Hold on to your fedoras, Little Ole Big Band is back for the
5th year at Little Theatre on the Bay in
North Bend. Singers, Dancers, Comedy, and some of the
best brass musicians on the
South
Coast
will grace the stage for one weekend only.
Mark your calendar for November 7, 8 and 9 so you won’t miss this
fabulous show.
Five years ago, Band Leader
Steve Simpkins
fashioned Little Ole Big Band after Little Ole Opry, reasoning that the
popularity of Big Band Music from the 30’s through early 50’s could appeal to
the
South
Coast. So instead of a barnyard, he set his show in
a Nightclub with tables for the singers to occupy as if they were enjoying the
show, just like an audience. He used
Little Ole Opry as a formula and plugged in the Elements that have proven
themselves successful for over 25 years.
Unlike Little Ole Opry, which focuses on the Singer, Little
Ole Big Band focuses on the Band, as it was back in the days of the
Crooners. They were simply a vocal part
of the Band. And the music of the Era
was fantastic! Songs like” How High the
Moon” , “For All We Know”, “Chattanooga Choo
Choo”, “I’ve got you under my skin”, “Moonlight in Vermont”
and many, many more will be performed by some of the South Coast’s best
vocalists. You probably haven’t heard of
the one I’m doing. It’s called “Too
Close for Comfort”, and I had to go to “project playlist”
on line to find out what it sounded like!
Byrell Justice will be
Directing the show.
You will remember him as Mr. Applegate in “Damn Yankees”. He knows his way around a stage and has
directed several shows both here and at the On Broadway Theatre. Music Director and pianist Janice Kendall has
been here from the get go, and cracks the whip at the rehearsals. As a performer, you don’t want to feel her
wrath if you’re late to a rehearsal.
Luanne
May produces the show.
Associate Producer and Vocal Arranger Linda
Sweatt has arranged the songs and transposed the key if the
vocal range was wrong for a singer. The
human voice is limited to a 3 octave, maybe 4 octave comfort zone, but a Band
can span the whole 8 octave music spectrum!
Linda makes sure the voice falls comfortably within its own range to get
the best sound a vocalist can produce.
Other local arrangers are Dan McGraw and Charles Perkins.
The musicians are Dustin Dillon and Judy Snyder, sax and
clarinet. Dustin is an amazing high school student who has come out of the lab
band program and plays with a maturity far beyond his years. Judy is a retired
school principal and teacher whose musical family roots stretch many years. The
trumpet player is Steve Krajcir who works for hospice
and
Steve Simpkins is on the trombone. At the
piano is Janice Kendall, music teacher and musician extraordinaire. Trevor
Edd plays percussion. Gina Shaddux
plays the string Bass.
Charles Perkins, a fantastic musician and arranger who lives
in
Florence, is one of four local
arrangers who have created special numbers for the show. He had a wonderful
career as performing musician and teacher (he plays trumpet) and his clever
arrangements make performing them a breeze because he has the ability to make
our small group sound full and rich as well and singers feel comfortable.
The show will be one weekend only November 7 and 8 at
8pm and Sunday at
2pm. All seats are general admission and sold at
the door, one hour before curtain. So,
circle your calendar for this great show.
or call 1-800-4TIX
Latest
2010 Opry Information
