THE JAZZ SINGER Musical Plays Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park Starting Tonight

A talented son's passion for music versus his deep commitment to his father and his heritage is the heart and soul of the classic story of THE JAZZ SINGER. A musical version of THE JAZZ SINGER, based upon the 1925 play by Samson Raphaelson will run from tonight, January 8th through January 24th at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.

Raphaelson's play was based upon his own short story 'The Day of Atonement', written after he attended the musical Robinson Crusoe, Jr. in Chicago in 1917 starring a 37 year-old singer named Al Jolson. To Raphaelson, Jolson's performance, particularly "his velocity, the amazing fluidity with which he shifted from tremendous absorption in his audience to a tremendous absorption in his song," felt shockingly familiar. "When he finished I turned to the girl beside me, dazed with memories of my childhood on the East Side (of New York), and thought, 'My God, this isn't a jazz singer. This is a cantor!'"

This adaptation of Raphaelson's play is a dynamic musical that explores the internal coming of age struggle of a talented son's passion for music interfering with his cantor father's plans for him to follow in his footsteps. The musical features songs by various iconic artists and composers including Irving Berlin and George Gershwin. Numbers include "You Made Me Love You", "Baby Face", "Mammy", "I'm Sittin' on Top of the World", "I'm Just Wild About Harry", and "April Showers".

Kevin Black will direct the production, which will feature Larry Buzzeo as THE JAZZ SINGER. Also cast are Katie Angell Thomas, Larry Kent Bramble, Elissa D. Solomon, Floyd Nash, and Bob Levitt.

"When I reread the play, the first thing I did was remove the image of Al Jolson from my mind," Black explains. "THE JAZZ SINGER has been recreated numerous times, and it's a story that's been loved by many people for many years. Yet it still resonates today. It addresses father-son relationships, inter-religious issues, and the never-ending internal struggle between passion and practicality. This version of THE JAZZ SINGER is based on the original play that was eventually made into the first successful 'talkie' starring Al Jolson. But even though our production is very nostalgic, in no way is it a tribute to Jolson."

THE JAZZ SINGER will run from January 8 through January 24th at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park. Tickets are $35; group rates (6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction) are $22. Tickets can be purchased on line at www.willowtheatre.org/the-jazz-singer-the-musical or by phone at 561-347-3948.

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