Blind Lemon Blues Runs at York Theatre Co., Feb. 15-25
By: BWW News Desk Dec. 18, 2006
The York Theatre Company will present the Off-Broadway premiere of Blind Lemon Blues, created by Alan Govenar and Akin Babatunde featuring more than 60 Blind Lemon Jefferson songs. Performances begin February 15th and continue through February 25th only, at The York Theatre at St. Peter's (54th Street, between Lexington and Third Avenues). "As Blind Lemon Jefferson, Akin Babatunde heads a cast of seven multi-talented performers who sing, dance and bring to life one of America's great musical legends," press notes state. The cast also includes Benita Arterberry, Cavin Yarborough, Alisa Peoples Yarbrough, Walter Fauntleroy, Liz Mikel, with guitarist Sam Swank. In addition to performing, Babatunde provides direction, choreographic staging and musical arrangements developed in association with Cavin and Alisa Peoples Yarbrough.
"Blind Lemon Blues celebrates the legacy of Blind Lemon Jefferson and his profound influence upon the development of American popular music. Jefferson was a blind street musician who played his guitar with a tin cup tied to its neck at the corner of Elm Street and Central Avenue in Dallas, Texas until a Paramount Records scout discovered him. Between 1926 and 1929, Jefferson made more than 80 records and became the biggest selling-down-home blues singer in America. After seeing a workshop of Blind Lemon Blues, playwright August Wilson said, 'I listened to the music of Blind Lemon everyday for five years. Blind Lemon Jefferson was the voice of Black America at that moment.'
Blind Lemon Blues is set in New York City in 1948 at the last recording session of the legendary Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Leadbelly, and combines elements of traditional blues, gospel, rhythm and blues, soul, doo-wop, and rap to evoke the enduring legacy of Blind Lemon and his contemporaries, Blind Willie Johnson, Lillian Glinn, Hattie Hudson, Bobbie Cadillac, Lillian Miller and Leadbelly himself."
Prior to its engagement at The York Theatre Company, Blind Lemon Blues will be featured at the Guggenheim Museum as part of its Works & Process series on February 11th and 12th. The musical had its world premiere at the Forum Meyrin in Geneva, Switzerland, in February of 2004, and was featured as the opening of the Festival de L'Imaginaire in Paris, France in March of 2004. In 2005 Blind Lemon Blues made its US debut in November 2005 at the Hall of State in Dallas and returned to France for the Blues Sur Seine Festival. Following its showcase at The York Theatre, Blind Lemon Blues will be presented in a nine-city tour to The Netherlands and Belgium by the World Music Theatre Festival.
Blind Lemon Blues, is a limited engagement for ten performances only. The schedule is as follows: Thursday, Feb. 15th at 8; Friday, Feb. 16th at 8; Saturdya, Feb. 17th at 2:30 & 8; Sunday, Feb. 18th at 3; Thursday, Feb. 22nd at 8; Friday, Feb. 23rd at 8; Saturday, Feb. 24th at 2:30 & 8; and Sunday, Feb. 25th at 3.
Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by calling The York Theatre Box Office at 212-935-5820 or online at www.yorktheatre.org. There are also $20 student tickets available for purchase at any time.
"Blind Lemon Blues celebrates the legacy of Blind Lemon Jefferson and his profound influence upon the development of American popular music. Jefferson was a blind street musician who played his guitar with a tin cup tied to its neck at the corner of Elm Street and Central Avenue in Dallas, Texas until a Paramount Records scout discovered him. Between 1926 and 1929, Jefferson made more than 80 records and became the biggest selling-down-home blues singer in America. After seeing a workshop of Blind Lemon Blues, playwright August Wilson said, 'I listened to the music of Blind Lemon everyday for five years. Blind Lemon Jefferson was the voice of Black America at that moment.'
Blind Lemon Blues is set in New York City in 1948 at the last recording session of the legendary Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Leadbelly, and combines elements of traditional blues, gospel, rhythm and blues, soul, doo-wop, and rap to evoke the enduring legacy of Blind Lemon and his contemporaries, Blind Willie Johnson, Lillian Glinn, Hattie Hudson, Bobbie Cadillac, Lillian Miller and Leadbelly himself."
Prior to its engagement at The York Theatre Company, Blind Lemon Blues will be featured at the Guggenheim Museum as part of its Works & Process series on February 11th and 12th. The musical had its world premiere at the Forum Meyrin in Geneva, Switzerland, in February of 2004, and was featured as the opening of the Festival de L'Imaginaire in Paris, France in March of 2004. In 2005 Blind Lemon Blues made its US debut in November 2005 at the Hall of State in Dallas and returned to France for the Blues Sur Seine Festival. Following its showcase at The York Theatre, Blind Lemon Blues will be presented in a nine-city tour to The Netherlands and Belgium by the World Music Theatre Festival.
Blind Lemon Blues, is a limited engagement for ten performances only. The schedule is as follows: Thursday, Feb. 15th at 8; Friday, Feb. 16th at 8; Saturdya, Feb. 17th at 2:30 & 8; Sunday, Feb. 18th at 3; Thursday, Feb. 22nd at 8; Friday, Feb. 23rd at 8; Saturday, Feb. 24th at 2:30 & 8; and Sunday, Feb. 25th at 3.
Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by calling The York Theatre Box Office at 212-935-5820 or online at www.yorktheatre.org. There are also $20 student tickets available for purchase at any time.
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