A Dash of Rosemary delivers a delicious musical treat
WHAT: A Dash of Rosemary, a winning tribute to Rosemary Clooney bursting with more than 30 of Clooney’s hits, opens Friday, September 30 at the Historic Fallon House Theatre and runs through October 23.
WHEN: September 30-October 23. Thursday and Friday evening performances begin at 7, Saturday evening shows begin at 8 and Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinees begin at 2. “Talk backs” – discussions with the director and performers – are on Thursday evening, October 13 immediately following the performance.
WHERE: Historic Fallon House Theatre, 11175 Washington Street , Columbia
PRICES: Tickets are $24- $30 depending on the show day. (Rush Tickets are half of general admission price Thurs & Fri); seniors receive $2 off (except Wednesday); tickets for children 17 & under are $18. Students 18 & older with ID are $20 anytime.
BOX OFFICE: (209) 532-3120
WEBSITE: www.sierrarep.org
Get to know the music and life story of an American treasure, when Sierra Rep presents A Dash of Rosemary, a winning tribute to Rosemary Clooney, on stage at the Fallon House Theatre September 30 through October 23.
Sweet, sultry and known for her velvety vocal style, Clooney rocketed to fame as a young recording artist in the early 50s, and went on to a career that spanned six decades and a range of musical styles from standards and pop to jazz and blues.
A Dash of Rosemary, with three vocalists and a live three-piece combo, uses Clooney’s rich and varied catalogue of music to take audiences through her incredible life. The show bursts with more than 30 of Clooney’s hits, as we go from her childhood in small-town Kentucky, life on the road with her younger sister as big band singers, her rise to stardom as a top recording artist, film and television celebrity, her many triumphs and personal tragedies and her lasting musical legacy.
There’s “Hey There,” “This Ole House,” “Our Love Is Here to Stay,” “Sisters,” “Tenderly,” “I’ll Be Seeing You,” her fun-loving break-out hit “Come On-A My House” and the many Irving Berlin classics from her lasting legacy opposite Bing Crosby in the film “White Christmas.”
“This show is really a celebration of her and her music, and through it, we get to know who she was as a person,” said SRT Artistic Director Scott Viets. “And it’s a discovery for me – I’m really enjoying researching her and the legacy she has left in American popular music. She is one of those performers who has a unique, effortless style, and could truly tell a story with her voice.”
Clooney came to fame as one of the ’50s most accomplished and well known “girl singers.” She saw her star fade in the 60s, and she came back strong as a jazz vocalist, recording artist and stage performer for another quarter century.
“She was able to reinvent herself through her music,” Viets said, “and she was so beloved. People never let her go.”
SRT company artist John C. Brown is a big fan of the show, musically directed it twice before and will be SRT’s on-stage pianist.
“What separates A Dash of Rosemary from other musical biographies is that it really, truly tells the story of Ms. Clooney’s life through her music, and it’s incredibly dramatic,” he said.
He’s sure it will have great appeal for SRT audiences.
“These are all solid gold hits that our patrons grew up listening to and that they know and love,” says Brown. “Audiences will really walk away with respect for this woman and what she did in her life.”
Broadway producer Roy Miller had this to say:
“A Dash of Rosemary…(this) gem of a show takes you on a touching, sentimental journey of the legendary singer’s life while offering up one hit song after the other. If it weren’t for the lump in my throat, I would have sung along during the show’s finale. That is no easy task to accomplish, but producer/creator Douglas Kampsen succeeds in serving up all the right ingredients.”
New York performer and SRT favorite Christine Rowan (Sweet Charity, Guys and Dolls, The All Night Strut, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast) will be one of show’s two female vocalists, and is enjoying digging into the material.
“We’ll be doing so many classic songs from a time period that was really rich with well written, well thought out music that’s endured. And Rosemary Clooney really made it her own.”
Joining Rowan are SRT newcomers baritone Payton Crim and soprano Brenna Wahl, and musicians Jay Davis (bass) and Mark Kreuzer.
The show’s production team includes SRT’s Resident Costume Designer Bina Bieker, guest scenic designer Noble Dinse, lighting designer Christopher Van Tuyl, multimedia designer Bert Simonis, property manager Mercy DeHerrera and Stage Manager Doug Brennan.
A Dash of Rosemary opens Friday, September 30 and plays through October 23 at the Historic Fallon House Theatre. Thursday and Friday performances begin at 7 p.m., Saturday evening shows begin at 8 and Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m. A special “talk back” discussion will take place after the performance on Thursday, Oct. 13. Tickets are $18-$30 depending on the performance.
For more information or reservations, call Sierra Rep’s box office at (209) 532-3120 or visit Sierra Rep at www.sierrarep.org.
About Sierra Repertory Theatre
SRT is a professional non-profit theater producing a year-round season of classic and contemporary plays at two locations — the SRT theater in East Sonora and the historic Fallon House Theatre in Columbia. The talented resident company and visiting guest artists include members of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers. High quality performances, production values and management have established Sierra Rep as a model for regional theater. Sierra Rep's 200-seat theater in East Sonora is intimate, attractive and comfortable; with excellent sight lines and acoustics, and no seat more than 10 rows from the stage. The Fallon House is a restored Gold Rush-era theater and inn located in Columbia State Historic Park. It seats 274. Both theaters are centrally heated and cooled and wheelchair accessible. The East Sonora Theater has an assistive listening system for hearing-impaired patrons.
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