FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Cindy Moran, Public Relations Director, 414-224-1761 March 10, 2006 THE TRIUMPHANT STORY OF A JAZZ LEGEND Directed by David Hunter Koch Stackner Cabaret Previews: March 17, 2006 Opens: March 18, 2006 Closes: May 14, 2006 Hear the story of a legend in ELLINGTON: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF THE DUKE. Featuring popular Duke Ellington songs such as Take the “A” Train, Satin Doll, It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing, Don’t Get Around Much More and Lush Life, this production invites you to share inthe life of The Duke, from his personal heartaches to his triumph over racism to his unique understanding of jazz. Purchase tickets for this Stackner Cabaret production in person at The Rep Ticket Office at 108 East Wells Street or by telephone at 414-224-9490. Tickets can also be purchased online 24/7 at milwaukeerep.com. The Rep . . . See it LIVE! ELLINGTON: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF THE DUKE follows the ups and downs of Ellington’s journey to the top of jazz. Rising out of “colored middle class” in Washington, D.C. to become a jazz legend, he struggled to balance his two lives – one as a husband and father, one as a performer. Despite the opposition he faced as an African-American musician, The Duke prevailed in the world of jazz and became one of the most famous musical performers of his time, traveling the world extensively with legends like Miles Davis, Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett and Louis Armstrong. Known for his smooth voice and unique sound in music, Ellington danced and sang his way to the top where he stayed for many years. David Scully and David Hunter Koch collaborate again this season, this time to bring ELLINGTON: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF THE DUKE to life. Earlier this season, Scully and Koch collaborated to bring BLUE ROSE: THE ROSEMARY CLOONEY STORY to the Stackner stage. Ellington’s life story will be told through a blend of song and story. Playwright David Scully has worked in movies, television, radio and theater professionally for more than 15 years. In this time Scully has had the opportunity to work with Bill Irwin, Larry Fishburne, Curtis Hanson (Director of L.A. Confidential) and James Earl Jones, among others. He has also performed his stand-up in numerous venues including sketch comedy shows on both NBC and CBS. He’s the recent recipient of the coveted Telly Award for co-writing dialogue for the Guerilla Gardner television series. He’s won the All Star Software Award, Children’s Software Revue 2000 and Best Picks for the Holidays Award from Choosing Children’s Software in 1999. Other awards include the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Award, numerous awards from the Seattle Arts Commission Award for Playwriting and the Theodore Ward Playwriting Contest in Chicago, Illinois. Director David Hunter Koch makes his home in Seattle, Washington, performing, producing and directing theater, video and film. He created the Cabaret De Paris in 1989, Seattle’s preeminent Cabaret theater, where he produced and directed over 60 musical productions. He was named Theatrical Entrepreneur of the Year by The Seattle Weekly. In 1993 he founded Cabaret Productions. Koch also directed singer David Byrne and guitarist Pat Metheny’s documentary concert videos and most recently wrote and directed the new musical MUSICA VITAE for Seattle’s Century Ballroom. His Milwaukee Rep credits include JAZZ ROYALTY, KING OF COOL: NAT KING COLE - THE LIFE, THE MAN and BLUE ROSE: THE ROSEMARY CLOONEY STORY. Jimi Ray Malary as the Duke will be backed by a stellar band. Berkeley Fudge, a popular local saxophone player, will perform in this production along with Billy Johnson on bass, Scott Napoli on drums and William Knowles, who is both the music director and pianist. The production/design team for ELLINGTON: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF THE DUKE includes Maureen Chavez-Kruger (Scenic Designer), Marcia Newman (Costume Designer), Chester Loeffler-Bell (Lighting Designer) and Kathi Karol Koenig (Stage Manager). Tickets to ELLINGTON: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF THE DUKE range in price from $23 to $36. For more info rmation or to charge tickets, call 414-224-9490. Tickets can be purchased online 24/7 at milwaukeerep.com. For group sales of 20 or more, call The Rep Box Office at 414-224-9490. Special Events for ELLINGTON: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF THE DUKE
For more information about The Rep’s Access Services, please contact The Rep’s Ticket Office at 414-224-9490. Ellington: The Life & Music of the Duke FACT SHEET THEATER: Stackner Cabaret DESCRIPTION: In a remarkably long and varied career, Mr. Ellington wrote everything from concertos to sacred music. This show concentrates on the pop-jazz songs he created – a treasure chest of beloved tunes, including: Take the A Train, Satin Doll, It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore and Lush Life. PERFORMANCES:Friday 3/17/06 8:00 p.m. Preview Saturday 3/18/06 8:30 p.m. Opening Sunday 3/19/06 7:00 p.m. Tuesday 3/21/06 6:30 p.m. Early Bird Tuesday 3/28/06 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 4/5/06 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 4/12/06 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 4/19/06 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 4/26/06 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 5/3/06 7:30 p.m. Wednesday 5/10/06 7:30 p.m. TICKET PRICES: TICKETS/INFORMATION: 414-224-9490 or buy tickets online at milwaukeerep.com NEW TICKET OFFICE HOURS: TICKET OFFICE LOCATION: ### Open to the public before and after all evening performances, Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Stackner Cabaret, located on the second floor of the Milwaukee Center, is our own full-service bar and restaurant. Featuring delicious dinners, as well as late night cocktails, coffee, and desserts, the Cabaret is the ideal meeting place for patrons attending Rep performances. Reservations for dinner are recommended, call 414-224-9490. Milwaukee Repertory Theater is a nationally recognized theater company that presents a critically-acclaimed selection of compelling dramas, powerful classics, award-winning contemporary works and lively Cabaret shows on three stages from September through May. The Rep also produces an annual production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. The Rep’s home, the Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex, accommodates the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater, the Stiemke Theater and the Stackner Cabaret. The Rep is also “home” to a Resident Acting Company of 11 actors who perform with The Rep throughout the season. The Rep is proud to be a member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF), which provides major annual financial support. The Rep is a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), a management association of some of the nation’s largest non-profit professional theaters that collectively bargains with the unions that represent the actors, directors and designers that work at The Rep; a constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the nonprofit professional theater; and a member of Theatre Wisconsin, the statewide association of non-profit professional theaters. This theater operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. The set, costume and lighting designers are members of United Scenic Artists, a national labor union. This theater is an equal opportunity employer. Except in plays where race itself is an issue, casting is decided based on ability, not race. Milwaukee Repertory Theater |
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