Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Announces April Events

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall goes retro during April, with shows featuring 1940's Big Bands, 102 Years of Broadway, megahit-makers such as The Beach Boys and Neil Sedaka, and even "Barbra & Frank" in a fantasy concert that never was.

There's also today's hot country band Lonestar, the Irish sensation Celtic Crossroads, contemporary swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Broadway's musical comedy Xanadu and a riveting exploration of the Mystical Arts of Tibet.

The month begins with One Night Of Queen (Apr. 1), a stunning live concert recreating and celebrating the music of one of the best live bands in rock history and Freddie Mercury, one of the greatest live performers of his generation. Since winning ITV's Stars In Their Eyes, the show's star Gary Mullen has received worldwide acclaim for his voice, persona and portrayal of Mercury. With his band The Works, Mullen recreates the excitement and atmosphere of a live Queen concert.
With a big band orchestra, singers and dancers, In The Mood (Apr. 2) is a retro 1940's musical that recaptures the music that moved a nation's spirit and helped win a war. The music and dance combines up-tempo big band rhythms and mellow intimate ballads, setting a mood that inspired a future filled with hope, promise and prosperity. Since 1994, when In The Mood won an overwhelming response to a performance at the National Archives in Washington, DC, the show has performed throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. The musical features the In the Mood Singers and Dancers and the String of Pearls Big Band Orchestra.

The hot country band Lonestar (Apr. 3) has had nine Number One singles and won top new vocal group honors at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 1996. Their string of hits includes Tequila Talkin'; Amazed; I'm Already There; My Front Porch Looking In; Smile; Runnin' Away with My Heart; Come Cryin' to Me; Mr. Mom; No News and others. "A bit of rock, a bit of country, and a lot of great sounding music," raves a recent reviewer.

The Beach Boys, the number one selling U.S. band of all time, comes to the Van Wezel on Apr. 6 with a concert that brings audiences to their feet wherever they perform. The Beach Boys' sunny vocal harmonies are one of the Signature Sounds of the modern era. Among rock and roll groups of the 1960's, the group places second only to the Beatles in terms of their overall impact on the Top Forty. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees will perform many of their classic hits, including Good Vibrations, California Girls, I Get Around, Help Me Rhonda, Wouldn't It Be Nice and Kokomo. Mr. John Stamos of Hollywood and TV fame intends to be here and will join The Beach Boys on stage as one of the touring drummers. However, there is always a possibility that a movie or TV obligation could interrupt this; his appearance cannot be guaranteed even though he really likes to appear or practice with The Beach Boys.

Back by popular demand after last season's sold-out show is Neil Berg's best of Broadway review, on Apr. 7. Neil Berg's 102 Years of Broadway is an all-new show featuring Broadway hits sung by a cast of talented performers who have performed in many Broadway shows. Selections include music from Phantom of the Opera, Annie, Wicked, Showboat, Cabaret, Sound of Music, and hits from George Gershwin, Kander and Ebb, Andrew Lloyd Weber and other notable composers. A reviewer for Buffalo News proclaimed of the performance, "It's one of the finest shows I've ever seen."

On Apr. 10, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, for ages four and older and their families, deconstructs the tradition of the fairy tale in a lighthearted show. Based on the book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, the production features delightful characters who slide in and out of tales: Cinderella rebuffs Rumpelstiltskin and Goldilocks meets the Three Elephants, for example.

On Apr. 11, the Van Wezel is the site of Barbra & Frank: The Concert That Never Was. The hit show from Las Vegas is the ultimate fantasy - two of the greatest voices joining together for the concert of a lifetime. Featuring two of the top impersonators in show business, Sharon Owens (who is from St. Petersburg and graduated from USF) and Sebastian Anzaldo, Barbra & Frank is an evening filled with Streisand and Sinatra classics along with duets of their signature songs.
Celtic Crossroads, on Apr. 14, takes Irish music to an entirely new level, doing to Irish music what Riverdance has done to Irish dance. Fresh from Ireland, the show redefines Irish music by going right to the heart of its rhythms.

Seven world-class musicians, playing over 20 instruments, captivate audiences with a wonderful fusion of musical genres including eastern European Gypsy, North American bluegrass, world classical and jazz, and the various forms of Celtic music from around the world.
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, called one of the coolest swing bands on the road today, showcases their retro cool sound at the Van Wezel on Apr. 15. After gaining mainstream popularity with their breakthrough performance in Swingers, the band has gone on to become one of the most popular touring bands, carrying on the tradition of the legendary big bands and orchestras. Their notable singles include Go Daddy-O, You & Me & the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby), and Mr. Pinstripe Suit.
Neil Sedaka, one of the seminal names in rock and roll - and one of its greatest influences - appears in concert Apr. 19. Sedaka's chart-toppers include The Diary; Oh! Carol; Stairway to Heaven; Calendar Girl; Little Devil; Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen; Next Door To An Angel and Breaking Up Is Hard To Do. The consummate musician, vocalist and songwriter has received numerous awards and accolades, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His legendary life and career are the subjects of a new musical, Laughter in the Rain, which premiered this month (March 2010) in England.

The best of Broadway continues on Apr. 20 and Apr. 21 with Xanadu, called "heaven on wheels" by The New York Times. Xanadu follows the journey of the magical and beautiful Greek muse Kira, who descends from the heavens of Mt. Olympus to Venice Beach, CA in 1980 on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve "the greatest artistic creation of all time" - the first roller disco. When Kira falls into forbidden love with the mortal Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of The Situation and chaos abounds. The hilarious, roller skating, musical adventure about following your dreams despite the limitations others set for you rolls along to the original hit score composed by pop-rock legends Jeff Lynne and John Farrar. Songs include Magic, All Over The World, Suddenly, I'm Alive, Evil Woman, Have You Never Been Mellow and Xanadu, to name a few.

To wrap up the month of events at the Van Wezel, on Apr. 23, the famed multi-phonic singers of Tibet's Drepung Loseling Monastery will perform Sacred Music, Sacred Dance for World Healing as part of their international tour of The Mystical Arts of Tibet. The performance, which sold out Carnegie Hall, features unique singing and traditional instruments such as 10-foot long dung-chen horns, drums, bells, cymbals and gyaling trumpets. The show is co-produced by actor Richard Gere.

For more information about all shows and to buy tickets, contact the Van Wezel Box Office at 941- 953-3368 or log onto www.vanwezel.org. Dinner is available prior to most shows by Michael's on East at the Van Wezel by calling (941) 366-0007 or logging onto www.bestfood.com.
Set along Sarasota's beautiful bayfront, the landmark Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is celebrating its 40th anniversary of entertaining audiences with a variety of music, dance, theater, comedy and children's shows. Its mission is to present a broad spectrum of the world's finest performing artists in order to meet the diverse cultural needs of all of Southwest Florida's residents and visitors. The Van Wezel is also committed to bringing visiting artists into the community for meaningful education and outreach programs.

To post a comment, you must register and login.