Another Show Based off a Musician! Ella Fitzgerald

[I <3 NY]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 1:30am

After Mamma Mia, We WIll Rock You, Good VIbrations, Movin Out, Lennon, All Shook Up and other shows that seemto follow the trend of musicals based songsof celebrity pop/rock starts, comes another one. Ella — Off the Record is the musical portrait of Ella Fitzgerald.

This one seems abit different though. Instead of using her songs and applying them to some teeny bopper story, it shows a glimpse into the actual life of Ella.

This one looks like better quality! Maybe show writers are finding ways to mix the "commercial broadway" with real quality!
Updated On: 6/17/05 at 01:30 AM

[Jimmyojimmy]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 1:31am

wow, i'd love to see who'd play her

[I <3 NY]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 1:35am

Tina Fabrique is set to play Ella

Theres an article On Playbill.com

The show opens in Hartford, Connecticut



Here it is Updated On: 6/17/05 at 01:35 AM

[Jimmyojimmy]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 1:40am

oh nice, i really have no idea who that is, but ok.

[queenie2]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 3:34am

great, when I am not listening to a musicalcd, i am listening to nancy wilson and Ella fitzgerald!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 3:55am

Not sure how this can work. I love Ella's recordings, but honestly, there's not one ounce of anything in her life story that's interesting dramatically. For a black woman in the era she came of age in, there's surprisngly very little confict. She was a shy and demure personality, had no significant involvement in the civil rights movement as it swirled around her, no drugs or alcohol or relationship difficulties -- she was someone who just got up and sang where she could and made little fuss one way or another throughout her entire career.

I imagine she had to have encountered some difficulties due to race, gender, segregation etc.... but, if she did, she kept them to herself. She was never a big, dynamic, confrontational personality a la Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Bessie Smith et al (all of whom have had successful one woman shows written about them). Ella was ONLY about the music and not making waves. She's just not a good subject for a theatrical venture, because she avoided conflict at every turn.

We have her recordings (as well as several videos). Given that the woman herself isn't all that interesting, I'm not sure what the point of having an actress get up and just stand there and imitate her vocal stylings in front of a combo for an hour or two might be.

Sorry, but I'm pretty bored just thinking about it.

Updated On: 6/17/05 at 03:55 AM

[Jazzmyne]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 5:55am

Now this.. I'd really like to see! I absolutely LOVE Ella, and I would be interested to see how this works out. I don't know how anyone could portray her though.. She was simply unique and amazing.

☺

♥Elisha♥

Updated On: 6/17/05 at 05:55 AM

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 6:30am

They can re-create her 1975 Memorex commercial.

"Is it live....or is it Memorex?"

[paradox_error]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 9:15am

Don't write in yellow.

It's obnoxious and can't be read...

Posted: 6/17/05 at 10:55am

My thoughts exactly Margo! Dinah Washington had a far more "interesting" life and I thought "Dinah Was" was only interesting due to the performance of Lilias White.

What a score you could cobble together, however, seeing as how Ella sang just about every great song of the era.

[Jazzmyne]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 11:04am

It wasn't written in just YELLOW.. IT was a light yellow on a dark orange background. I assume one of the moderators changed it. I wasn't aware that there was anything wrong with colors as I didn't see anything to the contrary rules wise. I guess there is a prob with colors or they wouldn't have altered my posts.... If a mod could clear that up, that would be great..

Updated On: 6/17/05 at 11:04 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/17/05 at 12:47pm

I'm a HUGE Ella fan--I saw her in concert every year from 1973 until she stopped performing. I'm also an admirer of Tina Fabrique.

However, this sounds unlikely, like a poor third to Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill and Dinah Was, for the reasons Margo mentioned. She and the guys in her band WERE arrested for "gambling" in the south on a racist trumped-up charge. She had unsuccessful romantic relationships with the men in her life--black AND white. None of which add up to a very compelling narrative.

I'll go--and I'll probably enjoy Tina Fabrique, especially if she captures Ella's musciality in the scat-singing (few do)--but I'm not expecting good drama.

[AttendTheTale]

Posted: 6/19/05 at 1:09am

I am currently working on this show in Hartford. I highly recommend going to see if it if you're in the area for Ms. Fabrique's performance alone. While the fact that Ella Fitzgerald did not have the most dynamic of personalities and that her life did not contain huge drama has been discussed throughout the rehearsal process, the director, playwright and music arranger have done a superb job of making the show intense and exciting for audiences. Ms. Fabrique also brings a certain energy to the stories told that seems to be keeping audiences intrigued.

We are in previews this week and both the Friday and Saturday night performances were completely sold out. The show is already sold out for the first week after opening (which is quite exciting for us at TheatreWorks) so it seems to be the hot ticket in the area! After all, what could be better than bringing together 4 of the world's best jazz musicians, Tina Fabrique, and some of the best songs written in the past century?

Highlights of the show are Ms. Fabrique's renditions of "Mr. Paganini", "Flying Home" (completely scat), "That Old Black Magic", "Angel Eyes", "The Man I Love", and, of course, "How High the Moon". Check it out!