December 2, 2003
World
Premiere of "Irving Berlin's American
Vaudeville" Jan. 30 to Feb. 8
EVANSTON ---
Northwestern University 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, 20 Arts Circle
Drive, Evanston campus.
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.
“Berlin was a Russian-born immigrant who came to America
and made his fortune,” said Bell.
“His music speaks to the urbanization of America, the glorification
of the ‘American girl’ and has come to signify the
concept of the American dream itself.”
Berlin composed
more than 1,500 ballads, novelty tunes, love songs and dance
numbers for Broadway musicals, Hollywood films
and leading recording artists during his long career. Some of these
hits -- “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “A
Pretty Girl is Like a Melody” and “Say it with Music” --
will be featured in the revue.
However, because
of the great success of Berlin’s later
theatre and movie songs (“White Christmas,” “There’s
No Business Like Show Business,” and his tribute to his country, “God
Bless America”) many of the songs written in the first quarter
of the 20th century have been largely forgotten. To acquaint today’s
audiences with these “unknown” songs, the revue will
include some of Berlin’s lesser-known music such as “At
the Devil’s Ball,” “You’d Be Surprised” and “I
Will See You in Cuba.”
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.
Northwestern
University’s 2003-04 Mainstage Theatre Season
is generously supported by the Sara Lee Foundation.
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 Northwestern University Mainstage productions
are available through TicketWeb.com by going to the Northwestern
Theatre and Interpretation Center Web site at http://www.tic.northwestern.edu/tickets.html and
clicking the TicketWeb icon.
For more information or to order tickets by phone, call the Theatre
and Interpretation Center box office at (847) 491-7282. |