“Stormy Weather, The Life of Lena Horne” was presented Friday evening in Dvorak Concert Hall at the Fine Arts Center at Eastern Illinois University. It was a touching and unforgettable experience.
Author and journalist James Gavin lectured from time to time throughout the performance from his book, “Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne” which was published in 2009. New York Times Reviewer John Simon wrote, “page after page” of “Stormy Weather” was “eventful and suspenseful.” Friday evening’s entertainment was a delightful fusion of story-teller author, famous entertainer, and gifted musicians. James Gavin told of Lena Horne’s life. Mary Wilson, of the famed Supremes, sang Lena Horne’s songs. Musicians: Larry Dunlap, piano; Kendall Kay, bass; and Christopher Collangelo, drums entertained with music. In addition, slides and videos of Lena Horne’s life were projected on the back stage wall. It was an artistic and fascinating blend.
Stunning Mary Wilson walked out on stage in a full length formal silver-black dress, draped and tied at the side with a sparkling brooch. She had a yellow flower pinned in her hair. “Lady is a Tramp” was her first vocal offering of the evening. Her necklace and earrings sparkled like ice on a snowy night. Wilson is a founding member of the Supremes — stunning threesome singers. The Supremes recorded 12 No. 1 hits from 1964-1969. She also is an author, motivational speaker, businesswoman, former ambassador and works on many humanitarian projects. Her “Honeysuckle Rose” brought back memories of the 60s to the audience Friday evening. Her gowns were to die for. She had a new one on each time she came out on stage. Yes, Wilson brought that Hollywood sparkle to central Illinois that night.
Lena Horne gave James Gavin permission to interview her in 1984. She seldom allowed interviews but did share her story with Gavin. This woman was a feisty... [read more]
Additional dates are being added fequently - check back every couple of weeks for more dates in Fall 2012. Dates in 2013 to be announced in November as the fall tour launches.
The next performance of the multi-media theatrical production with James Gavin and Mary Wilson is:
Fri., November 9, 2012
Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project
Miller Outdoor Theatre Houston, TX
Sat., November 10, 2012
Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project
The James Lumber Performing Arts Center at College of Lake County, IL
Tues., November 13, 2012
Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project
Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe Grosse Point, MI
Thurs., November 15, 2012
Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project
Madame Walker Theatre of Indianapolis, IN
Fri., November 16, 2012
Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project
Doudna Center for the Arts of Charleston, IL
Sat., November 17, 2012
Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project
Wentz Hall at North Central College of Naperville, IL
Former Supreme stars in show celebrating music of Lena Horne
By BOB SAAR for The Hawk Eye
An American music legend comes to Burlington tonight and tomorrow when Mary Wilson of The Supremes sings at The Washington in Burlington.
"Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project" is a multimedia biography of the late, legendary Lena Horne. A combination of storytelling, live performance and rare film footage, it's a celebration of Hollywood's first black goddess, who reigned in MGM musicals before becoming a fabled nightclub seductress and civil rights icon.
The show is based on author James Gavin's book of the same name. It was on Oprah's 2009 reading list and nominated for a NAACP Image Award.
From the Cotton Club's glory days and the back lots of Hollywood to the glitzy resorts of Las Vegas, this behind-the-scenes look at an American icon is as much a story of the limits of the American dream as it is a ground-breaking biography.
Mary Wilson of the pioneering black vocal trio The Supremes is the big name on the ticket, but she doesn't characterize Horne.
"I don't try to portray her, I just sing the songs," Wilson said.
A sample of songs include Horne's trademarks "Stormy Weather," "A Lady Must Live," and "It's All Right with Me."
Wilson achieved fame in 1964 when The Supremes made the first of their 16 appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show." They recorded 12 No. 1 hits before the end of the decade. Wilson went on to become a best-selling author, motivational speaker, former U.S. cultural ambassador and AIDS activist.
"Stormy" does not include any Supremes songs.
"I started singing jazz about five years ago. Everyone knows me singing my oohs and my ahhs in The Supremes, and that was cool," Wilson said. "If I die and have to come back, I wouldn't mind being a Supreme."
Author James Gavin narrates the event, reading selections from the book. He's written for the New York Times, Vanity Fair and the Huffington Post. His essay for an Ella Fitzgerald collection earned a 1996 Grammy nomination.
