Here’s the story of a lovely lady ... in song

by Christopher Cappiello

“I’ve got a garage full of wonderful [musical] charts, if you ever need any,” Florence Henderson says with a laugh, recalling the many nights she has spent singing in clubs, cabarets, theaters and symphony halls before, during and after those fateful five seasons as the quintessential American sitcom mom on The Brady Bunch. Henderson returns to the intimate cabaret genre with her latest project, All the Lives of Me, a musical journey through her life and career coming to Hollywood’s Catalina Jazz Bar & Grill.

“Everybody’s always after me to write a book, and I thought, ‘Let me see how this works, just sharing some of my life with music,’” she explains about the 80-minute show of songs and stories that she created with noted musical director Glen Roven.

All the Lives covers Henderson’s early years on Broadway working with some titans of musical theater. Legendary director Josh Logan (South Pacific, Annie Get Your Gun) directed her in a small role in her first show, Wish You Were Here, and never forgot her. Famed composer Richard Rodgers took her under his wing, and she ended up performing most of the great female roles written by him and Oscar Hammerstein. And then there was Noel Coward. Henderson starred opposite José Ferrer in The Girl Who Came to Supper, a 1963 musical adaptation of Terrence Rattigan’s play, The Sleeping Prince, that proved to be Coward’s final score.

“Noel Coward was, to me, everything. He was so funny—wickedly funny—and so talented and so creative and so kind. I could go on. I could do a whole show about him!”

Of course her rich background in musical theater was completely eclipsed by the iconic status she attained as Carol Brady, the mother so many American kids wished they had (“Me too!” she says, laughing). In the new show, Henderson addresses the famed sitcom as well as her co-star, Robert Reed, who stayed in the Hollywood closet throughout his career.

“That’s one of the questions I’m always asked,” she says about a Q&A portion of the show. “Did we know he was gay? And of course I knew,” she says with obvious affection. “If you’re a wonderful actor, who cares what your sexual orientation is? I care, are you a decent human being? Are you kind? Are you a professional? The rest doesn’t matter. People are so quick to judge. That’s one thing that really bothers me.”

If The Brady Bunch premiered 40 years ago, it makes sense mathematically that Henderson is approaching her 75th birthday this Valentine’s Day. But her work schedule and appearance certainly belie her age. Henderson follows a disciplined regimen of meditation and Pilates and, after more than 50 years in show business, she still has some goals to achieve.

“I’m hoping to be on Dancing With the Stars,” she says with enthusiasm. “I’ve got to be prepared!”

And 35 years after shooting the last episode of The Brady Bunch, Henderson still gets recognized every day. “The question I’m asked most is, ‘Can I have a hug?’ So I just get hugs all the time—I give a lot of hugs and I get a lot of hugs. What’s to complain about?”

All the Lives of Me plays Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the Catalina Jazz Club, 6725 Sunset Blvd., Hlywd. For tickets and information, visit catalinajazzclub.com.