Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 16 UCW OCTOBER 7-13, 2020 Following the best theatrical tradition that the show must go on, Cape Fear Regional Theatre returns to "telling great stories" with the opening performance of its 2020-2021 season on Oct. 8, featuring an innovative and exciting musical pro- duction of "Lady Day at the Emerson Bar & Grill." Performances will be outdoors at 100 Broadfoot Avenue (behind Haymont Auto). Thanks to the gra- ciousness of the owner of Haymont Auto, and with support from the city of Fayetteville, CFRT is able to provide live theater that is safe and enjoyable for die-hard jazz fans and those who may be new to this national treasure. Nicknamed "Lady Day," by her good friend and occasional musical partner, tenor saxophonist Lester Young, Billie Holiday remains one of our most renowned American jazz legends. Like all great jazz musicians, Holiday was known for her improvisatio- nal skills. She was inf luenced, while still quite young, by Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong, and she beca- me enthralled with "scat singing" wherein a singer uses the voice as a musical instrument, improvising melodies and rhythms rather than singing actual words. Despite a very rough childhood, and as a victim of rampant racial prejudice throughout much of her career, Holiday became an international jazz sensa- tion. Recording for various record labels, her instantly recognizable hits are too numerous to list in this pre- view. Frank Sinatra lauded her as "the greatest musi- cal inf luence on me." "Lady Day at the Emerson Bar & Grill," was written by Lanie Robertson and played successfully on and off Broadway before being made into a movie. Set in a South Philly bar, it tells the story of one of Holiday's last performances before her untimely July 1959 death. Although chock full of legendary jazz numbers, it is called a "musical play" because the title character engages in quite a bit of intimate conversation bet- ween songs. Despite some raw moments, this is ulti- mately a story of resilience. "During this period when many of us may feel unsure of life itself," said Greensboro-based artist, Gregory Horton, who directs and designed the costu- mes, "Lady Day will be so life affirming … especially in the face of COVID-19." Janeta Jackson, from CFRT's sold-out May 2019 production of "Crowns," brings her amazing voice to the role of Holiday. Jackson reprises her 2019 Charlotte performance, albeit under very different circumstances. Asked how she planned to compen- sate for an outdoor performance, Jackson replied, "I intend to reimagine the whole setting. I worked at Disney, so I'm used to performing outside." Broadway artist and Fayetteville native Brian Whitted acts as music director for the production and also plays the part of Jimmy Powers, Lady Day's pianist. CFRT audiences will remember him from the 2015 production of "Ain't Misbehavin'." Due to the size of the outdoor space, which might mimic the capacity of that Philly Bar& Grill, seating will be very limited so everyone is "encouraged to book early." The show runs through Oct. 25. Tickets and programs will be paperless and masks will be required of all staff and audience members. For performance schedules along with available ticket and discount information, please visit cfrt.org or call the box office at 910-323-4233. Please join Up & Coming Weekly in welcoming CFRT's bold resurrec- tion of live theater here in Fayetteville by making sure that all of these performances are sold out. After a six-month hiatus due to COVID-19, the Gilbert Theater is back in action with "Barefoot in the Park," a Neil Simon classic. "Barefoot in the Park" runs through Oct. 18 with limited seating and social distancing in effect due to COVID- 19 guidelines for public gatherings. "Barefoot in the Park" first premiered on Broadway in 1963 and went on to have a successful movie adaptation with countless stage performances around the country since. Seeing it now — in the year of pandemics, riots and election ads — is a breath of fresh air and a simple reminder that a little bit of laughter is often just what you need. After a six-day honeymoon, Corie and Paul start their married life in their fifth- f loor-walkup in New York City. The tiny apartment leaves something to be desired, but Corie sees the possibilities. Paul sees the lack of a tub and a hole in the skylight. The newlyweds differ in their attitudes toward these inconveniences with Corie being the fun-loving free spirit wearing her heart on her sleeve. Paul, a new law y- er, has a more business-like approach and is not spontaneous as his wife, who is always willing to, as they say, walk barefoot in the park. Director Lawrence Carlisle III brings together a terrific cast and crew to deliver an entertaining escape from our own troubles in 2020. If only we could go back to when a gal could still get excited about getting a new Princess phone. In the mean- time, "Barefoot in the Park" is a fun two hours to enjoy live theater. The "Barefoot in the Park" cast includes Tanisha Johnson and Gage Long as new- lyweds Corie and Paul; Deannah Robinson as Mother Banks, Corie's mom; Gabe Terry as neighbor Mr. Velasco; and James Merkle as the telephone repairman. It is a small cast of solid performances, each engaging and interesting. Johnson is full of energy and delivers a fun, believable and adorable Corie. I wanted ever- ything to work out for her character and I look forward to seeing Johnson at the Gilbert in future shows. Long holds his own because his portrayal of Paul and is as much measured with patience as Johnson's is uninhibited. Long and Johnson make a good pair on stage and their performances remind me that love and relationships are often about how our differences make us stronger rather than tear us apart. Robinson is convincing in her supporting role of Mother Banks. One of my favor- ite Gilbert regulars, Robinson always delivers and is a great addition to the cast. Terry and Merkle deliver fine performances as quirky neighbor Mr. Velasco and the telephone repairman. Both bring levity to the story and the ensemble. Safety precautions in place include masks for theater attendants, hand sanitizer stations, no-contact concessions, temperature checks upon entry and cleaning between performances. There will also be two performances on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 2 and 8 p.m. in which the actors will wear masks. The Gilbert Theater is located at 116 Green St. Contact the box office for more info on the show or to purchase tickets at boxoffice@gilberttheater.com. EVENTS Gilbert's "Barefoot in the Park" offers respite from 2020 by APRIL OLSEN CFRT welcomes 'Lady Day' to outdoor audiences in Haymont by PRUDENCE MAINOR APRIL OLSEN, Editor. COM- MENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com 910-484-6200. Janeta Jackson performs as Billie Holiday in CFRT's "Lady Day at the Emerson Bar & Grill" Oct. 8-25. PRUDENCE MAINOR, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcom- ingweekly.com 910-484-6200. The cast of "Barefoot in the Park" take a break during a recent dress rehear- sal. The play runs through Oct. 18 at the Gilbert Theater. Photo by Jonathan Hornby Productions.