Music, style of 1940s come alive in Loveland Choral Society show

For Loveland Choral Society artistic and musical director Cliff Schultz, there was no more fitting way to celebrate the group's 40th anniversary then to take a trip back to the 1940s.

"Last summer when I was planning programs for our 40th anniversary it just made sense to end it with a tribute to the '40s, one of the more influential decades from the past century," Schultz said. "And, oh, that awesome music. The swing era kept kids jitterbugging to jukeboxes, and couples doing the Lindy hop to big band sounds in lavish clubs and shoebox-sized night spots."

"Those Fabulous '40s," LCS' original tribute to the decade that will be performed May 3-6 at the Rialto Theater, features a cast of 40 talented singers and dancers, a professional band, and 29 of the decade's most popular hits.

Aviva Pflock, who has been staging LCS productions and assisting Schultz, said he was excited the society was performing a tribute to the musical era of the '40s.

"That age was truly golden," he said. The music was unmistakably contagious and kept spirits high at home while far around the globe a horrific war occupied the thoughts of an entire world. That spirit and unforgettable music is what "Those Fabulous '40s" will try to recreate, he said.

Schultz and Pflock collaborated on the original script that incorporates 29 of the decade's most popular tunes. "We spent considerable time researching both historical events and happenings in the music world," says Pflock. "The music had to be the primary focus, but we also wanted to include elements of those nostalgic '40s live broadcasts with classic commercials (and) those suspense dramas that kept ears glued to the radio."

Schultz said the action alternates between the fictitious "Cosmo Club" and KCLS, a typical radio station from the era over the final minutes of New Year's Eve in 1939. On KCLS, a radio host is counting down to the new year with popular tunes from the past decade.

The scene then shifts to the swank, intimate "Cosmo" Club where patrons dressed to the "nines" are anxious to usher in 1940. Schultz said the crowd counts down the final seconds and the strains of "Auld Lang Syne" signal the start a joyous celebration, with the crowd " jumpin' and jivin'" to Glenn Miller's "Tuxedo Junction" and "Chattanooga Choo-Choo."

The second act of the show recreates that nostalgic radio experience, according to Schultz. The Rialto audience will take on the role of the studio audience enjoying a "live" broadcast of "The American Music Hour."

"From or first meeting in December, the overall vision was to recreate the atmosphere and authenticity of the time," explains Schultz. "There were so many pieces of music to consider but we chose the 'big' tunes from the decade, the ones that kept America humming and crowding the dance floor."

Creating authentic '40s dance moves was also a daunting responsibility for LCS choreographer Natalie Turner.

"I love to dance and am comfortable teaching most dance styles," notes Turner. "But the whole swing thing was new to me. I didn't have much experience with the swing style."

In addition to her own creative choreography, Turner enlisted the help of a swing dance coach to help her learn the more difficult moves. She had to master them in order to teach fully choreographed numbers in the show, including Miller's "In The Mood," and the energetic finale, Michael Buble's jazz throwback "Peroxide Swing" paired with Lous Prima's "Sing, Sing, Sing."

According to Schultz, the production team researched photo galleries and watched a number of musicals depicting the interiors of famous '40s clubs in order to design the show's set. The vision was to replicate the look and feel of an intimate classic dance club. Set designers Rob Slutz and Bob Illick built special staging for performers and raised the Rialto pit floor to make the band a virtual part of the club scene.

Wendy Kiss, meanwhile, was tasked with costuming the cast in classic 1940s fashions.

"The fashion of the '40s was somewhat understated," said Kiss. "Practicality was what fashion was all about. Clothing was designed just to cover the body. It's almost uncanny how the styles of yesterday are making a comeback in the fashions of today."

Paul Albani-Burgio: 970-699-5407, palbani-burgio@prairiemountainmedia.com