Music fans are in for a lively song-and-dance journey through
decades of American music at the Fallon House when Sierra Rep presents Irving
Berlin’s I Love a Piano. The
captivating showcase celebrates the musical master’s legacy, from ragtime and
dance halls to Hollywood and Broadway.
As Irving Berlin’s fellow music legend Jerome Kern famously
said, “Irving Berlin has no place in American music – he is American music.” A
stand-out cast of six guest artists and a live band will sweep audiences
through seven decades of Berlin’s masterpieces in a show that has charmed
audiences across the country. It plays at the Fallon House September 7 through
October 7.
Jake Delaney, Brenna Wahl, Jennylind Parris, Michael Vodde, Daniel Hines and Jessica Reiner-Harris
Audiences will be amazed at the range of songs that kept this
iconic composer at the forefront of American music decade after decade.
Versatile performers will serve up dozens of Berlin’s ballads, dance numbers,
love songs and novelty tunes with hits such as “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,”
“Puttin’ on the Ritz” “Cheek to Cheek,” “God Bless America,” “Blue Skies,” “How
Deep is the Ocean,” “Anything You Can Do,” and many, many more.
“This is the songbook of America,” said Guest Director Russell
Garrett. “Everyone in the audience will be familiar with most of these songs –
at some point in our lives, we all have been touched by this music, have sung
these songs…but you may not realize all of this was from one man. When you see
it together in a show like this, you see how much of his music is really in our
collective consciousness.”
The story of an old-fashioned upright gives the tribute a
framework – audiences follow the life of
the instrument as it changes hands from a music shop in Tin Pan Alley, to a
’20s speak-easy, a Depression era dance hall, stage door Army canteen and
summer stock theater in the 1950s. The timeline allows six performers to shift
settings and show off Berlin’s incredible range of ragtime, rousing patriotic
standards, light hearted show tunes and stirring ballads.
Garrett, an accomplished performer and director who has credits
all over the country, has directed several musical revues for Sierra Rep
including Smokey Joe’s Café, Beehive and Christmas of Swing. He will be working with musical director and
on-stage pianist Nolan Bonvouloir (SRT’s Sisters
of Swing: The Story of the Andrews Sisters).
Bonvouloir, just 26 himself, said this music is a few
generations removed, but he loves helping audiences discover how timeless it
is.
“We found period recordings of every song in the show, and it’s
so classic,” he said. “It’s thrilling to bring it to life for people.”
Garrett and Bonvouloir have a sparkling cast of “triple threat”
performers who are all Sierra Rep favorites. The men: Daniel S. Hines (Jigger
in Carousel), Michael Vodde (Hairspray, I Love You, You’re Perfect…Now Change, the Frank Sinatra revues My Way and Christmas My Way) and Jake Delaney (Tulsa in Gypsy). The women: Jessica Reiner-Harris (Carrie Pepperidge in Carousel), Brenna Wahl (A Dash of Rosemary, Winter Wonderettes) and Jennylind Parris (All Shook Up, Midlife: The
Crisis Musical, South Pacific).
Joining Bonvouloir in the band are Dennis Dragan on bass and
Josh Certo on drums. The live ensemble, Bonvouloir said, “makes all the
difference in the world in a show like this. We’re all responding to the
audience and each other, and it’s a different performance every night.”
SRT guest artist Rand Endlow of University of the Pacific
designed the piano-themed set, with digital projections by Bert Simonis,
costume design by Jose M. Rivera, lighting by SRT’s Christopher Van Tuyl, props
by SRT’s Mercy Sharpe and stage management by Doug Brennan.
SRT’s production of Irving Berlin’s I Love a Piano is presented with the help of Sierra Rep’s Season
Sponsor Clarke Broadcasting (radio stations KVML, 92Q and KKBN and
MyMotherLode.com.)
I Love a
Piano opens Friday, September 7
and plays through Sunday, October 7 at SRT’s Fallon House Theatre in Columbia
State Historic Park. Thursday and Friday performances begin at 7, Saturday
evening performances are at 8 and Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinees begin
at 2.
Ticket prices range from $24 to $30 depending on the day of the
performance. For more information on content and show dates, or to make
reservations, call Sierra Rep’s box office at (209) 532-3120, visit Sierra Rep
at www.sierrarep.org or like Sierra Rep on Facebook at http://facebook.com/sierrarep.
