Come and dance the blues away with Five Guys Named Moe! Helen Hayes Award winner Robert O'Hara (Bootcandy, director of The Mountaintop at Arena Stage) returns to Arena Stage to direct an explosive, reimagined tribute to the 'King of the Jukebox'-legendary composer and saxophonist Louis Jordan. This modernized production features new orchestrations for classic songs, including 'Let the Good Times Roll' and 'Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby,' and a contemporary twist on the five Moes, now a hit boy band set in 2014. This dynamic musical revue features musical direction by Darryl G. Ivey (assistant music director for original Broadway production of Five Guys Named Moe) and choreography by Byron Easley (off-Broadway's Langston in Harlem). A co-production with Cleveland Play House, Five Guys Named Moe runs November 14-December 28, 2014 in the Kreeger Theater.
It was the great Marcus Garvey who said 'Be as proud of your race today as our fathers were in days of yore. We have beautiful history, and we shall create another in the future that will astonish the world.'
Artistic Director Laura Kepley announces the lineup for the 99th consecutive season of Cleveland Play House, the first she has programmed. A classic American drama, a variety of new work including a world premiere, comedies and music highlight the 2014-15 Season. "The theme of our 99th season is Legacy," reflects Kepley. "Many of the stories this season involve a changing of the guard. As one era ends, a new, sometimes shaky, sometimes confident world sprouts up, the future of which might be doomed or might be glorious- but it will always be theatrically thrilling."
Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith reveals the 2014/15 season lineup for the company's 65th season and fifth year in the Mead Center for American Theater. As a national center focused on showcasing American voices and artists, this season is designed with range through productions that are emotional, uplifting, funny and thought-provoking.
The Broward Stage Door Theatre has announced its line-up of productions for 2014-2015. For its 21st season the company, headed by Derelle Bunn and Dave Torres has planned an exciting mix of comedies, musicals, and straight plays that will appeal to their broad base of theatre patrons.
The highly successful Arts & Ideas program at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco (JCCSF) continues into 2014 with an array of fascinating thinkers, writers and entertainers.
Ella Fitzgerald's vocal style was as incredible and diverse as the material that she sang. She started out a swing singer, moved to bebop, sang perfect scat, was an extraordinary jazz vocalist and had no fear of modern material as the 60s and 70s came along
The highly successful Arts & Ideas program at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco (JCCSF) continues into 2014 with an array of fascinating thinkers, writers and entertainers.
The Perfect Gentlemen, who provide a blend of harmony and humor that harkens back to the days of Vaudeville, are are returning to The Grove for one night only. Preserving America's vocal sounds from a time when music was music, The Perfect Gentlemen recreates the close harmonies of such legendary groups as The Ink Spots and the Pied Pipers, while including the era's great comic songs made famous by the likes of Louis Jordan and The Hoosier Hotshots.
By popular demand, THE PERFECT GENTLEMEN is returning to The Grove for one night only on August 31 at 8:00 p.m. THE PERFECT GENTLEMEN provide a blend of harmony and humor, that harkens back to the days of Vaudeville. Preserving America's vocal sounds from a time when music was music, THE PERFECT GENTLEMEN recreates the close harmonies of such legendary groups as The Ink Spots and the Pied Pipers, while including the era's great comic songs made famous by the likes of Louis Jordan and The Hoosier Hotshots.
When Sly and The Family Stone hit the scene back in the late '60s, the world – socially, culturally and politically – was in a state of upheaval. And their music perfectly evangelized the moment. Today, we stand dangerously at the edge of a similar precipice – and that message of celebratory potential and jubilant clarity is sorely needed. With that concept squarely implanted in his mind's eye, visionary conceptualist, producer, arranger, composer and keyboard wizard Jason Miles has created the extraordinary Sly Reimagined on the Zoho Roots label. With his groundbreaking, genre-defying borderless mothership Global Noize providing the vehicle, Miles takes on eight classic Sly Stone journeys into the wilds of a reality nearly half a century beyond their point of inception.
Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing - This summer marks the 25th Anniversary season of Midsummer Night Swing. Midsummer Night Swing takes place Tuesdays through Saturdays, today, June 25-July 13, on the elevated dance floor in Damrosch Park on West 62nd Street, between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues.
When Sly and The Family Stone hit the scene back in the late '60s, the world - socially, culturally and politically - was in a state of upheaval. And their music perfectly evangelized the moment. Today, we stand dangerously at the edge of a similar precipice - and that message of celebratory potential and jubilant clarity is sorely needed. With that concept squarely implanted in his mind's eye, visionary conceptualist, producer, arranger, composer and keyboard wizard Jason Miles has created the extraordinary Sly Reimagined on the Zoho Roots label. With his groundbreaking, genre-defying borderless mothership Global Noize providing the vehicle, Miles takes on eight classic Sly Stone journeys into the wilds of a reality nearly half a century beyond their point of inception.
When Sly and The Family Stone hit the scene back in the late '60s, the world – socially, culturally and politically – was in a state of upheaval. And their music perfectly evangelized the moment. Today, we stand dangerously at the edge of a similar precipice – and that message of celebratory potential and jubilant clarity is sorely needed. With that concept squarely implanted in his mind's eye, visionary conceptualist, producer, arranger, composer and keyboard wizard Jason Miles has created the extraordinary Sly Reimagined on the Zoho Roots label. With his groundbreaking, genre-defying borderless mothership Global Noize providing the vehicle, Miles takes on eight classic Sly Stone journeys into the wilds of a reality nearly half a century beyond their point of inception.
Tickets go on sale for Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing starting Wednesday, May 22. Individual tickets are $17, which includes a dance lesson with a professional instructor followed by two sets of dancing under the stars to a live orchestra. This summer marks the 25th Anniversary season of Midsummer Night Swing, and to celebrate, tickets will be sold at a special '2 for $25' price on May 22 only. There are also Midsummer Night Passes priced at $84 for six admissions, and $170 for the full season. Four-admission passes are available for $60.
If you liked Short North Stage's recent production of "Passing Strange", you'll love CATCO's current show, "Five Guys Named Moe". Both musicals, each show features a young, lost, African-American man who gets a schooling from some older, wiser musicians. While the former was a good show in its own right, CATCO's "Five Guys Named Moe" production is an entire ensemble as smooth as the jazz tones the characters sing, in glorious harmony.
Louis Armstrong House Museum is celebrating Jazz Appreciation month in style this April. 85 years ago, Louis Armstrong recorded one of his all-time masterpieces, 'West End Blues,' one of the most important records in jazz history. For Jazz Appreciation Month, the Museum's historic house tours will feature an ultra rare recording of Louis Armstrong performing 'West End Blues' live at Freedomland in 1961. This performance was recently donated to the Museum's Archives by the son of Freedomland sound engineer Peter Denis. Previously unissued and not in any discographies, it will be featured only during Jazz Appreciation Month! This recording compliments the Museum's current exhibit, Louis Armstrong at Freedomland that closes April 30, 2012.
It may only be week two, but DANCING WITH THE STARS is already in full swing with enough walk-outs, breakdowns and resolve-shaking injuries to fuel a finale. This season's crop of B-listers and has-beens certainly know how to bring the petty drama. Unfortunately, that's about all most of them have to offer.
Louis Armstrong House Museum is celebrating Jazz Appreciation month in style this April. 85 years ago, Louis Armstrong recorded one of his all-time masterpieces, 'West End Blues,' one of the most important records in jazz history. For Jazz Appreciation Month, the Museum's historic house tours will feature an ultra rare recording of Louis Armstrong performing 'West End Blues' live at Freedomland in 1961. This performance was recently donated to the Museum's Archives by the son of Freedomland sound engineer Peter Denis. Previously unissued and not in any discographies, it will be featured only during Jazz Appreciation Month! This recording compliments the Museum's current exhibit, Louis Armstrong at Freedomland that closes April 30, 2012.