The following published in the daily paper in Alexandria called The Town Talk...
It's been a little more than a year since singer and activist Lena Horne died at the age of 92.
Author and journalist James Gavin published "Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne" a little less than a year before Horne's death.
Over the course of a few decades, Gavin collected hundreds of interviews from friends of Horne and friends of the music industry, as well as one in-depth interview with Horne herself, to compile the book being touted as the definitive Horne biography.
Shortly after "Stormy Weather" was published, Gavin began work on casting a stage project based on the book.
Fate dealt him a high card, and ex-Supreme Mary Wilson joined Gavin on his venture a few days after Horne's death.
"Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project" is currently touring the country, making just one stop in Louisiana for the moment.
Here is a letter of reference from the Arts Council of Central Louisiana...
"Mr. Gavin and Ms. Wilson were both professional and charming and the show was very well received by an appreciative audience. Audience members were particularly happy to have the opportunity to meet Mr. Gavin and Ms. Wilson after the conclusion of the performance." - Arts Council of Central Louisiana
"Sound Check" Mary Wilson and the Larry Dunlap Trio as James Gavin sits with Tech Director and Production Stage Manager to test the Lena Horne images and video clips on the screen (October 2, 2011)
Mary Wilson with James Gavin on the Mississippi River in Burlington, IA (October 4, 2011)
View of the stage on opening night in Burlington, Iowa (October 3, 2011)
Tom Schneider, Mayor of Florrisant Missouri with James Gavin & Mary Wilson after a performance of STORMY WEATHER: The Lena Horne Project (October 2, 2011).
The Los Angeles preview of STORMY WEATHER was a smash success (Sept. 29, 2011) with many celebs in the audience. Check out this photo of James Gavin the star of his show, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong (aka James Gavin & The Supremes)!
"The Supreme" Mary Wilson making magic on stage in the Fall Tour of STORMY WEATHER. This photo taken by a fan in the audience.
Mary Wilson and James Gavin on the set of NBC in Alexandria, LA.
from left to right (clockwise): Chris Colangelo, Kendall Kay, Mary Wilson, and Larry Dunlap in Alexandria, LA.
"The show was an absolute delight and our audiences loved it!" - The Library Theatre (Hoover, Alabama)
"To catch Mary Wilson’s show is a masterclass and history lesson all in one! Lena Horne story so gracefully orated by new York writer, James Gavin, and sung by the great Mary Wilson."- Artistic Director of Adelaide Cabaret Festival (Adelaide, Australia)
“Stormy Weather is magnificent, gripping…”
- Liz Smith
"Both Mr. Gavin and Ms. Wilson were professional and charming and the show was very well received by an appreciative audience. Audience members were particularly happy to have the opportunity to meet Mr. Gavin and Ms. Wilson after the conclusion of the performance."
- Arts Council of Central Louisiana
James Gavin's
STORMY WEATHER: The Lena Horne Project
Starring Mary Wilson
Multi-media concert featuring Narrator James Gavin, Author of the book Stormy Weather,
Rare audio and video from Lena Horne’s Life
STORMY WEATHER is a “living, breathing, biography” combining story, song and visual images from James Gavin’s wealth of material and hundreds of interviews – several with Horne herself – to give us the defining portrait of an American icon.
Thrilling new arrangements of songs in this concert include “Stormy Weather”; “Honeysuckle Rose”; "Yesterday When I Was Young" and many others made popular by Lena Horne.
This narrated concert production features rare multi-media images and footage of Lena Horne narrated by James Gavin, author of the NAACP Image Award Nominated biography STORMY WEATHER (Simon & Schuster 2009): At the Academy Awards in 2002, Halle Berry thanked Lena Horne for paving the way for her to become the first black recipient of the Award for Best Actress.
The beautiful Lena Horne" became a pioneering star for African Americans in the 40s and 50s. From the Cotton Club's glory days and the back lots of Hollywood studios to the glitzy but bigoted resorts of Las Vegas, this behind-the-scenes look at an American icon is as much a story of the limits of the American dream as it is a masterful, ground-breaking biography. The book was on Oprah’s Summer Reading List in 2009. The show now tours with Mary Wilson. Arrangements by Emmy Award Winner Mike Renzi and Musical Director Larry Dunlap.
