MUSIC

BAYOU CITY CONCERT MUSICALS presents the first cabaret of the season, STAIRWAY TO PARADISE - The Early Music of George Gershwin on three consecutive Monday nights, February 7, 14 and 21, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. at the Performance Centre of The Ensemble Theatre, 3535 Main Street, between Holman and Berry. The entrance to the Performance Centre is located on the corner of Fannin and Berry. PAUL HOPE is the Artistic Director and well-known pianist ROB LANDES is Musical Director.

GEORGE GERSHWIN was one of America’s most important and popular composers of all time. His name immediately brings to mind such song standards as “I Got Rhythm,” and “Embraceable You,” musicals such as Porgy and Bess and classical compositions such as “Rhapsody in Blue” and “An American in Paris.”

“STAIRWAY TO PARADISE” will feature some of his little known works that will still be familiar to audiences. “Tra La La” written before 1920 can be heard in “An American In Paris,” sung by Gene Kelly and Oscar Levant; “Do It Again” made it into Thoroughly Modern Milly; and “Boy Wanted” was sung by Twiggy in My One And Only.

“Limehouse Nights” and “Poppieland,” both written about opium, the drug of choice at that time, will be featured in our Opium Medley and the delightful “We’re Pals,” that was originally sung to a dog, and of course, his first megahit, “Swanee.”

Before his brother Ira joined with him, his early collaborators were Buddy DeSylva and Lou Paley. An interesting note, at the time, Ira did not want to use the Gershwin name, but took the name of his two siblings, Arthur and Francis (Arthur Francis). It was not until the George White Scandals that he began using the Gershwin name when they collaborated on (“I’ll Build A) Stairway to Paradise.”

Musical Director and accomplished pianist/arranger, ROB LANDES will also perform a medley of more familiar Gershwin tunes.

George Gershwin (originally George Gershvin) was the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants. When his parents bought their older son Ira a piano, “little George” promptly preempted the piano and astounded his parents by playing a popular song that he had taught himself. He got the piano and the rest is history. After leaving school at the age of fifteen, he followed in the footsteps of other greats, Irving Berlin and Vincent Youmans, and became a “song plugger,” demonstrating sheet music.

Eventually, he worked for a publishing firm in New York City’s Tin Pan Alley, earning $15 a week and published his first song, “When You Want ’Em, You Can’t Get ‘Em, When You’ve Got ‘Em, You Don’t Want ‘Em,” that earned him $5. While still in his teens he became one of the most talented pianists in New York, accompanying many of the great performers of the time.

Popular Houston performers featured in the cabaret are:

SUSAN SHOFNER
TY BLUE
KREGG DAILEY
GRACE GIVENS
DANICA JOHNSTON
ROSS CHITWOOD

Tickets for the cabaret are $25.00 and are available by calling 713-465-6484 or may be purchased at the door. Tickets are also available on line at bayoucityconcertmusicals.org. Reservations are recommended.