January 15, 2004

‘Irving Berlin’s American Vaudeville’ premieres at Northwestern

By Judy Moore

Northwestern will present the world premiere of “Irving Berlin’s American Vaudeville,” an original musical revue created, directed and choreographed by David H. Bell, one of the Chicago area’s most talented and innovative musical theatre directors.

Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 and Jan. 31; 2 p.m. Feb. 1; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5, Feb. 6 and Feb. 7; and 2 p.m. Feb. 7 and Feb. 8 at the Josephine Louis Theatre.

Bell’s new revue explores America in its most volatile era of social, political and ideological change through the words and music of America’s greatest troubadour and shaper of American popular music — songwriter Irving Berlin (1888-1989).

“Irving Berlin captured the energy and excitement of the early part of the last century in songs,” said Bell. “He is the only American composer who made hit music for more than six decades. All of the popular issues of the day were layered in his songs. Because of this we have a rare opportunity to see the world of the first quarter of the 20th century through the eyes of the man who popularized its major themes and social issues such as feminism, urban industrialization, modernism and the immigrant experience — all themes that typified the era and are discussed, often comically, in the songs of Irving Berlin.”

Since Berlin was the clearest barometer of the trends, styles and history of the early 20th century, Bell’s new revue will highlight how America has changed through song.

Bell is the former resident director of the Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre in Lincolnshire, Ill. and the former artistic director of Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. He currently is the associate artistic director of the Alliance Theatre Company in Atlanta.

Single ticket prices for “Irving Berlin’s American Vaudeville” are $24 for the general public; $20 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $11 for full-time students.

Online ticket sales for Mainstage productions are available through TicketWeb.com by going to www.tic.northwestern.edu/tickets.html and clicking the TicketWeb icon.

To order tickets by phone, call (847) 491-7282.