CLICK BELOW TO SEE A SHORT DEMO CLIP:
UPCOMING DATES...
Sat., June 9 - 10, 2012 - 3 Performances!
The Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide, AU
Fri., November 9, 2012
Miller Outdoor Theatre Houston, TX
Sat., November 10, 2012
The James Lumber Performing Arts Center at College of Lake County, IL
Thurs., November 15, 2012
Madame Walker Theatre of Indianapolis, IN
Fri., November 16th Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL
Sat., November 17, 2012
Wentz Hall at North Central College of Naperville, IL
MARY WILSON Ms. Mary Wilson still performs with the same passion as she did singing with the original Supremes, but the world renowned celebrity is now using her fame and flair to promote humanitarian efforts to end hunger, raise AIDS awareness and encourage world peace.
While Ms. Wilson is best known as a founding member of the world’s most famous female trio – they recorded 12 No.1 hits from 1964 to 1969 – the legendary singer’s career did not stop there, and she continues to soar to untold heights.
Ms. Wilson is a best-selling author, motivational speaker, businesswoman, former U.S. Cultural Ambassador, the recipient of an Associate Degree from New York University in 2001, and an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Paine College in Augusta, Georgia. In 2007, Ms. Wilson was named international spokeswoman for the Humpty Dumpty Institute, a platform she uses to condemn the death and destruction caused by hidden landmines and unexploded ordinances in less developed countries.
Ms. Wilson’s “Dare to Dream” lecture, which she gives to young people, emphasizes the need for personal perseverance to achieve their goals, despite obstacles and adversities in their lives. The topic is the foundation of her best-selling autobiography “Dreamgirl - My Life as a Supreme.” Ms. Wilson later authored its sequel, “Supreme Faith - Someday We’ll Be Together.” In 2000, these two books, along with updated chapters, were combined to complete her third book. She is currently working on a fourth book, which will be a coffee table hardcover featuring the gowns, history and legacy of the Supremes.
Moreover, she has spread the Supremes’ legacy from the world stage to international museums with a touring exhibit entitled, “The Story of the Supremes from the Mary Wilson Gown Collection,” featuring their show-stopping gowns and coveted memorabilia. The gowns were on exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and will be touring The United Kingdom before going on to Europe for another two years.
Over the years, Ms. Wilson has been highly recognized as the consummate humanitarian. She continues to devote her time and talent to assisting a diverse group of non-profit organizations, including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the American Cancer Society, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, The Po Leung Kuk schools of Hong Kung, UNICEF, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Figure Skaters of Harlem, a youth organization committed to helping children realize their dreams o compete in the Olympics. She has been active with Child Research, supporting a child around the world for the past 20 years.
In 1988, Mary Wilson accepted the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the Supremes when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1994, the Supremes received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 1998, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
In 2003, the National Foundation for Women Legislators bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award on Ms. Wilson and invited her to a delegation of women legislators who traveled to Bahrain. She participated in a Trade and Civil Life Conference hosted by the Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain and is proud to have played a role in helping pass the Freedom Trade Bill between the U.S. and Bahrain.
At the 37th Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in 2007, she received the Floyd Washington Auto Safety Advocacy Award for her commitment to auto safety.
Ms. Wilson has toured the globe as a performer and continues to travel as advocate on behalf of social and civic issues. As a Supreme, she performed for Britain’s Queen Mother and the future King of Sweden and other international audiences. However, Ms. Wilson’s global stature grew after former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell named her one of nine cultural ambassadors in 2003.
As an official “goodwill” ambassador, Ms. Wilson visited poverty-stricken areas in Bangladesh, where she witnessed children as young as five years old having to break bricks to earn money for their families. In Pakistan, she spoke at Fatima Jinnah Woman University about pursuing their goals and “Daring to Dream.” In Mozambique and Botswana, Ms. Wilson addressed young people about the dangers of HIV and AIDS and her quest for world peace.
In November 2004, she was one of the featured performers to headline the United Nations’ “World AIDS Day” concert at St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City. She later returned to the United Nations Building to lecture about the poverty, hunger and destruction she witnessed during her trips.
