This summer the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse invites audiences to jump and jive with an original production featuring the most memorable tunes of the greatest crooners and songbirds.
Big Band Legends runs for three weeks beginning July 18 through August 12.
“In the same spirit as our smash hit musical revue Swing!, Big Band Legends is a genuinely feel-good production that encourages everyone to relax, let loose, and have fun,” says Mustakas.
Backed by an all-star orchestra, this upbeat production is packed with classics from such icons as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald, and mid-century stalwarts Tony Bennett, Doris Day, and Bobby Darin, to the modern day Harry Connick Jr. and Michael Bublé.
The show also pays tribute to World War II veterans in a unique segment that salutes the Canadian Forces with a medley of songs from the Department of National Defense entertainment shows.
Artistic director Alex Mustakas, follows suit with this fifth installment of the wildly popular Legends series.
Distinguished music icon Howard Cable provides orchestrations and vocal arrangements.
“This is truly a momentous occasion,” said Mustakas. “Howard Cable has played a dominant role in keeping this extraordinary style of music alive through remarkable collaborations with such stars as Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee, Bob Hope and others. It’s an infectious style of music that is back in the mainstream through the popularity of current leading icons like Harry Connick Jr. and Michael Bublé.”
Mustakas has assembled a first-rate ensemble of talented performers for this production including Drayton Entertainment favorites The Mantini Sisters.
The cast also includes Canadian song and dance man Eddie Glen, whom audiences may remember as Nathan Detroit in Drayton Entertainment’s hit production of Guys and Dolls last season.
Joining Glen is Michael Killinger, who appeared in Swing!, and was most recently seen as Mr. Lyons in Blood Brothers. Michael Vanhevel makes his professional theatre debut in the production.
Rounding out the cast are dancers Kimberly O’Neill, choreographer of the gold medal winning Canadian National Jazz and Modern Teams, and Jesse Weafer, who appeared on the hit CTV series So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 3 as one of the top 16 contestants.
The impressive “big band” includes music director Elizabeth Baird on keyboard, Kevin Dempsey on drums, Dave Dunlop on Trumpet, Peter Hysen on Trombone, Matthew Lima on bass, and Pol Coussée, Vern Dorge, Paul Pacanowski and Barry Usher on Reed instruments.
Big Band Legends plays eight shows a week July 18 through August 12.
Tickets are available online at www.stjacobscountryplayhouse.com, or at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse box office, or by calling 519-747-7788 or toll free 1-855-Drayton.
