 |
|
|
 |
When You Wish Upon A Star Childrens classics to jazz standards Thu, Aug 5, 8:00 - 9:15 pm Jaqua Concert Hall, The Shedd Institute |
|
By the mid-1930s animated film was a well-established feature of American popular culture, with several companies putting out wonderful comic and musical shorts in a variety of styles designed for general motion picture audiences to enjoy before the main feature. Max Fleischer Studios struck a decidedly adult tone with Koko the Clown, Bimbo, Betty Boop and their series of hip, jazzy, markedly sexy and often surreal cartoons: even retellings of children’s classics were pretty weird (Fleischer’s 1933 Snow-White is downright creepy!). Warner Brothers and their omnipresent Looney Tunes targeted just about everyone, as did Walt Disney’s own early ‘30s output, featuring the wildly popular Mickey Mouse and his gang. But when the film industry began cleaning itself up with the Hays Code of 1934 (the same year Cole Porter’s “You’re The Top” appeared on Broadway in Anything Goes...not for long it wouldn't!), everyone was obliged to reshape their cartoon series and other projects into more family-friendly fare.
Walt Disney was the most successful in making this transition, doing so by targeting young children quite specifically. In 1934 he announced a new project that would retell the classic children's tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as a feature length animated film designed especially for kids, a daring proposition that turned its back on the winning formula of short cartoons for general motion picture audiences, and industry pundits dubbed it "Disney's Folly". Released in 1937, Snow White was a smash hit critically and financially and ushered in a veritable Golden Age of animation. Other studios attempted to emulate Snow White’s success (Fleischer’s 1939 Gulliver’s Travels and 1941 Raggedy Anne and Raggedy Andy, etc.), but Disney essentially owned the form for the next 20 years, resulting in such children's stories (some original, most adaptations of classics) as Pinocchio (1940), Cinderella (1950), Alice In Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953), and The Jungle Book (1967) among many others.
Brilliantly conceived and executed Snow White and the entire Disney feature-length output also contained another innovation: full, original scores. Which meant great new melodies in the ears of America, and a great new source of material for performer and jazz musician alike. Many of these songs became outright jazz standards. For this evening’s concert, Ken has worked up a fine selection of the best of these songs, focusing (consistent with our festival theme!) on the shows that were based on classic children's fairy tales and literature.
| | | Event Personnel | | | Ken Peplowski, director, clarinetJulie Alsin, vocalsClairdee, vocalsBob Cross, vocalsIan Whitcomb, vocals, ukuleleDan Barrett, tromboneRod Fleeman, guitarDoug Miller, bassChuck Redd, drums |
| | When You Wish Upon A Star(1940)
- introduced in Pinocchio | N. Washington (w), L. Harline (m) |
| | Whistle While You Work(1937)
- introduced in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | L. Morey (w), F. Churchill (m) |
| | With A Smile And A Song(1937)
- introduced in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | L. Morey (w), F. Churchill (m) |
| | Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf (1933)
- introduced in Three Little Pigs | T. Sears (w), F. Churchill (m) |
| | Some Day My Prince Will Come (1937)
- introduced in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | L. Morey (w), F. Churchill (m) |
| | The Second Star To The Right (1953)
- introduced in Peter Pan | S. Cahn (w), S. Fain (m) |
| | A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes (1950)
- introduced in Cinderella | M. David/A. Hoffman/J. Livingston (w/m) |
| | I Wan'na Be Like You (1967)
- introduced in The Jungle Book | R. Sherman/R. Sherman (w/m) |
| | I'm Wishing(1937)
- introduced in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | L. Morey (w), F. Churchill (m) |
| | One Song(1937)
- introduced in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | L. Morey (w), F. Churchill (m) |
| | Alice In Wonderland(1951)
- introduced in Alice In Wonderland | B. Hilliard (w), S. Fain (m) |
| | I'm Late(1951)
- introduced in Alice In Wonderland | B. Hilliard (w), S. Fain (m) |
| | Give A Little Whistle(1940)
- introduced in Pinocchio | N. Washington (w), L. Harline (m) |
| | | Featured composers, lyricists, creators | | | | | Sammy Cahn
Frank Churchill
Mack David
Sammy Fain
Leigh Harline
Bob Hilliard
Al Hoffman
Jerry Livingston
Larry Morey
Ted Sears
Richard Sherman
Robert Sherman
Ned Washington
|
|
|
|
When You Wish Upon A Star Ticket Prices |
|
| AA | 28.00 | 24.00 | 22.50 | 21.00 | 14.00 | | A | 24.00 | 20.50 | 19.25 | 18.00 | 12.00 | | B | 20.00 | 17.00 | 16.00 | 15.00 | 10.00 | | O | 16.00 | 13.75 | 13.00 | 12.00 | 8.00 |
 | Jaqua Concert Hall The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts 285 E Broadway
Eugene, Oregon
541-434-7000 |
|
|
|
Purchase tickets at: 1. The Shedd Ticket Office 541.434.7000 2. The Hult Ticket Office 541.682.5000
|