Review: FIRST LADY OF SONG: CHERISE COACHES SINGS ELLA FITZGERALD at Westport Country Playhouse

Fans of Ella Fitzgerald are going to be blown away by the Westport Country Playhouse’s newest presentation, First Lady of Song: Cherise Coaches sings Ella Fitzgerald.

This concert is not just an afternoon or evening of Fitzgerald’s songs or an imitation of the legendary singer. Lots of singers have sung the same classic songs, but not like Fitzgerald. Her warm voice, flexible vocal range, diction, intonation, scat singing, and interpretations made every song she sang exceptional. Ira Gershwin reportedly said, “I didn’t know our songs were so good until I heard Ella Fitzgerald sing them.”

Cherise Coaches is electrifying as Fitzgerald. She captures Fitzgerald’s heart and soul as well as vocal talent. No one ever tires of listening to songs such as “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got that Swing,” “Summertime,” “Mac the Knife,” “My Funny Valentine,” “I’ve Got Rhythm,” “Lullaby of Birdland,” “It’s Too Darn Hot,” “I Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” and other songs that have stood the test of time.

Coaches is an actress who has appeared on Broadway in Waitress and on national tour. She has a delightful personality and engages beautifully with the audience. She had multiple costume changes, including a stunning contemporary fringe dress and sneakers (her own personal style) for the last part of the show. The songs work as well with clothes from the midcentury to the present.

The show is an Artists Lounge Live creation with high production values. The band includes Music Director William Kurk on piano, Runere Brooks on upright bass, Ryan Bennett on drums, and Jay Flat on saxophone and flute. They are all master musicians, not just in technique, but in their ability to evoke the environment for a singer of Fitzgerald’s caliber. They are on the Westport Country Playhouse’s large stage in a setting of a simple dark background, a gorgeous chandelier near the piano, and small tables for drinks. The stage looks like an upscale lounge.

Written and directed by Angela Ingersoll, with story contribution by Coaches, First Lady of Song: Cherise Coaches sings Ella Fitzgerald is one of many productions of Artists Lounge Live. The company has tributes to a variety of performers including Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin, Bing Crosby, Patsy Cline, Stevie Wonder, and more. (For more information, visit www.artistsloungelive.com/shows/.) It would be lovely to see another Artists Lounge Live production in Connecticut soon.

You have until November 5 to see First Lady of Song: Cherise Coaches sings Ella Fitzgerald. Do yourself a favor and see it. Tickets start at $35.00 and are available at the link below. You can also see a video of Coaches singing “Too Darn Hot” on this webpage. The Westport Country Playhouse is located at 25 Powers Court in Westport. (203) 227-4177

Also save these dates: November 13 for a Script-in-Hand reading of Theatre People by Paul Slade Smith, December 2 for The Lightning Thief (for grades three through six), December 4, a Script-in-Hand reading of a play to be announced, December 19-23, for A Sherlock Carol, a heartwarming family friendly show that’s written and directed y Mark Shanahan, the incoming artistic director of the Westport Country Playhouse. The New Year starts with Good Witch, Bad Witch: The Broadway Witches. Performers who have played at the Westport Country Playhouse and long-time audiences know that this is a very special venue. If you haven’t been to a Westport Country Playhouse show yet, you are missing out on a lot.

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