days before, Luker passed away at 59. “All The Girls” is her final recording. The album’s physical recording was released on CD not too long ago. “All The Girls” is a dedicated Luker’s life and legacy.
Birthing “All the Girls” was a salve that both Luker and Wilfert needed. They were overwhelmingly grateful to PS Classics for bringing the album to fruition. “It filled Rebecca’s heart with happiness to have something creative to focus on and brought laughter, purpose and comfort to the time we spent together during what, we now know, would become her final days,” says Wilfert. “She was very proud of this recording. And I am equally proud to release it to the world with the spirit and heart that is, my dearest friend, Rebecca Luker.”