Événement

Romancing the West - April 18

Melanie Safka and pop/folk duo Gypsy Soul are featured artists in "Romancing the West Legacy Tour", an epic documentary style concert taking theater patrons on a time traveling journey through 240 years of the American West. The show uncovers the history of the West including, of it's culturally rich host cities, as history is brought to life, decade by decade in narrative, visuals and the music of every era from ragtime, bluegrass and country, to jazz, blues, big band and rock featuring narrative and a new original score written and produced by Singer/songwriter Christina Duane .

Melanie will join an array of artists, performing songs from the original score and her hits "Candles in the Rain" and "Brand New Key" in the 1960's and 1970's decades. Artists include , Gypsy Soul (winners of multiple artist and songwriting awards), Native American Educator of the Year Jacque Nunez, Sons of the Oregon Trail featuring "The Drifter Poet" Butch Martin and Skip Bessonette legendary jazz pianist Patti Moran McCoy who played with Duke Ellington on Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, Martin Gerschwitz of Iron Butterfly, Chuck Girard of Lovesong (pioneer of the Jesus movement), fusion rock guitarist/composer Byron Fry, multi-instrumentalist/songwriter John Elliott (music heard on Grays Anatomy), Nick Garrett Powell of The Fret Drifters, GRAMMY nominated singer/songwriter Pam Mark Hall and writer and producer of "Romancing the West", singer/songwriter Christina Duane.

With full screen visuals, theater goers will experience the history of the West in imagery that tells the stories of the Native American people, the Russian ships exploring the West Coast, the Spanish quest into Alta California and the building of the Mission chain, the Lewis and Clarke expedition, the blazing of the Oregon Trail, the trail of tears, the gold rush, and coming of the railroad. As the centuries turn, theater goers will visit the roaring 20's, the Great Depression and World War ll, the post war boom, dawning of the cold war, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and arriving at this present age of political polarization. "Romancing the West" celebrates the triumph of the human spirit through feast, famine, and decades of social and political change telling the story of the American people rising above their differences to share this great land today.

Three themes boldly emerge throughout the show including the preservation of Home town America, and visitation to historic sites throughout the West, respect for our fellow man and their rights as communicated in the song "Wallowa Skies" a tribute to Chief Joseph, and the triumph of the human spirit as shared in songs like "California" which speaks of the melded fates of the Native and Spanish people who built the Missions together. For theater locations and dates visit www.RomancingtheWest.org Proceeds to benefit "Oh Oregon Frontier Park and Cultural Center" Home of the Romancing the West "A Journey Through Time".