Theatre New Brunswick Partner with Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival for Unique Performance
In a historic, first-ever partnership between two of New Brunswick’s most prestigious arts organizations, The Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival and Theatre New Brunswick announced today that they will bring one of a kind production Life, Death and The Blues to the Fredericton Playhouse this September 17-18, 2015.
The innovative concert/theatre hybrid, created by Gemini nominated actor and Maple Blues Award winner Raoul Bhaneja, is a performance that combines autobiography, interview, music and multi-media to explore the power, passion and meaning of The Blues.
“We’re completely taken with the idea of telling a story of the blues through a collaboration with TNB, through theatre and the spoken word as well as through the music we normally present” said Brent Staeben, “With its history of excellence in theatre, this is going to be an exciting, entertaining and innovative addition to Harvest’s 25th Anniversary. We’re convinced our audiences are going to love discovering the blues through a different lens – the experience of theatre. And we think TNB’s theatre audience is going to love the musical elements of this production especially the exceptional talents of bluesman Raoul Bhanjea and the soulfully superb Divine Brown.”
This special production celebrates the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival’s landmark 25th Anniversary, and Theatre New Brunswick’s 49th. Life, Death and The Blues is the story of one man’s journey through music. Not quite a play, not quite a concert—this unique production is a hybrid of the two with an autobiographical story line and musical performances. With The Blues as the lifeblood of the story, this production is for music fans and theatre fans alike.
“TNB is proud and excited to announce this presentation and this new partnership with the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival,” said TNB artistic director Thomas Morgan Jones. “Over the last year Caleb Marshall, outgoing artistic producer, and the team at Harvest Jazz and Blues have seized an incredible opportunity to not only unite our two organizations, but to do so in support of a one of a kind project. Life, Death, and the Blues is not only a celebration of the art form by some of Canada’s elite theatre and music talents, it is also currently on a two year tour of Canada. This is an incredible feat, and we are proud to be a part of their journey, and to be offering this soulful, driving, and bluesy show to our audiences in Fredericton.”
First developed by Theatre Passe Muraille, Life, Death and the Blues pairs Bhaneja with the stunning, Juno award-winning R&B songstress Divine Brown, while music is provided by members of Bhaneja’s knockout blues band, The Big Time. Following its Toronto premiere last fall, Life, Death and The Blues has been touring across Canada. The Toronto Star characterized Bhaneja as a “first-rate actor and an excellent musician,” while The Globe & Mail wrote: “Bhaneja and his backing band, comprised of Jake Chisholm, Tom Bona and Chris Banks, are committed and talented bluesmen, while the charming Brown brings down the house.”
There will be three performances of Life, Death and The Blues, including a special matinee for Fredericton area schoolchildren. The performances align with the Harvest schedule so that patrons can walk out the doors of the Playhouse and into the bustling landscape of the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival to enjoy an entire evening of world-class music.
TICKETS:
Available April 30, 2015 at : The Fredericton Playhouse, www.theplayhouse.ca, or 1.866.884.5800
Available May 9, 2015 at: Harvest Central, 81 Regent St, www.harvestjazzandblues.com or 1-888-311-9090
