Events

What's Goin' On

Created by Sylvia Medeiros (See other events)
Whether you lived through the 1970s or not, Oregon Cabaret Theatre's Fall show WHAT'S GOIN' ON: Songs of the '70s promises to take you on a journey back in time. It's crammed full of irresistible classic pop tunes and plenty of dancing. This is an original Cabaret show - the second one this season - created by Artistic Director Jim Giancarlo along with musical maestro John Taylor. Music in the 1970s covered a wide range of styles, everything from folk-rock to disco to soul to jazz-pop fusion. Though the show is a revue, the songs are used to create a narrative which tells the story of the time. It begins with the late '60s anthem The Age of Aquarius (harmony and understanding - sympathy and trust abounding) reflecting our optimism that in the '70s peace will guide the planet. Then the song San Francisco (be sure to wear some flowers in your hair) moves us into a section about the counter-culture lifestyle: Street Life, Stoned Soul Picnic, White Rabbit, Superstar. The 1970s was a time of great social change. The Viet Nam war engendered great debate and dissent. The Civil Rights movement of the '60s inspired other movements seeking social change: the women's movement, gay liberation. Growing awareness of man's effect on the natural world gave birth to the environmental movement. These issues are reflected in songs such as Marvin Gaye's classic What's Going On and Mercy Mercy Me, Edwin Starr's War, and women-centered songs like I'm Every Woman and We Are Family.The second act explores other '70s phenomena: FM radio (On the Radio); the dance craze of the discotheques (Love Machine, Disco Inferno, It's Raining Men); fern bars and the swinging singles scene (Hot Stuff, You're So Vain, Can't Get Enough of Your Love); therapy and self-actualization (Baby Come Back, Neither One of Us Wants to Be the First to Say Good-bye, I Will Survive). The show ends with a Village People song Ready for the 80s, once again projecting what we think the next decade will be like.Directed and choreographed by Jim Giancarlo with musical direction by John Taylor, WHAT'S GOIN' ON also welcomes back Dante Maurice Sterling who has starred in Five Guys Named Moe and Smokey Joe's Cafe. Joining Dante in the cast are Amber Doss, who recently performed in the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. Emilee Yaakola, Matthew Steven Lawrence and Chelsea Richter will also be making their Cabaret debuts. They have recently graduated from the prestigious performing arts conservatory PCPA in Santa Maria where they appeared in shows such as Bat Boy, The Music Man and Les Miserables. Joining John Taylor in the band is the multi-talented local musician Michael Vannice.WHAT'S GOIN' ON plays Thurs-Mon @ 8:00 and Sun @ 1:00 thru November 1. Gourmet dining available at 6:30; matinee at 11:30. For menu and ticket information, go to www.oregoncabaret.com
Tags: musical, theatre
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