HOUSTON, June 1, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ensemble Theatre kicks off its season finale musical, 'Blues in the Night,' with Opening Night and Media Reception Thursday, June 23, 2011, 6:30pm.
"The Blues...is medicine for the soul," says Blues in the Night Director/Choreographer Patdro Harris. "I suggest to you that it's 'THERAPY.' Blues music is like going to the doctor, no matter how bad it looks you have to show the doctor where it really hurts."
Musical Director Carlton Leake and Harris have become an artistic duo recognized for their work on several of The Ensemble Theatre's musical productions including: Ain't Misbehavin, The Wiz, The Twelve Ways of Christmas, Five Guys Named Moe, and Cinderella.
"Carlton Leake and I have assembled a beautiful cast of singers, dancers and musicians who will delight your soul," says Harris.
These twenty-six sweet, sexy and sorrowful Blues songs tell the story of three women's relationships with one snake of a guy. The interweaving stories are defined through music alone - and what legendary music to be heard! Ranging from Bessie Smith through Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer/Harold Arlen, Alberta Hunter, Jimmy Cox, Ida Cox and more, the evening's music is raunchily forthright, infectiously good-humoured and always classically blues. Songs include "When A Woman Loves A Man," "Wasted Life Blues," "Lover Man," "Wild Women Don't Have The Blues," and the gripping, compelling title song that spotlights the essence of blues music, "Blues in the Night."
Previews: June 18, 19, 22 Show Run: June 23 – July 24, 2011
Performances: Thursdays: 7:30 p.m; Fridays: 8:00 p.m; Saturdays: 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m; and Sundays: 3:00 p.m.
Featured cast members include: Candice D'Meza, Timothy Eric, Regina Hearne, and Roenia Thompson.
For tickets and seating availability call: 713-520-0055 or visit: www.ensemblehouston.com
The Ensemble Theatre's 2010-2011 Season is sponsored in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and Texas Commission on the Arts. United Airlines is the exclusive airline sponsor for The Ensemble Theatre. This production is generously sponsored by Wells Fargo, Fulbright & Jaworski, National Oilwell Varco, and CenterPoint Energy.
The Ensemble Theatre was founded in 1976 by the late George Hawkins to preserve African American artistic expression and to enlighten, entertain, and enrich a diverse community. The theatre is known as the only professional theatre in its region dedicated to the production of works portraying the African American experience. In addition to being the oldest and largest professional African American theatre in the Southwest, it also holds the distinction of being one of the nation's largest African American theatres that owns and operates its facility with an in-house production team. Board President Emeritus Audrey Lawson led the capital campaign for The Ensemble's $4.5 million building renovations that concluded in 1997.