Paragon Ragtime Orchestra to Premiere Long-Lost Gershwin Piece at Centenary Stage, 7/27

Along with the discovery of 5,000 historic theater scores, buried in an attic in Washington, D.C., Founder and Artistic Director of The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra Rick Benjamin was stunned when he came upon George Gershwin's long-lost Broadway score for La La Lucile, which hasn't been performed since 1919. The piece will make its premiere in Hackettstown this month at the Centenary Stage Company's Jammin' in July Summer Concert Series.

This is a concert that audiences won't want to miss with pieces by other famous composers such as Scott Joplin and John Philip Sousa. The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, the world's only year-round, professional ensemble re-creating "America's Original Music," will fill the Centenary Stage this summer with the syncopated sounds of early musical theater and classic dance rhythms. Audiences can see and hear this world-famous orchestra during its 27th touring season at the Centenary Stage Company on Saturday, July 27th at 8 pm at the David and Carol Lackland Center at 715 Grand Avenue in Hackettstown.

When Benjamin came upon the lost Gershwin treasure, he immediately contacted CSC to announce that he had decided to perform this piece first at the July concert. Benjamin wrote, "A big part of my job involves expeditions out in the field looking for lost musical scores, literally combing through old attics and basements. I had a huge find in Washington, DC - about 5,000 historic theater scores, including parts of George Gershwin's lost first Broadway show, La La Lucille. I've decided to break the news of this discovery at your concert, and play the Overture for the first time anywhere since 1919." La-La-Lucile was George Gershwin's first Broadway show. It closed after only a short run due to an Actor's Equity strike, and most of the score was subsequently lost. This concert will also include interactive elements where the audience is encouraged to sing-along.

Since 1989 the Walt Disney Company has relied on the Orchestra's recordings for the outdoor theme music heard at Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland, Disney World, and Disneyland Paris; The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra strengthened its international following during its extended engagement as a U.S. Ambassador of Goodwill at the 1992 World's Universal Exposition in Seville, Spain. Over the years they've been heard on the soundtracks of several motion pictures and television programs. In addition to its worldwide concert hall, university, and festival appearances, the orchestra has acquired a considerable following both here and abroad through its radio programs on the New York Times' WQXR, National Public Radio, the British Broadcasting Corporation, and the Voice of America networks.

Tickets for The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra on Saturday, July 27th at 8 pm range from $20 to $27.50 in advance and $25 to $32.50 for day of purchases, with discounts for seniors, students, and children under 12. Tickets are available online at www.centenarystageco.org, or by calling the box office at 908-979-0900, open 1-5 PM Monday through Friday, and 2 hours prior to each performance. The David and Carol Lackland Center is located at 715 Grand Avenue in Hackettstown.

Pictured: The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra. Photo Credit: Lynn Aliston.

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