October 04, 2006 -

Ottawa, Canada -- Join the National Arts Centre Orchestra and six incredible vocalists as they turn back the clock to the 1960s when the “Fab Four” took the world by storm, the Beach Boys made summer “endless”, and the Supremes put Motown on the map! Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly and a talented cast of six Broadway vocalists present The Beat Goes On – Music of the Baby Boomers as the opening concerts of the NAC Orchestra’s CTV Pops Series from Thursday, October 12 to Saturday, October 14 at 20:00 in the National Arts Centre’s Southam Hall.

This new concert creation by Jack Everly will take audiences on a nostalgic journey through the 1960s and early 1970s with music from The Beatles, Motown, and the Beach Boys, including many familiar tunes from Rock’n’Roll, television, films, and other popular artists of the era that defined the musical identity of the Baby Boomer generation. Concertgoers who remember Maestro Jack Everly leading last season’s hilarious hit The 1950s: The Golden Age of Black and White will have an idea of what fun and fabulous music they have in store.

The program will include favourites sung by the “Girl Groups” from Motown and Rock’n’Roll such as “Stop! In the Name of Love”, “My Guy”, “My Boyfriend’s Back” and “Where the Boys Are”, tributes to Burt Bacharach and Frankie Valli, and many of the hits by The Beatles, including “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, “Yesterday”, “Eleanor Rigby”, and “Ticket to Ride”, among others. Other selections by the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Sedaka, and Petula Clark will highlight a medley titled Hits of the Tie-Dyed Decade, and themes from the films Love Story, Dr. Zhivago, and many popular television shows will round out the program.

The Beat Goes On – Music of the Baby Boomers was created by Jack Everly, who has been the NAC Orchestra’s Principal Pops Conductor since 2004. He is well known to National Arts Centre Orchestra audiences for such pops concerts as The 50s – the Golden Age of Black and White, Broadway Divas (2005), Pops Goes British (2004), A Gershwin Celebration and Those Glorious Hollywood Musicals (2003). A frequent guest conductor on the world’s concert, opera and ballet stages, and on Broadway and television, he is also Principal Pops Conductor of the Baltimore and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestras. Since 1998, Jack Everly has been the Music Advisor for the Symphonic Pops Consortium (SPC), an alliance formed by several major orchestras to create and produce theatrical pops events of the highest quality. The Beat Goes On – Music of the Baby Boomers is a Symphonic Pops Consortium show.

N’Kenge has just returned from performing 3 Mo’ Divas! at the Arena Stage in DC, a role she originated. Nominated for Best Actress in the title role of Elton John and Tim Rice's hit musical Aida, N'kenge recently made her West End debut starring in The Genius of Ray Charles musical tribute at the Theater Royal Haymarket in London. She has given more than 200 solo concerts worldwide; including the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and the White House for Bill Clinton.

Kristine Reese has just been on the road in the North American National Tour of Mamma Mia! covering the role of Sophie. Favorite credits include Ariel in Footloose, Fiona in Brigadoon, Rosa Bud in the Mystery of Edwin Drood, and the Kansas City Starlight tour of Hello, Dolly! She has appeared in several concerts with Cincinnati Pops and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra including, “A Patriotic Broadway”, which aired on PBS.

Shelley Thomas has appeared On Broadway in Brooklyn, The Musical and Off-Broadway in Zanna, Don’t (Cast Album.) She performed in the premiere of The Beat Goes On with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Other credits include: Go-Go Beach and Three Sistahs (New York Musical Theatre Festival); Hunka Hunka Burnin Love, The Women of Brewster Place, and Footloose. She is currently the background vocalist for Vanessa Williams.

Joe Cassidy has appeared on Broadway as Freddy in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels performing opposite both John Lithgow and Jonathan Pryce. Other Broadway and New York performances include: Les Misérables (Valjean), 1776 (Rutledge), Show Boat (Ravenal), A Christmas Carol (Young Scrooge) at Madison Square Garden, Feeling Electric (Dan), Listen To My Heart, and Joe Cassidy: Rock Star at Joe’s Pub. He can be heard on several Broadway cast albums and has recorded with artists varying from The New York Philharmonic’s Lorin Maazel to James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins.

Heath Calvert’s New York credits include Good Vibrations on Broadway, and Dust & Dreams: A Sandburg Celebration at the York Theatre, Swimming Upstream and Byzantium at the New York Fringe Festival, and Wild Women of Planet Wongo at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. His regional theatre roles include Sweeney Todd (Sweeney), Parade (Dorsey), Secret Garden (Neville), I Love You, You’re Perfect Now Change (Jordan), and Little Shop of Horrors.

Roy Chicas was Judas in the European tour of Jesus Christ Superstar and Doody in the First National and European tours of Grease! He played Jinx in many productions of Forever Plaid including Off Broadway, Boston and San Francisco. Other Off Broadway and Regional work includes Hello Again (Lincoln Center), Where's Charley? (The Kennedy Center), and Avenue X (Cincinnati Playhouse)

Tickets for The Beat Goes On – Music of the Baby Boomers from October 12 to 14 are on sale now at $28.73, $48.54, $54.49, $63.40 and $68.36, with box seats at $93.12 (GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 21:00), and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’s web-site at www.nac-cna.ca.

Half-price tickets for students in all sections of the hall are on sale in person at the NAC Box Office upon presentation of a valid student ID card. Same-day Live Rush tickets (subject to availability) for full-time students (aged 13 to 29) are $10 at the NAC Box Office between 14:00 and 18:00 on the day of performance only, upon presentation of a valid Live Rush card. Groups of 10 and more save 15% to 20% off the regular price of tickets to NAC Music, Theatre and Dance performances. To reserve your seats call 947-7000 ext. 384 or email grp@nac-cna.ca. Subscriptions for the season are also still available by calling the Subscription Office at 613-947-7000, ext. 620.

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For more information please contact:
Jane Morris, Communications Officer,
National Arts Centre Orchestra
(613) 947-7000, ext. 335
jmorris@nac-cna.ca