The 2015-16 Iola Community Theatre season kicks off in grand style this weekend with the be-bopping sounds of yesteryear.
We’re talkin’ jazz, and lots of it, as an ensemble of vocalists will fill the Bowlus Fine Arts Center auditorium with the unforgettable songs of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Duke Ellington and the like.
“I’m Talkin’ Jazz” runs at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and again 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Bowlus.
Audiences will be treated to the melodic harmonies of local crooners, accompanied by the nonpareil Iola High School jazz band.
Headlining the musical extravaganza are ICT veteran Sabra Aguirre, who has delighted local audiences with her vocal talents for years, and Jared Ellis, who’s a newcomer to the Iola Community Theatre, but an accomplished performer and speaker nonetheless with his weekly sermons at Fellowship Regional Church.
Aguirre, who also serves as stage and musical director, and Ellis open the show with a pair of numbers, “I Won’t Dance” and “Cheek To Cheek,” setting the bar high for the numbers to follow.
Aguirre’s euphonious alto voice coupled with Elliis’ rich baritone mesh perfectly, cascading upon the audience, setting the stage for the numbers to follow.
Aguirre returns later with a couple of solo numbers, “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” and “Lush Life,” while teaming with newcomer Brooke King for a dazzling rendition of “Happy Days Are Here Again.”
That’s right after King teams with Sophie Whitney for a showstopping rendition of Sinatra’s standard “New York, New York.”
Ellis, meanwhile, perfectly evokes Old Blue Eyes with his solo piece, “Fly Me To The Moon.”
Lest we unfairly lavish too much applause on the headliners, the rest of the ICT troupe is equally deserving of lavish praise.
Stage vets Bryan Johnson and Katie Terhune team up for another Sinatra classic “Come Fly With Me” — yes, Sinatra is (rightfully so) featured heavily throughout the show — before they do solo pieces. Johnson gets the honors of having the final solo of the night with Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good,” while Terhune electrifies with Sinatra’s “The Best Is Yet To Come.”
Sam Terhune gets his turn on stage, and doesn’t disappoint, as he joins Whitney for the Astair/Rogers piece “Let’s Face The Music And Dance,” before joining Jessica Quinhones with the classic “The Lady Is A Tramp.”
The group shares the stage for the final number, “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing,” on the grand stage, proving that the sum talent of this year’s troupe somehow still exceeds the considerable talent the choristers provide singularly.
PERFECTLY accentuating the choristers is a cadre of young dancers, Felicitas Aguirre, Chloe Bedell, Alexi Fernandez, Brooke Maley, Jasmine Schlotterbach and Hanna Vining. All but Fernandez are newcomers.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned, award-winning IHS jazz band, under the direction of Matt Kleopfer, again illustrates that the abundant musical talent on stage isn’t all vocal.
The production runs seamlessly from the time the curtain is drawn, with a few interludes to talk about the genesis of certain songs, some witty and chuckle-inducing banter from the headliners and a handful of plugs for everything from “Liquid Lightning” coffee to Pontiacs.
Tickets sell for $15 for adults and $10 for students, a pittance, an absolute bargain in retrospect, considering the bevy of entertainment the audience will experience.
After all, we’re talkin’ jazz. And we’re talkin’ fun.
