The
Hexagon Theatre’s next production celebrates Women’s Day with a dynamic show
which pays tribute to the influence of jazz and blues on American music and the
women who made the unforgettable songs their own.
After
World War One, musical trends in America took a huge upswing as Tin Pan Alley
became the focus of the music publishing business. The old spirituals sung by
slaves became the basis for blues, jazz and gospel, which, in turn, later on
influenced Rock ‘n Roll, R&B, Soul and eventually Hip-Hop. Composers such
as George Gershwin and Irving Berlin brought these styles to the forefront of
popular music, and black singers were allowed into whites-only clubs – as long
as they stayed on stage! From these uneasy beginnings a huge industry
developed, leaving an indelible legacy of remarkable performers and memorable
music.
Young, Gifted and Gorgeous looks at the
music which swept the world and gave us some of the top female singers of the
last century, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, Etta James, taking in Nina
Simone, Roberta Flack and Diana Ross, right up to Tracy Chapman, Mariah Carey,
Rihanna and Beyoncè. And of course, the inimitable girl groups such as the
Supremes, the Chordettes, the Shirelles and the Dixie Cups, just to name a few.
Songs
include Georgia on My Mind, My Baby Just
Cares for Me, Mr Sandman, Chapel of Love, Proud Mary, Killing Me Softly, Hero
and Single Ladies, amongst numerous
others. Not wanting to be entirely one-sided, there is a small nod to male
singers such as Louis Armstrong, Ben E King and the Jackson Five.
Directors
Peter Mitchell and Helen Vermaak have assembled a talented cast of
up-and-coming young singers, led by local star Erin Fourie, who bring the old
and new songs to vibrant life. Mitchell and Vermaak have been responsible for
most of the big musicals produced in Pietermaritzburg over the last thirty
years, including Grease, West Side Story,
Godspell, Cabaret and Magical Mystery
Tour. Choreography is by Paul Datlen, with musical arrangements by
bandleader Jeff Judge. Costumes are designed by Sandra Styles, with lighting
and sound by Marcus Henning.
Young, Gifted and Gorgeous promises to
bring you exactly that: the young, the gifted and the gorgeous! The show runs
at the Hexagon Theatre on the UKZN, Pietermaritzburg campus from August 8 to 13
with shows at 19h30 except for Sunday August 10 which is at 15h00. Tickets R80
(R60 for seniors, R50 for students) booked at Computicket
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