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:Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk
"We are delighted to co-present the jubilant Tony-Award
winning, ensemble musical, Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk with
Mastercard Broadway Series and The National Black Arts Festival," says
Christopher B. Manos, producer of Theater of the Stars. "Audiences
will be transformed by the power and energy of this production when it is
presented at the Fabulous Fox Theatre from July 27-August 2."
The musical Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk uses radiant tap dancing combined with rap, hip hop, blues, urban street rhythms and commentary to follow African-Americans through the darkness of slavery to the freedom of the present day. The show takes audiences through a range of emotions from cheers, to laughter, to tears.
Original Noise/Funk producer, George C. Wolfe, and choreographer Savion Glover first worked together in 1992 on the Broadway musical Jelly's Last Jam. The idea for Noise/Funk evolved during the summer of 1994 when Wolfe presented Glover in Dancing Under the Stars at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. As Wolfe watched Glover perform, he saw him as 'a living repository of rhythm." Wolfe comments: 'From generation to generation, tap dancers taught each other their steps. The old timers passed their information on to Savion, and it landed in his feet, his being and his soul. Re-inventing these steps he has created a new form, and through his choreography in Noise/Funk , he is teaching tap to a new generation of dancers.' In the spring of 1995, Wolfe spoke to Savion about doing a project at The Public Theater. His response was so 'I want to bring in 'da noise, I want to bring in 'da funk."
Shortly after their first discussion, a creative meeting took place between Wolfe, Glover, Reg E. Gaines (lyrics), Wiley Hausam (associate producer), and Shelby Jiggetts (dramaturg). The show opened to critical acclaim in New York on November 15, 1995 and sold-out audiences. Demand was so great that it was held over for an additional month and a half.
Less than a year later in March of 1996, Noise/Funk opened on Broadway and has enjoyed continued success. In June 1996, Noise/Funk won 4 Tony Awards including: Best Direction (Wolfe), Best Choreography (Glover), Best Supporting Actress in A Musical (Ann Duquesnay) and Best Lighting Design (Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhaur). In July 1996, the Noise/Funk CD was released on RCA Victor records. And the first national tour premiered at the Fisher Theater in Detroit, Michigan on September 30, 1997.
Tony Award winning director George C. Woffe's credits include musicals such as Fires In The Mirror and Angels In America.. He is currently working on the opera Amistad and Macbeth (with Alec Baldwin in the title role) at The Public Theater.
Twenty-three year old Savion Glover (Original Broadway Choreographer) got his start at the early age of 12 when he made his Broadway debut co-starring with Gregory Hines in Jelly's Last Jam. At 13, Mr. Glover made his film debut in Tap co-starring with Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. He received a NEA Grant for Choreography at age 18, making him the youngest recipient in NEA history. In 1996, Mr. Glover won the Tony Award for his choreography in Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk.
Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk has set design by Riccardo Hernandez, lighting design by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, costume design by Paul Tazewell, sound design by Jon Weston and projection design is by Batwin+Robin. The Joseph Papp Public Theater/ New York Shakespeare Festival is producing this national tour.
Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk will be presented at the fabulous Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree Street, from July 28-August 2. Performances are scheduled for Tuesday through Sunday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. Advance tickets are available at the Fox Theatre box office and through all Ticketmaster ticket centers including: Blockbuster Music, Publix, HMV, Tower Records and Backstage Discount Music. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (404) 249-6400, or the Arts Line at (404) 817-8700. For group ticket sales, call Theater of the Star at (404) 252-8960. Ticket prices range from $17.00 to $42.00. Single tickets will go on sale June 28th.
THEATER OF THE STARS has been an Atlanta institution for
46 years, a civic non-profit organization created for the purpose of producing
and presenting the best in music, theatre and dance to the people of Georgia.
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Mabry.
© 1998 National Black Arts Festival
Posted 5/17/98. Last updated : 6/22/98.