A 1940s Big Band Music Revue
SHOWTIME SCHEDULE
Thursday Apr 14
7:00 PM
To the delight of fans of the American Big Bands and the Big Band era, the brassy, all-singing, all-dancing, all-American 1940s musical revue, In The Mood is coming to Evansville in celebration of 22 years on tour.
Hop aboard the “Chattanooga Choo Choo” to “Tuxedo Junction” and get “In The Mood” for a “Moonlight Serenade.” In the Mood is a fully staged tribute to Glenn Miller, The Andrews Sisters, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Harry James, Erskine Hawkins, Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra and other idols of the ’40s.
Complete with authentic costumes, music arrangements and choreography, In The Mood pays homage to America’s greatest generation who fought WWII. It was a time when Americans listened and boogie woogied to up-tempo big band rhythms and danced cheek-to-cheek to intimate ballads. Experience the swing, the rhythm and the jazzy, sentimental and patriotic music of this pivotal time in America’s history.
In The Mood has a cast of nineteen on stage: the sensational 13-piece “String of Pearls Big Band Orchestra” and the “In The Mood Singers and Dancers” performing over fifty unforgettable hits — Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Well Get It, Sing, Sing Sing, On The Sunny Side of the Street and many more.
To get an idea of what In The Mood is about, view our You Tube video:
IN THE MOOD takes a look at the life and times of America’s Swing Era when everyone listened and danced to the same style of music. Swing music ranged from mellow intimate ballads to up-tempo big band rhythms, where the waltz and fox trot competed with the wild, acrobatic jitterbug and jive, and when boogie-woogie crazed hepcats crowded the dance floors.
Swing Music inspired America with a vision for the future filled with hope, promise and prosperity. The music moved the Nation’s spirit and helped to sustain the nation’s morale during World War II, the pivotal event of the 1940s. IN THE MOOD recreates the rhythmic, jazzy, brassy, sentimental, romantic and patriotic music of this important time.
Creator and producer Bud Forrest is a Juilliard trained pianist and conductor who served as accompanist for the Air Force chorus The Singing Sergeants. He compiled the greatest music from the swing era into a review that tells the story of the WWII years in a moving tribute to those who fought the war.
IN THE MOOD captures the feel of the 1940s in part because of the involvement of the late Vic Schoen as the show’s primary arranger. Mr. Schoen created the musical arrangements for the entire career of the legendary Andrews Sisters. He was one of the seminal creators of the swing-era sound which he imbued into IN THE MOOD.
The National Archives in Washington, DC brought IN THE MOOD to their audiences as part of their commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of WWII, and the response was extraordinary, with crowds lining up for hours before curtain time. Thousands attended an out-of-doors performance on Constitution Avenue, and many stayed to dance the night away. As a result, IN THE MOOD, in affiliation with the USO, began a series of tours which played to audiences across the United States during the 50th Commemoration of WWII.
The band and singers were selected to be part of the entertainment for the 53rd Presidential Inauguration Ball. IN THE MOOD was the National Touring Event for the celebration Spirit of ’45, a national project that recognizes the people who fought WWII and their legacy of a rebuilt Europe and Japan and The United Nations, and salutes those who laid the foundation for America’s peace and prosperity.
IN THE MOOD is constantly being revamped and updated. While there are a number of permanent Swing- Era songs in the show, many are rotated out and replaced with selections from the huge body of Swing- Era music. Bud Forrest greets the audience after every performance and is constantly taking suggestions from patrons of songs they’d like to hear in the show. Likewise, Mr. Forrest recently engaged stage director and noted Broadway choreographer Alex Sanchez to re-choreograph the show’s jitterbug dances and production numbers. Thus, IN THE MOOD maintains a fresh, dynamic, ever-changing perspective on the culture of the Swing Era. Patrons who have seen the show two or three times are never disappointed as the production constantly evolves.
Be sure to check Ticketmaster overwhelmingly positive Fan reviews – Fan Reviews 4.5 / 5 (Tickets to this performance may NOT be available through Ticket Master) http://reviews.ticketmaster. com/7171/898784/in-the-mood-reviews/reviews.htm (paste in your browser)
This performance of IN THE MOOD is presented by Artbeat, Inc. a nonprofit arts presenter. Visit the producer’s website: www.inthemoodlive.com for information on all performances being presented in the near future. For interviews, press information, etc., contact: Contact: Tara Shisler, Marketing Director: tara@artbeatshows.org ~ 406-880-3199.
See video clip and more at www.artbeatshows.org ~ High-resolution, downloadable photos available at: www.inthemoodlive.com
