"Ella" Reviews Online

Ella
March 04, 2009
By Les Spindle
http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/other_news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003947911

In this 2007 bio-musical, making its West Coast debut, Tina Fabrique takes the role of Ella Fitzgerald (1917–96), a jazz singer whose stellar stage and television appearances and remarkable recording career (netting 13 Grammys) earned her the nickname "first lady of song." Although Jeffrey Hatcher's skeletal book provides interesting details about the entertainer's largely guarded personal life, culminating in a heart-rending finale, what makes this piece such a treasure is Fabrique's bravura delivery of 23 Fitzgerald hits, backed by a scintillating four-man onstage combo.

Looking elegant in gowns designed by Alejo Vietti, Fabrique bears a strong physical resemblance to Fitzgerald. Though Fabrique's vocal instrument sounds quite different from Fitzgerald's, it's powerful and technically accomplished. Fabrique expertly captures the 'scat' style Fitzgerald was known for. Fabrique's first-rate singing and formidable stage presence convincingly evoke the aura of a legendary performer. But above all, her renditions are simply a joy to hear -- from the playful exuberance of "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" (written by Fitzgerald and Van Alexander) to the myriad emotions of Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" to the lilting grace of the Gershwin brothers' " 'S Wonderful."

The framing device is Fitzgerald's 1996 live appearance in Nice, France, a week after the death of her beloved half-sister. Fitzgerald's longtime producer, Norman Granz (Harold Dixon), urges her to let down her defenses a little -- drop one song in favor of adding more patter and open up about her personal grief. This prompts her to share tidbits about her life with the audience, leading into songs illuminating the various incidents. This is essentially a solo play: Dixon's appearance is fleeting, and the musicians (pianist-conductor George Caldwell, drummer Rodney Harper, bassist Clifton Kellem, and trumpeter Thad Wilson) deliver scattered lines of dialogue. In one delightful sequence, Wilson joins Fitzgerald in duet, pulling off a knockout imitation of Louis Armstrong. Rob Ruggiero's direction is taut and seamless, design elements are classy, and Danny Holgate's music supervision and arrangements soar. As for Fabrique, another Gershwin brothers song that she croons sums it up best: "Oh, Lady Be Good."