The beat goes on
"The Beat Goes On-A Musical Journey Through the 60's"
Call for information on hosting this show at 774-836-7234!
Call for information on hosting this show at 774-836-7234!
"The Beat Goes On-A Musical Journey Through The 60's"
The 60’s exploded with protest folk songs, racial inequality awareness music, rock- pop and drug infused psychedelic song tracks to mimic a generation that wanted free love, equality and peace. This show highlights some of the more monumental & emotional events of that decade but still reserves the free loving-peaceful- optimistic message that this generation strived so hard for! The mixture of talents pushes all the artists out of their comfort zones. The fact remains that a well written song allows performers to embrace the music and make it their own.
The 60’s exploded with protest folk songs, racial inequality awareness music, rock- pop and drug infused psychedelic song tracks to mimic a generation that wanted free love, equality and peace. This show highlights some of the more monumental & emotional events of that decade but still reserves the free loving-peaceful- optimistic message that this generation strived so hard for! The mixture of talents pushes all the artists out of their comfort zones. The fact remains that a well written song allows performers to embrace the music and make it their own.
- CAPE COD TIMES THEATER REVIEW
The Beat Goes On' a magical tribute to the 1960s
- Co-producers/directors Ruth Condon and Anthony Teixeira have picked 32 songs that capture the essence of the era.
- On Stage
Presented by: Cotuit Center for the Arts and Brave Horse Music
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and 2 and 7 p....
By Laurie Higgins
Contributing Writer
Posted Feb. 13, 2015 @ 6:11 pm
Updated Feb 13, 2015 at 10:46 PM
COTUIT – It’s hard to imagine a decade other than the 1960s that had such diversity in both sound and subject matter in its music. It’s a decade that began with a sense of innocence with a big emphasis on fun and ended in war and disillusionment with our government. The music included go-go girls, civil-rights anthems, anti-war protests, California surf culture and the psychedelic rock of Woodstock.
All those influences and more are present in “The Beat Goes On: A Celebration of Music of the ‘60s,” now playing at the Cotuit Center for the Arts. Co-producers/directors Ruth Condon and Anthony Teixeira have picked 32 songs that capture the essence of the era in a show that alternates between the highs and lows of the decade in a way that mimics the dissonance of the time.
One example is the powerful rendition of “War,” led by the marvelous Alex Valentine and backed up by the entire cast. Their combined choral voices are so tight you sit straight up, and choreographer Pamela Wills has done a brilliant job of making the actions on the stage perfectly reflect the words being sung.
That song is followed by a soulful folk rendition of “The War Drags On,” performed by James Davis on an acoustic guitar. As he finishes the song with a draft notice hanging over his head on a large screen, the cast comes onto the stage, fits him with a uniform and he marches off a center aisle to war. Martha Paquin enters from the side stage hugging a folded flag in the most storylike part of the production.
Immediately afterward, the whole cast is back on stage singing and dancing to “Hot Fun in the Summer” as the screen above the stage shows the fun of the California surf scene.
Rather than being a continuous story, “The Beat Goes On” shows all of the simultaneous stories that happened in the ‘60s. It’s kind of brilliant in that way.
Act 1 opens with the Temptations’ hit “Get Ready” led by Valentine. Costumes sewn by Tami Trask include baby doll style mini-dresses in fun geometric patterns and every girl on stage has go-go boots on and dances in the moves of the era.
Act 2 opens with “People Get Ready,” originally written and recorded as a gospel song by Curtis Mayfield and then made popular by Bob Dylan as an anti-war protest song. Costumes change to bell-bottom pants with fabric sewn into the bottom seams of blue jeans, ponchos, tie-dye and love beads.
Each singer is given several moments to shine, and they all do. Producer/director Ruth Condon nails both “Downtown” and “To Sir with Love” in the earlier part of the show. Young singer/songwriter Jordan Renzi gives a standout performance with her soulful version of “California Dreamin” and continues to impress the audience in many other songs. She’s someone to watch out for.
In addition to leading the opening song and providing the vocals for “War,” Valentine was a strong, energetic presence with his riffs as a backup singer.
Paquin shows her musical theater chops in moving renditions of “Those Were the Days” and “Here, There and Everywhere.” Kristen Fehlau blows the roof off with “Somebody to Love,” and her throaty voice adds a lot to the ensemble numbers.
