PARKERSBURG - The Smoot Theatre will kick off its 2012-2013 season with the sounds of Motown, along with musicals and concerts through the coming months.
The opening show of the season will be the Legends of Motown, starring Horizon, on Aug. 25, along with the Smoot's annual Party in the Alley.
The cost is $40 a person, beginning with the Alley Party at 6:15 p.m. in Williams Court Alley beside the Smoot at 213 Fifth St.
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The Smoot Theatre will close out its 2012-2013 season next May with a performance by the Four Freshmen. The group has been active since 1950, with 22 different lineups. The current members are Brian Eichenberger, Curtis Calderon, Vince Johnson and Bob Ferreira. (Photo Provided)
There will be soul food provided by the Elks Club, a cash bar and greenery decorating the alley, with music by local classic rock band Plan B. The Smoot will open its doors at 7:30 p.m. and the main show begins at 8 p.m.
Legends of Motown starring Horizon features songs in the classic Motown style by Rick Ingram, Prentiss "Smoke" Jones and Earl Vinson. Horizon has shared the stage with many legendary performers, including The Temptations, The Four Tops and others.
For information and tickets regarding the opening program or any of the Smoot's shows through the 2012-2013 season, call 304-422-PLAY (7529) or go online to www.smoottheatre.com.
The next show at the Smoot will be "Titanic (The Musical)" at 3 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Smoot. Tickets are $35 per person.
On the 100th anniversary of the tragic journey, "Titanic" recounts the dreams, hopes and aspirations of those aboard the fateful ship. It's the story of the launching, the collision with the iceberg, and the rigid class-distinctions of the Edwardian Age. The production was the winner of five 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical.
Jim Witter's Coffee House will be the next show, offered at 8 p.m. Nov. 2. Tickets for this show are $29 for adults and $15 for students high school and younger.
Witter will be making his fifth appearance on the Smoot stage in his newest show. The "coffee house" format celebrates American folk favorites, including James Taylor, Harry Chapin, Jim Croce and others.
The first show of 2013 will be "Red, Hot and Blue" at 8 p.m. Feb. 22, 2013. Tickets will be $29 for adults and $15 for students high school and younger.
Based in Branson, the group has been recognized for its costumes, vocals and dance. The show features music from many different eras, from ragtime and Big Band to rock and roll and disco. It features a variety of production numbers and a live band.
In the spring of 2013, the Smoot will feature The Four Freshmen, with the Smoot House Band, at 8 p.m., May 11, 2013. Tickets will be $29 for adults and $15 for students high school and younger.
The Four Freshmen's profound influence on American Jazz and pop singing began in 1948 with four students at Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind. Hal Kratzsch, brothers Ross and Don Barbour, and their cousin Bob Flanigan created a brand new vocal sound. Working without written music and choosing notes by ear, they spread their jazz voicing over a wider range than other groups, and they imitated the phrasing and aggressive feel of a big band brass section.
When band leader Stan Kenton heard the group at the Esquire Lounge in Dayton, Ohio, he immediately recognized their potential. At his urging, Capitol Records signed the Four Freshmen in 1950, initiating a string of hits with "It's A Blue World," "How Can I Tell Her" and "Day By Day." The Freshmen have produced over 70 singles and albums.
Wherever The Freshmen went, they won fans and inspired vocal groups. They played nearly every college in the U.S.A., performing in all 50 states and 44 countries from Asia to Europe to Australia. Bob Flanigan retired from performing in 1992, but he continues as the group's mentor and personal manager.
There have been 22 different line-ups, and the current group consists of Brian Eichenberger, Curtis Calderon, Vince Johnson and Bob Ferreira.
