Interlude - April 29
April 29, 2021
Latin jazz, legendary lyricist, Civic’s return and more
Welcome back to Interlude, bringing you compelling arts and entertainment opportunities every week, rain or shine.
Livestream series fires up with Latin jazz
Latin music is a huge influence on North American jazz and popular music. Dominican-born pianist Pavel Polanco-Safadit will show us how it’s done when he brings an all-star eight-piece incarnation of his band Direct Contact to the Palladium for Friday evening’s episode of Live at the Center. (He recently spoke with Current.) Expect vibrant horns, danceable rhythms and lyrics in English and Spanish from vocalist Leah Crane. Find your free viewing options here.
Coming up next in the series is indie rock from Starlite Lounge, previously known as Carmichael – same guys, all-new material. Learn about that show here.
Have some fun with Gus
From left, composer Walter Jurmann, actress-singer Judy Garland and composer Bronislaw Kaper pose around songwriter Gus Kahn. The three men collaborated on the song “Theme from San Francisco,” often performed by Garland.
Meet a man whose songs you already know, even if you don't know him. The Songbook Foundation's newest online exhibit, Gus Kahn: The Man Behind the Music, introduces you to one of the greatest lyric writers of the Songbook era. Kahn's more than 800 published songs include “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” “Carolina in the Morning,” “Makin' Whoopee,” “Ain’t We Got Fun” and his masterpiece, “It Had to Be You,” which have remained popular standards for nearly a century.
In this exhibit, you are invited to explore selections from the original script of I'll See You in My Dreams (1951), the biopic about the lyricist's life starring Doris Day and Danny Thomas; see a napkin on which Gus wrote the first lyrics to “I'll See You in My Dreams”; meet Gus's grandson; and take a closer look at snapshots from his time on Tin Pan Alley and the golden age of Hollywood movie musicals.
Civic returns live at the Tarkington
Our friends at resident Civic Theatre are celebrating the return of live, in-person performances with Light on the Horizon, an original variety show featuring production numbers from the upcoming summer programs and the 2021-22 Season. Your favorite Civic performers will be backed by an eight-piece orchestra for songs from The Color Purple, Saturday Night Fever, 42nd Street and more.
The run from this Thursday through May 15 also includes livestream and on-demand viewing options. Get your Civic tickets here.
This week in performing arts history
Willie Nelson performs at the Palladium in 2014.
April 25: On this date in 1840, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born in Russia. His works have been performed multiple times at the Center by the Carmel Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
April 26: On this date in 1984, jazz musician and bandleader William “Count” Basie passed away at the age of 79. Patti Austin with the Count Basie Orchestra performed A Tribute to Ella & Basie in January 2012 at the Palladium.
April 28: On this date in 1990, A Chorus Line closed after 6,137 performances, which at the time was the longest run in Broadway history. (It’s now at No. 7.) Civic Theatre has produced the popular musical twice at the Tarkington, in September 2012 and July 2019.
April 29: On this date in 1933, country legend Willie Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas. Author of many country and pop hits, he performed at the Palladium in September 2014 (pictured above).
May 1: On this date in 1939, singer-songwriter Judy Collins was born in Seattle, Washington. Collins performed at the Palladium in June 2012.