Mary Wilson is pleased to join James Gavin to pay tribute to an outstanding American Icon. (www.marywilson.com)
JAMES GAVIN Author and journalist James Gavin’s third book, Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne (Atria Books/Simon & Schuster, 2009) was called "magnificent ... gripping, marvelously written" by Liz Smith, who added: "[It] may just be one of the best biographies about show business, race, love, sex, and music ever written." In the New York Times Book Review, John Simon called "page after page" ofStormy Weather "eventful and suspenseful." On May 12, 2010 at Eso Won Books in Los Angeles, 8th District Councilman Bernard C. Parks honored Gavin with a proclamation from the city. Gavin's previous book, Deep in a Dream: The Long Night of Chet Baker (Knopf, 2002; new 2012 edition published by Chicago Review Press), was called “a landmark in entertainment biography” in theHollywood Reporter and “almost unbearably vivid” in theNew York Times. Deep in a Dream has been published in England, Holland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, France, and Brazil as well as in the U.S. Gavin’s first book, Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of New York Cabaret (Grove Weidenfeld, 1991), was republished by Back Stage Books (2006) in a revised, updated edition. It won ASCAP’s Deems Taylor Award for excellence in music journalism, along with raves from John S. Wilson of the New York Times (“vividly reported … etched in acid”), Liz Smith (“a treasure trove … a real beat of the heart of New York”), and Gerald Nachmanof the San Francisco Chronicle (“wild and wistful … a remarkably informed, insightful, definitive look at Manhattan nightlife”). The long-awaited Intimate Nights documentary is now being co-produced by Gavin and filmmaker Raymond De Felitta; it will feature Joan Rivers, Carol Burnett, Lily Tomlin, Dick Cavett, Dixie Carter, Phyllis Diller, Jonathan Winters, Kaye Ballard, Bruce Vilanch, and dozens more illustrious cabaret alumni.
Manhattan-born and a graduate of Fordham University,Gavin is a much-published freelance journalist. Aside from his dozens of features in the New York Times, he has written for Vanity Fair, Time Out New York, the Daily Beast, and the Huffington Post on subjects ranging from Annie Lennox to Elizabeth Taylor to the death of John F. Kennedy, Jr. He has contributed liner notes to over 400 CDs, including many reissues he produced himself for Verve, Blue Note, and Koch Jazz. His essay for the GRP box set Ella Fitzgerald – The Legendary Decca Recordings earned a 1996 Grammy nomination.
Gavin also lectures, and has appeared in several documentaries, including the E! True Hollywood Story on Doris Day and Anita O'Day: The Life and Times of a Jazz Singer. He wrote and narrated a French TV documentary,Chet by Claxton, on legendary photographer William Claxton and his muse, Chet Baker. Gavin has made over two hundred radio appearances, including multiple interviews with NPR, the BBC, and Australia's ABC Network; and has been seen on the Today show, Good Morning America, and the PBS NewsHour. He has created and hosted shows based on all his books, featuring such artists as Blossom Dearie, Julie Wilson, Nellie McKay, Mark Murphy, Andy Bey, Oscar Brown, Jr., Jackie & Roy, and Kiki & Herb. These shows have been seen at such venues as the Algonquin Hotel and Joe's Pub in New York, the Castro Theatre in San Francisco, and Jazz Alley in Washington, D.C. Gavin is currently touring with Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project, a concert that stars Mary Wilson, the Mike Renzi Trio, and Gavin as narrator/host. Mr Gavin is available for lectures and his productions entitled STORMY WEATHER and DEEP IN A DREAM are exclusively represented by KMP ARTISTS. (www.jamesgavin.com)
MIKE RENZI (Musical Director/Arranger) American pianist, arranger, and musical director. He is best known for his collaborations with some of the legends of pop-jazz singing, notably Peggy Lee, Lena Horne, Mel Tormé, Cleo Laine, Blossom Dearie, and Jack Jones. In 2010, Stephen Holden of the New York Times noted Renzi’s “gorgeous long-lined runs” and his “extraordinary grace as a pianistic arranger whose accompaniments have a panoramic orchestral sweep.”Renzi is also a 7-time Daytime Emmy-winning composer of soundtrack music for such TV shows as Sesame Street and All My Children.
In 2012 the show will tour with Larry Dunlap on piano, Christopher Colangelo on bass and Kendall Kay on drums.
Exclusive Booking Contact & Tour Management: KMP Artists / info@kmpartists.com