Michael Ernst, a singer in a band in the late ‘60s, reprises “For What It’s Worth” and “Mr. Tambourine Man” with obvious emotion. Co-director/producer Anthony Teixeira is another singer who pours his heart and soul into each song, especially “Across the Universe.”
Jim Hoeck’s powerful projected images and film clips re-create the era with both humor (a commercial with Fred Flintstone smoking Winston cigarettes) and haunting visions (footage from the Vietnam War). The clips are shown between each musical number, and along with Greg Hamm’s lighting design, they beautifully set the mood for each song.
“The Beat Goes On” is a high-energy must-see theater experience. On opening night, the cast received two standing ovations. The first was after a joyful full cast performance of “Aquarius” complete with disco ball. They concluded with a wonderful rendition of “The Weight.” Both standing ovations
BEVERLY TILDEN/CCB MEDIA PHOTOS
Kristin Fehleu performs in “The Beat Goes On” at Cotuit Center for the Arts.
By BEVERLY TILDEN
As the General Manager of four radio stations at CCB Media on Cape Cod, it always surprises me when I speak to someone who hasn’t heard of one of our radio stations or read Capecod.com. So I guess it will be surprising to some that I had never been to the Cotuit Center for the Arts after driving past it for 15 years.
But the combination of my love of music and growing up in the 60’s finally got my husband and me in the door—and we’ll be back.
“The Beat Goes On” opened this week and for us children of the 60s, it’s a sensory return into the decade via 32 songs, dance, images and film.
Act One covers the lively and carefree early 60s with songs from Motown, the British Invasion, Pop and even a glimpse of Dylan that would foretell the second half of the show.
Highlights for me were co-producer and cast member Ruth Condon’s ode to Lulu’s “To Sir with Love” accompanied by a scene from the film; a haunting rendition of Mamas and Papas’ “California Dreamin’ “ by Jordan Renzi; Kristin Fehlau’s smooth interpretation of The Stones’ “Paint it Black”; and “So Happy Together” the carefree love-song penned by the Turtles as sung by co-producer Anthony Teixeira, Michael Ernst and cast.
James Davis, a young singer songwriter who can’t have seen the 60s or the 70s, provides the bridge to Act Two with “The Times are a Changin,” channeling Dylan with skilled guitar and soulful harmonica.
James Davis sings Donovan’s “The War Drags On” as images of Vietnam are projected behind him in “The Beat Goes On” at Cotuit Center for the Arts.
The emotion-packed second act becomes more serious with songs like “Abraham Martin & John” captured perfectly by Teixeira, as well as Renzi’s renditions of The Left Banke’s “Walk Away Renee” and Blood Sweat and Tears’ “When I Die.”
Davis, with another impressive and emotional guitar performance, returned with another first-rate performance of Donovan’s “The War Drags On” enhanced with images of Vietnam; and “Woodstock” written by Joni Mitchell and made famous by CSN&Y was beautifully performed by a trio of Renzi, Fehlau and Martha Paquin.
“Somebody to Love” by Fehlau captured the decade for me as she interpreted Grace Slick’s song with powerful voice and dance.
Alex Valentine lead the full cast finale to a crescendo of “Aquarius” by the 5th Dimension and The Band’s “The Weight” was received by an energized audience with a standing ovation.
Condon apologizes if she missed an audience member’s favorite songs of the 60s, but she has put together a show that follows a thread through the decade and allows the audience to travel back in time and relive those experiences and emotions.
Personal misses for me were Simon & Garfunkel and so many Motown artists, but with a decade so rich in talented artists, one could argue for a 60s Music Revue every month of the year!
The revue is enhanced by a great lighting and production team and dancers that evolved from “GoGo” frenzy to the “free love” modern dance at Woodstock.
The show would not go on without a talented six-member band and the producer of the projection images that neatly crafted the music into chronicle.
If you haven’t been to Cotuit Center for the Arts, you’re in for a treat. A welcoming art gallery, helpful volunteers, and an intimate seating arrangement with every seat near the stage await you. There are comfortable chairs and tables to enjoy a drink with the show including the signature cocktail “So Happy Together” a Greyhound with a twist. It was a great take for our Valentine date night but would also be fun for a Girls Night Out.
“The Beat Goes On” is playing through February 22nd. www.cotuitcenterforthearts.org Cotuit Center for the Arts, 4404 Falmouth Road, Cotuit.
- Beverly Tilden is the General Manger of CCB Media. Her email is [email protected]