‘Sophisticated Ladies’ revives the Cotton Club
Published 9:00 pm Thursday, October 26, 2006
“Sophisticated Ladies:” This musical tribute to the great Duke Ellington is still one of the best ways to see tap dancing and hear The Duke’s sophisticated jazz arrangements all in one fine package.
Ellington is celebrated in this stylish and brassy retrospective that is a re-creation of the big band sound featuring his most famous numbers from the speak-easy era of the Cotton Club, the Harlem Renaissance, art deco and high society, including: “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” “Take the ‘A’ Train,” “Satin Doll” and “In a Sentimental Mood.”
This new production by Irving Street Rep at the Northshore Performing Arts Center includes Derek Baker who recently appeared as NoMoe in the national tour of “Five Guys Named Moe” and productions of “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “The Cotton Club,” “A Chorus Line” and “The Wiz.”
Songs are accompanied by a 12-piece jazz band drawn from area jazz players who by day are faculty in the Northshore schools. Music director is Darius Frowner and dance numbers are performed by top New York tap dancers and singers.
Originally seen on Broadway in 1981 starring Gregory Hines, “Sophisticated Ladies” won two Tony Awards and was nominated for six others.
“Me! Me! Me! Dynamo Theatre”: Also at the Northshore Performing Arts Center, this poignant story tackles the theme of rejection at school, performed by a cast of astounding acrobat-actors.
Brilliantly staged and creatively told with little dialogue, but lots of surprising action, the story takes place inside a classroom. Ideal for families and children age 8 to 12.
“The Great Gatsby”: Seattle Repertory Theatre continues its season with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.”
In Fitzgerald’s opulent, iconic, carefree lifestyle of The Jazz Age, there lurks a materialistic center, making “The Great Gatsby’s” sharp depiction of the “American Dream” resonate anew for each generation.
“All Premiere”: This dynamic mixed program of Pacific Northwest Ballet adds four new works to the company’s repertoire.
The works are: a new dance by choreographer Victor Quijada with music by Mitchell Akiyama; Ulysses Dove’s expressive “Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven,” set to music by Arvo Part; Peter Martins’ brooding “Valse Triste,” with music by Jean Sibelius; and Twyla Tharp’s imaginative “Waterbaby Bagatelles.”
Quijada’s world premiere will be his first work for Pacific Northwest Ballet.
“Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven,” is a poignant exploration of love and loss. Performed by three couples in white unitards, the dance mourns the passing of friends and family and is in three sections: love, friendship and letting the spirits go.
Danish-born Peter Martins’ “Valse Triste” is a striking tale of a woman remembering a past lover.
“Waterbaby Bagatelles” is a water-themed adventure created for Boston Ballet in 1995 whose name is in part inspired by the musicology term “bagatelle,” or a short, unpretentious composition.
“THREE”: Marking its return engagement, Batsheva Dance Company showcases its latest work “THREE,” which has been described as challenging, distinctive and alive with an explosion of movement.
“THREE,” by Ohad Naharin, is an evening-length work in three parts: Bellus, Humus and Secus. Each of the pieces stands independently. In Bellus, set to Bach’s “Goldberg Variations,” movement is sharpened and accentuates the compassion of the dancers especially in the silence between the notes. In Humus, five female dancers who perform a collection of short segments. In Secus, all dancers take part.
“Joy to the World”: Seattle’s “Queen of Gospel” Pastor Patrinell Wright will be Intiman Theatre’s special guest Monday.
Wright has performed in Intiman Theatre’s annual holiday show, “Black Nativity: A Gospel Song Play,” as well as created the musical direction and arrangements, since 1998.
Wright founded the Total Experience Gospel Choir in 1973. Celebrating its 33rd anniversary this year, the choir has grown to enjoy national and international prominence.
Wright has also been singled out for a number of awards, among them the Governor’s Ethnic Heritage Award, Women in Communications Award, Jefferson Award, Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award, Mahalia Jackson Community Service Award and Edwin Pratt Award from the Urban League of Greater Seattle.
