VSC & Nauticus Present SWING TIME SALUTE 5/31-7/08

For six weeks this summer, SWINGTIME SALUTE, An On-Deck Revue will re-create a touring variety show on deck of the Battleship Wisconsin in an evening of star-lit entertainment. Produced by Nauticus and Virginia Stage Company (VSC), the show will “entertain the troops” with singers, dancers and a side helping of all the excitement and adventure you’d expect aboard a warship at sea. Dashing sailors and dishy dames, accompanied by a live, on-stage band, expertly belt out the era’s popular tunes from the Andrews Sisters, Bing Crosby, Glenn Miller, Jimmy Dorsey and more. This retro celebration of the Swing Era is one for the boys, the gals, and the whole family.

SWINGTIME SALUTE performances will be held Thursday through Sunday evenings at 8:00 pm from May 31 through July 8. A special Wednesday, July 4th performance will take place also at 8:00 pm.

Norfolk, 1944. The Battleship Wisconsin, just commissioned, is heading for a tour in the Pacific as families at home gather around their radios for news from abroad and to hear the music that keeps their spirits up. To brighten the days of our homesick GIs, touring shows featuring the likes of Bob Hope bring popular singers and dancers aboard ship and on bases around the world.

“Everyone at Nauticus is very excited to bring this long-dreamed of project to life, especially in partnership with Virginia Stage Company,” said Harry P. Lynch, Executive Director of Nauticus. “This will be a professional production, from top to bottom, and one that we hope will become a recurring summer event for Norfolk.”

General admission tickets are $30 for Thursday performances, $40 for Friday through Sunday performances; children ages 4 – 12 are $20 to any performance. A VIP ticket is available for an additional $10 per person, including preferred seating and a commemorative souvenir. Military tickets will be discounted $3 in advance, with day-of-show tickets for military priced at $20. Tickets will be available beginning March 16 by calling 1-800-982-2787, at www.vastage.com and at VSC’s Box Office at 110 Tazewell Street in downtown Norfolk. Tickets will also be available day of show at Nauticus beginning at 5:00 pm. For more information, visit www.nauticus.org or www.vastage.com.

Nauticus is a maritime science museum, located on the downtown Norfolk waterfront, that features hands-on exhibits, interactive theaters and exciting, educational films as well as Navy exhibits and The Hampton Roads Naval Museum; the awe-inspiring Battleship Wisconsin; a NOAA environmental resource center; The Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, and the Victory Rover, which offers cruises of the Seaport.

Now in its 33rd season, Virginia Stage Company is the region’s only fully professional resident theater company, serving an annual audience close to 80,000. Since its founding, Virginia Stage Company has made significant contributions to the quality of life in Hampton Roads: presenting more than 190 plays through more than 4,200 performances; revitalizing and renovating the historic Wells Theatre; providing educational programs for students of all ages; and preserving the legacy of live theatre for future generations.