By Steve Sucato

The iconic Jazz Age music of American songwriting team George and Ira Gershwin is celebrated in the dance and music extravaganza Strictly Gershwin this weekend, October 4-6, at Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theatre.

Co-commissioned initially by Playhouse Square President & CEO Craig Hassall_AM while at the English National Ballet, Royal Albert Hall, and Raymond Gubbay, Ltd., Strictly Gershwin is a two-hour celebration of song and dance that will transport audiences back to a golden era of Broadway and Hollywood glitz and glamour, a la silver screen idols Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Cyd Charisse, and Gene Kelly. 

Performed this past February as part of Tulsa Ballet’s home season, the company tours that production to Cleveland. A large-scale production with a cast of some sixty dancers, four singers, and a live orchestra, the Cleveland shows will also include some local flavor with the addition of Cleveland Ballet trainee dancers Beckham Barehand, Heidi Hollopeter, Lizzie Rasmussen, Katharine Steele, and Beatrice Wooster added to the cast. Also taking the stage will be independent tap dance artists from as far away as Australia, along with local tappers Torie Gray, Riley Hammett, Cecily Herchek, Sylvia Hodge, Megan Michael, Sophie Savelli, and Vivi Stein.

Strictly Gershwin was originally choreographed in 2008 by Award-winning British choreographer Derek Deane. Says Deane: “The production is a feast for the audiences both in sound and movement. The joy for me in creating Strictly Gershwin was the many different dance styles that I was able to work with. I also picked many of my favorite Gershwin songs; glorious tunes, including ‘An American in Paris’ and ‘Rhapsody in Blue,’ were great fun to choreograph to. I must say, out of all the productions that I have created, Strictly Gershwin was the most fun to make.

Led by London-based composer, conductor, and the show’s arranger and musical director, Gareth Valentine, four acclaimed guest singers, and the Cleveland Pops Orchestra will perform the production’s seventeen music selections from the Gershwin songbook. 

Performing to the bulk of those music selections will be forty dancers from Tulsa Ballet and its second company, TBII, making their Cleveland debut. 

Founded in 1956, Tulsa Ballet is an international company of world-class dancers from fourteen countries led by Italian artistic director Marcello Angelini.

Says Angelini: “Simply Gershwin is a little bit like America as seen through the eyes of a foreigner. It is everything we glorify and think is beautiful about America. More than a crowd-pleaser, the show touches your soul.”

The Broadway-esque production also features over 225 lavish costumes that augment the rich palette of dance numbers. 

“Derek, as a choreographer, is a genius,” says Angelini. “The architecture of his choreography, the way he uses movement and stage spacing, and his musicality are exceptional. His dance works bypass your brain and go directly to your heart.” 

For many, Simply Gershwin will conjure nostalgic feelings of old Hollywood movies and heroes along with the music that defined that era. For others, perhaps too young to know any of that, Angellini says, “You don’t need to be a Gershwin lover or a ballet lover. If you love art and entertainment, Derek and I promise you that you will leave the theater entertained and with a big smile.” 

Simply Gershwin will be performed on Friday, October 4 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, October 5 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, October 6 at 2 p.m.; Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theatre, 1519 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH. Tickets range from $35 – $125 and can be purchased at playhousesquare.org or by phone at 216-241-6000.

The evening performance of Strictly Gershwin on Saturday, October 5, will be part of the Center Stage Benefit presented by Kulas Foundation to raise funds for Playhouse Square’s not-for-profit mission and arts education programming. Tickets for the benefit include the performance, a cocktail reception, a seated dinner, and a post-show reception with desserts and dancing. Center Stage Benefit tickets may be purchased by contacting Mary Winchester at 216-640-8412.

Photos and video of and courtesy of Tulsa Ballet.