Reinventing The Sound of the Sixties

Arts & Culture

Singer and Broadway performer N’Kenge (Sondheim on Sondheim, Motown: The Musical) makes her Sarasota debut tonight as she and acclaimed conductor Jack Everly bring the hit show The Beat Goes On to the Van Wezel for a two-day run with the Sarasota Orchestra. Celebrating the songs and sounds of the ‘60s, from the Beatles to the Supremes, The Beat Goes On reimagines the classics with full orchestral arrangement and theatrical flair. “These are the songs that we’ll always be singing,” said N’Kenge, “and to hear these amazing songs with a full orchestra is going to be quite thrilling for all of us.”

Alongside N’Kenge, singers Kristine Reese, Farah Alvin, Max Quinlon, Jim Hogan and Ray Chicas croon and chorus through countless tunes, while Everly and the Sarasota Orchestra trade electric guitars for cellos and violins, throwing in their own medleys here and there. Aretha Franklin has her moment to shine, and even Burt Bacharach gets the spotlight for a bit. With costume changes, a cast of characters and careful staging, it’s as much a theatrical production as it is a concert. Throw in Everly’s running commentary on the artists and music presented onstage, “and the audience is getting not only great music, but educated in a certain way,” said N’Kenge.

This will be the third collaboration on The Beat Goes On between N’Kenge and Everly, who currently serves as Principal Pops Conductor with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and more, though this will be his first performance with the Sarasota Orchestra. “It’s always an honor to work with him,” she said. “He pays so much attention to detail, bringing all the different colors out of these arrangements. I hope the audience walks away with a new appreciation for this music and this era.”

The Beat Goes On opens tonight at 8pm at the Van Wezel with a second show the following evening at the same time. Tickets still available.

Sarasota Orchestra Box Office

« View The Friday Apr 15, 2016 SRQ Daily Edition
« Back To SRQ Daily Archive

Read More

Ruby Premieres at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe

Ruby Premieres at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe

Dylan Campbell | Mar 22, 2024

Sarasota Film Festival Reveals 2024 Lineup, Celebrity Guests

Sarasota Film Festival Reveals 2024 Lineup, Celebrity Guests

Philip Lederer | Mar 22, 2024

The Sarasota Players Presents The Secret Garden

The Sarasota Players Presents The Secret Garden

Mar 22, 2024

Enjoy the Spectacle of Cirque des Voix

Enjoy the Spectacle of Cirque des Voix

Dylan Campbell | Mar 21, 2024