Gail A. Nelli
Calling all SaddleBrooke performing arts talent to auditions for our March 12 and 13 performances of American Bandstand Rewind in 2027. We welcome back to auditions all those who have previously performed with us in past Variety Shows and invite all newcomers to consider auditioning on Nov. 10 and 12 on the DesertView PAC stage. Specific details about auditions, rehearsals, and performance dates and times can be found on our website: www.saddlebrookevarietyshow.com.
Most of us in SaddleBrooke grew up watching Dick Clark’s American Bandstand show at some point in its run from 1957 to 1987. We could not wait to see the latest dance craze as we listened to the top hits of the day. In the early days of the show, the teenagers chosen to be on the show, became almost as popular as the singers. Who were they dating? Who were the best dancers? And who had recently broken up? were questions we wanted answered.
At first the 1957 show was a live broadcast from Philadelphia, Monday to Friday, until the show then moved to Hollywood in 1964, airing weekly on Saturdays until 1987. The show’s popularity helped Dick Clark, the eternally young host, become a media mogul. The show inspired similar long-running music programs like Soul Train and Top of the Pops.
Artists of the day wanted to be on the show even if it meant lip-synching to the released version of their song instead of performing live. Some artists refused to appear on the show, like The Beatles, but allowed their songs to be used for dancing on the show.
Thirty years of music filled the airwaves of television with plenty of artist interviews, plus “Rate-A-Record” where two teenagers were chosen to give their opinion of a song and give it a score. Most of all a song needed the right “beat” for dancing.
Our show will be a sampling of the hit numbers that appeared in each of the four decades. We will also have accompanying overhead slides to give our audience visual background on the show and the artists.
There are 24 music numbers available for singers, instrumentalists, and dancers, plus two openings for emcees who introduce the numbers and provide background information. If you are interested in being a part of this long time bi-annual show of SaddleBrooke talent (it began in the early 1990s) please go to our website and click on the audition information details on the home page. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment on the webpage or email Artistic Director Gail Nelli at gnelli@rochester.rr.com. See you in November ready to strut your talent on the DesertView PAC stage!