Rat Pack tribute set to invigorate audiences with iconic 60s music
THE Arts Theatre in Arcadia, East London, pays tribute to the coolest cats of the 60s, starting this week.
From tonight until Saturday August 19, the venue will echo with songs made famous by the Rat Pack – the supergroup of singing stars made up of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop.
These stars lived in an era where a drink was Scotch on the rocks, bars were smoke-filled and fedoras were tilted just so! The Rat Pack’s mascots – among them Marilyn Monroe, Shirley MacLaine and Liza Minelli – gave the group its feminine touch.
Show director Amanda Bothma, who has put on many productions in the city over the years, as well as musical director Jacques du Plessis, hand-picked the city’s best performers, selecting those with voices that they believe will do justice to the legacy of the singers of that era.
In June Daniel Anderson, Jonathan Buitendag, Nathan Johannisen and Pieter van Zyl began rehearsing for a show that Bothma believes will have “audiences laughing, smiling and even wiping away a tear”.
Buitendag is known in the city as a musician and performer and has performed in over 30 shows including Grease , Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat and The Sound of Music as well as many other musical endeavours such as his own music compositions and violin playing.
Bothma has worked with teen Anderson for a number of years. “I first started working with Daniel in my December production of Peter Pan, where he played the part of John Darling at the age of 10.
“At the time he was already entertaining people on a regular basis. Daniel is now an established performer and we are very happy to have him in the cast,” said Bothma.
Johannisen is the head of music at Hudson Park Primary School and, while studying towards his BMus degree, was involved in klein sêr as well the university choir.
Says Bothma: “He has been a part of many shows produced by the Arts Theatre as well as the Guild Theatre and is a fantastic choral master.
“He also happens to be a soughtafter swimming coach.”
Van Zyl, who practises law in East London, started piano in Grade 2 and went on to sing in numerous choirs, including the celebrated Stellenbosch University choir and the Cape Town youth choir.
“It was on his trip to the world choir games that he met his wife, Kristie, a speech therapist, who joins Pieter on stage for the well-known number Something Stupid.”
Cindy Bester is set to dazzle with her performance of Liza Minelli’s and Marilyn Monroe’s biggest hits, while dancers Kylie Jordaan, Candice Berkenstein, Kristy van Zyl and Natalie Oberem, in dances choreographed by Oberem herself, will add sparkle to the production.
Bester has been performing since primary school and has been part of Idols SA seasons 1 to 10.
Enthuses Bothma: “She is a soughtafter performer and we are very privileged to have her as a guest performer in the Rat Pack.”
Choosing the songs for the performance was never going to be an easy task as, says Bothma, “the Rat Pack has a large selection of wellknown songs. We tried to select the best and most well-known of these iconic numbers.”
In their Las Vegas heyday, when one of the members was scheduled to give a performance, the rest of the Pack would show up for an impromptu show, revving up audiences and resulting in return visits.
Tickets for the show are available from Lee Gold Music in Old Transkei Road at R100pp. Don’t forget to bring your own glasses and picnic basket.
● On August 11 the show will go on as a fundraiser for Hope School. Tickets for this night can be booked through Garth on 071 630 2478 and, on August 12, the show will be a fundraiser for Eyabantwana for the Children Trust. GET fresh inspiration for your garden this spring at the Garden Springs Fair at the Pioneer Nursery this weekend from 8am. Contact 043732-1394 for more info.
CATCH the Ladies Night with live music by Calan Watts and band at C Club in Chintsa tomorrow from 7pm. Call 043-738-5226 to book.
CATCH guest speakers and live music at the Reach for a Dream Breakfast 2017 this Saturday at 2Swans from 9am. Breakfast is R280pp. Contact trystan@hypepr.co.za to book.
AN informal Yoga Flow session open to all at Nahoon Beach close to the Lifesavers Shack. Free but donations can be given to the Dorothy Broster Child and Youth Care Centre. Call 078-024-2278 for details.
DANCE to Boeremusiekgilde at Grens Primary School this Saturday from 7.30pm. Tickets start at R20. Contact 083-681-4655 for more info.