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Soulful Rockers The Rascals Reunite On Broadway in Once Upon a Dream; Steven Van Zandt Directs
By Kenneth Jones
21 Feb 2013
The Rascals
The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream, a new concert event written by guitarist Steven Van Zandt, with music and lyrics by Felix Cavaliere & Eddie Brigati, will play a limited engagement at Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre April 15-May 5.
Directed by Van Zandt and Marc Brickman, the show has stage, video and lighting design by Brickman. Opening night is April 18.
The producers are Steven Van Zandt and Maureen Van Zandt. Tickets go on sale Feb. 22. The Rodgers is currently home to the limited engagement of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, now to March 30.
Larry Magid and BASE Entertainment are executive producers of The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream.
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Here's how the experience is billed: "A hybrid of a rock 'n' roll concert and a Broadway show, The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream marks the first time The Rascals, America's classic blue-eyed soul band, have played together since 1970. Original band members Felix Cavaliere (keyboard & vocals), Eddie Brigati (vocals), Dino Danelli (drums) and Gene Cornish (guitar) will present a complete concert performance including songs that captured the spirit of America in the 1960s — their smash hits 'Good Lovin',' 'Lonely Too Long,' 'It's a Beautiful Morning,' 'How Can I Be Sure' and 'Groovin'.' The production will also feature the history of the iconic group told through archival footage, narration, and dramatic film segments viewed on the latest LED screen technology."
The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream made its debut at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. Originally scheduled to play three performances in December 2012, an additional three shows had to be added to accommodate the demand for the concert experience.
The Rascals, formerly known as The Young Rascals, were at first "a hard-hitting band reminiscent of the early Animals," drawing from "the same well that fed the then-burgeoning garage rock scene," according to their biographical notes. "They would go on to lead the way for Blue Eyed Soul to Folk Rock to Protest to Civil Rights, blending white Pop melodies with black soul and R&B muscle. Though they never brandished their politics like some bands, the Rascals truly lived theirs, fighting discrimination by demanding that a black act appear on the bill at each of its concerts. The post-twist New York, New Jersey, and Long Island club scenes bred the band, an outfit whose sound grew more sophisticated as time went on, but stayed rooted in the blue-eyed soul that was its first reason for being. Their music would span the entire decade from the early Go-Go dance parties right through the psychedelic era — and beyond."
"When The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream sold out at the Capitol Theatre, and performances had to be added this past December, we saw very clearly that there is an enduring love for the music of The Rascals," Van Zandt, who also serves as the show's music producer, said in a statement. "The Rascals created music that inspired a generation — and that feeling has lived on through their original fans and the legions of new fans that have discovered their music over the years."
Richard Rodgers Theatre is at 226 West 46th Street. Ticket prices will range from $27-137 (including a $2 facility fee) and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com or by calling (877) 250-2929. A special ticket package with an opportunity for a meet and greet with the band will be available for $300. Packages are strictly limited.
The performance schedule for the first week will be as follows: Monday at 7 PM, Tuesday at 7 PM, Thursday at 7:30 PM, Friday at 8 PM and Saturday at 8 PM. The performance schedule for the second and third weeks will be as follows: Tuesday at 7 PM, Wednesday at 7 PM, Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 5 PM.
I"m not sure if I can afford to go to this but I did see this show 4 times in Port Chester in December and it was absolutely worth every penny. If I could, I would go again in a minute.
Peace, TED
