I can’t get it out of my mind

I was able to recognize the name immediately.

It’s a brand name love affair many waistlines can also relate to.

But the song?

The song was a new discovery for me, and now, I can’t get it out of my mind, or off my grocery shopping list.

“Sara Lee,” a homage to the great name of frozen baked goods and defrosted pastries, is a catchy Broadway tune written by the musical duo of John Kander and Fred Ebb, the same talents who created the iconic musicals “Cabaret” and “Chicago.” “Sara Lee” is included in the terrific new musical revue production of “The World Goes ‘Round” now at Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr. in Lincolnshire, and running through Nov. 7.

Considered one of the most prolific and acclaimed Broadway musical creative teams of all time, not only is this new run a celebration of Kander and Ebb (as well as including the fun and unusual “Sara Lee” salute), it’s also a celebration of the first live production at Marriott Theatre with full inside audiences after an 18-month hiatus at the stage space.

Joseph Anthony Byrd swoons and sings in tribute to Sara Lee pastries, crooning the song of the same name with help from Allison E. Blackwell in Marriott Theatre’s new production of “The World Goes ‘Round” playing through Nov. 7.

Among the hit parade of more than 25 songs featured are showstoppers like “Cabaret,” “New York, New York,” “All That Jazz,” and “Maybe This Time.” The revue covers numbers from Kander and Ebb’s library of legendary stage works “Chicago,” “Funny Lady,” “Kiss of The Spider Woman,” “Woman of The Year” and others.

Tony and Drama Desk Award-nominated Director and Choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge has an excitement and energy infused into her directing and choreography for the incredible five-member cast who portray five friends who meet in an abandoned theatre after almost two years of not being able to do what they love most: perform. During the 90-minute, no-intermission performance, the cast of five slips in and out of costumes to present magical and varied musical numbers.

“Sara Lee,” which is the fourth musical number in this show following the opening title song “The World Goes ‘Round,” was written by Kander and Ebb in 1978, a song inspired by their always dieting pal, the late great Kaye Ballard. However, it was written for another great friend and entertainer to perform, the one-and-only Liza Minnelli, and she earned added notice for the tune when she performed it to sold-out audiences in 1992 during her Radio City Music Hall.

For the Marriott’s treatment, it is Joseph Anthony Byrd who croons and coos about the seductively scrumptious line of dessert delicacies produced by Sara Lee. He is backed by his three female cast members, Allison E. Blackwell, Amanda Rose, and always delightfully unpredictable Meghan Murphy, all donning Sara Lee red bow bonnets as his chorus girls pushing shopping carts heaped with Sara Lee boxed favorites.

The song “Sara Lee” is often erroneously attributed to being featured in Kander and Ebb’s 1977 Broadway show “The Act,” which starred Minnelli as “Michelle Craig,” a fading film star attempting a comeback as a Las Vegas headliner. However, the eating anthem never made the show’s song lineup, therefore, other than some nightclub and cabaret performances, “Sara Lee” failed to gain much audience attention until it was included in the off-Broadway unveiling of “And the World Goes ‘Round” in 1991. And to my knowledge, as odd as it seems, the Sara Lee dessert company has never used Kander and Ebb’s sweet song salute in any commercials or as a jingle.

The song lyrics begin with “There’s a lady living somewhere. Where it is, I do not know. But I long to write and tell her that I love her so. I believe I might do mayhem … Yes I might destroy myself. If I ever found her missing … From my grocer’s shelf.” This is a followed by a chorus praising the name “Sara Lee,” and five verses mentioning such products as the cherry danishes, cheesecake, German chocolate cake, banana cake, fudge brownies and apple spice cake, among other temptations.

A fun and functional set design by Christopher Rhoton helps showcase the costume design by Sully Ratke and illuminating lighting design by Jesse Klug, with sound design by Michael Daly and properties design by Sally Zack, the latter who had to locate an bounty of empty Sara Lee product boxes to fill three stage shopping carts.

Every musical moment of this production is a feast. But another all-time winning musical moment is Allison E. Blackwell pitted against Meghan Murphy in “The Grass Is Always Greener,” with the former praising the latter by singing lyrics about how nicely she “cooks a pot roast,” with the secret being to brown an onion first. Ticket prices for “The World Goes ‘Round” range from $50 to $60 at www.MarriottTheatre.com or 847-634-0200. For the health and safety of audiences, artists and staff, face masks and proof of COVID-19 vaccine or appropriate negative COVID test are required for all patrons for admission.