The Barnyard Theatre’s newest production, Platinum
Jukebox, is a journey of music, song and dance - starting with the
gramophone in the 1920s and ending with the iPod in the 21st Century
- and is set to run at the Gateway venue from April 21 to May 31.
The journey starts in the 1920s, when music from Louis
Armstrong and Fred Astaire were the platinum hit songs and The Charleston, the
waltz and the tango were the dance crazes of the time. Unsurprisingly, this was
known as the Golden Era.
In the 30s and 40s the LP 331⁄3 RPM
and the 45 RPM single records were invented in an era of peace, depression and
then war. This period celebrates the sounds of Glen Miller, Frank Sinatra,
Marilyn Monroe and dance was dominated by swing, tap dancing and the foxtrot.
Jukeboxes gained popularity in the 1950s with the
advent of rock and roll which revolutionized music. Soon everyone was dancing
the jitterbug, the hand jive and the rock and roll boogie woogie to the
inimitable sounds of Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Bill Hailey and
The Comets.
The 1960s and 1970s saw the mass production of stereo
albums, the affordability of turntables along with the heady hysteria of Beatle
Mania and British pop invasion. Soon the world was dancing to the crazily named
twist, locomotion and funky chicken. The 70s was also synonymous with the Bee
Gees and disco dancing.
Cassette tapes and eventually compact discs ruled
supreme in the 80s, along with dancing styles such as the moon walk, break
dancing, head banging and the electric slide to the music of icons such as
Michael Jackson, Madonna and Bruce Springsteen.
The 1990s encountered the now embarrassing Macerena
plus Latin American and line dancing to everything from Cotton Eye Joe to
Achy Breaky Heart. In the 21st century, the iPod has become
the flavour of the day with downloads taking the place of compact discs. Pop
divas such as Lady Gaga, Beyoncè and Rihanna now rule the world, and modern
dance moves incorporate any style imaginable!
Platinum Jukebox is a journey
of song and dance that covers every dance craze in the history of recorded
music. The times have
changed and so has music and fashion, but the songs live on forever in the Platinum
Jukebox!
The show’s
stellar cast consists of Percy Smith, Kyle Matthews, Nontu Xulu and Peyton Amber on vocals; Barry
Thomson on guitar and vocals; Dawn Selby
on keyboards; Fresh Monanyane on bass guitar; Michael Ramasimong on drums; and
dancers Duane Joaquim (also host) and Charlene Hendricks.
Tickets R145 pp from Wednesday to Saturday (R110 pp
every Tuesday night and R100 pp for Sunday matinees. For bookings and
enquiries, phone The Barnyard Theatre on 031 566 3045 or visit www.barnyardtheatres.co.za/gateway
For further information e-mail gateway@barnyardtheatres.co.za or
visit www.facebook.com/gatewaybarnyard.