ILLUSTRATION BY CHET JOHNSON
Starring
Freda Payne
Freda Payne is a Detroit Native and Grammy Award nominated artist. Her song “Band of Gold” reached number 3 in the US and was certified Gold. It reached the peak position on the UK singles chart and remained #1 for 6 weeks in 1970.
Conceived by Maurice Hines Jr.
Written and Directed by Lee Summers
May 29 - June 23, 2024
Ella, First Lady of Song traces the 60-year career of the woman Mel Torme called “the best singer on the planet.” The story of Ella Fitzgerald truly challenges the age-old saying “The show must go on.” From the Apollo Theater to the Côte d’Azur, this jazz musical covers Fitzgerald’s hardscrabble childhood to her enduring legacy in the music world and beyond. Songs include classics such as “Sweet Georgia Brown,” “A Tisket-A-Tasket,” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)”.
*Michigan Premiere
MBT Rating: Middle School & Up
MEET THE CAST
MEET THE BAND
Director - Lee Summers
Scenic Design - Kirk A. Domer
Sound Design - Mike Duncan
Assistant Lighting Design - Ava Bell
Assistant to the Director - Arelis Cruz
Costume Design - Karen Kangas-Preston
Projection Design - Jeromy Hopgood
Stage Manager - Brittanie Nichole Sicker
Music Director - Dionne Hendricks
Lighting Design - Eric Van Tassell
Wig & Hair Design - Wendy Evans
Assistant Stage Manager - Lee Cleaveland
