Come Fly With Me debuts at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre
By Sr. Correspondent, D. Kevin McNeir
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Tony Award winning choreographer Twyla Tharp recently premiered her newest show, Come Fly With Me, at the Alliance Theatre at the Woodruff, featuring the legendary music and vocals of Frank Sinatra. And with the accompaniment of an onstage big band and an amazing group of internationally-acclaimed dancers and acrobatic daredevils it is sure to earn this phenomenal artist even more accolades and awards to add to her mantel.
"It's a profound honor, and frankly, a thrill to partner in the premiere of a brilliant work that com bines the jaw dropping dance theatre of Twyla Tharp and the music of that icon of icons, Frank Sinatra," said Alliance Theatre Artistic Director Susan V. Booth in a prepared release. "Come Fly with Me gives Alliance patrons and the city of Atlanta the first look at the music and choreography that will be a deeply significant contribution to American theatre - a mix of artistry and excellence not to be missed." |
While this reporter was too young to know the music of Sinatra, seeing this work which features a dance group of 32 - including the phenomenal dancing of Karine Plantadit, the vocal artistry of Dee Daniels and a 17-piece band - and showcases a cavalcade of hit songs including Let's Fall in Love, Witchcraft, Body & Soul, Take Five, My Way and of course New York, New York, was a wonderful journey along the songbook of America.
The production features original recorded "masters" of Sinatra's voice along with the musical contributions of a live on-stage Big Band. The setting is four couples who fall in and out of love, telling their story in a crowded nightclub.
It is one of the first times that Sinatra's music has been set to dance, prompting his daughter, Tina Sinatra to ask, "why hadn't someone done it before?" |
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Each of the dancers brings his or her own special gifts to the stage, but from this writer's vantage point, the most outstanding of the bunch is without question Plantadit, who moves effortlessly from ballet to jazz to modern dance routines. She is simply superb and joined by a stellar group of fellow dancers who collectively illustrate the beauty and amazing versatility of the human body.
Rumor has it that the show's producers are planning a North American tour set to commence in the summer of 2010 and are discussing the possibility of a Broadway run. With this cast and the creative genius of Tharp - such commiserations are definitely a no-brainer.
Go see Come Fly With Me - it's the marriage of choreography and vocal excellence at its best. Come Fly With Me runs through October 11th. For more information go to www.alliancetheatre.org.
FYI: Next up for the Alliance Theatre is Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles, which will feature a multi-media presentation of the hit songs of that group from Liverpool that led the British invasion in the early 1960s. All indications are that this will be one of the Alliance's best ever.
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