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Ella
Book by Jeffrey Hatcher
Conceived by Rob Ruggiero & Dyke Garrison
Directed by Rob Ruggiero
Musical Direction by Danny Holgate
At Northlight Theatre
9501 N. Skokie Blvd.
Skokie, IL
Call 847-673-6300, tickets $38 - $52
Tuesdays at 7:30 pm (except Dec 25 & Jan 1)
Wednesdays at 1 & 7:30 pm
Thursdays at 7:30 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 2:30 & 8 pm (except Dec 8)
Sundays at 2:30 & 7 pm (except Dec 23)
Running time is 2 hours with intermission
Through January 11, 2008
“I never knew how good our songs were until I heard Ella Fitzgerald sing them.”
--Ira Gershwin, lyricist
“Whatever she does to my songs, she always makes them sound better.”
--Richard Rodgers, composer
Nostalgic Ella Fitzgerald show brings back memories of “The First Lady of Song.”
I grew up listing to Ella Fitzgerald’s songs books—Gershwin, Rodgers & Hart, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin. Ella was the finest stylist ever—she loved singing and smoothly got to the heart of a tune with her sophisticated arrangements. She was simply the finest jazz and Broadway standards singer ever. She was the consummate entertainer—she loved being on stage with a live audience. I had the pleasure of seeing her twice—memories I’ll never forget. I could listen to her for hours.
E. Faye Butler’s rendition of Ella, based on Jeffrey Hatcher’s thin book, respects Ella immensely as Butler sings Ella in her style but never as an imitator. Butler’s smooth style and haunting emotions get to the heart of Ella’s persona. Butler does justice as she gets us to ‘see’ Ella on Northlight’s stage. This is a wonderful evening of jazz music that swings as it sweeps us back to the 40-70’s when Ella graced stages worldwide with her glowingly marvelous voice and her smart arrangements. 
E. Faye Butler has help from pianist Anderson Edwards, John Whitfield on bass, Walt Kindred on drums and the fabulous Ron Haynes on trumpet. These jazz veterans easily carry the rhythms and melodies of Danny Holgate’s arrangements of 24 of the 20th Century’s classic standards. From Carmichael to Gershwin to Arlen to Rodgers to Porter to Shearing to Berlin, we hear Butler interrupt Ella deftly capturing her essence in heart wrenching truth in song.
We meet Ella in 1966 in Nice just after the death of Francis, her sister as her producer/manager Norman (David Parkes) asks her to do some “patter’ (tell stories about her life). Ella reluctantly reminisces her life story. Butler is wonderful here as she brings out Ella’s shyness and her love to sing before an audience.
This show, a revue actually, is filled with signature standards that Ella loved. We hear “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” “Blue Skies,” “Flying Home.” “Night and Day,” “Lullaby of Birdland,” “S Wonderful” among others. I was in heaven listening to Butler bring home Ella’s music. E. Fay Butler gives a grand performance in this show. She respects Ella.
This show is a treat for lovers of Ella Fitzgerald—it is also a fine introduction to jazz music for teens. You’d be hard pressed to experience a fines evening of music.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: December 5, 2007
Jeff Recommended
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