This Summer: Beloved Music, Given New Life

As our Winter Cabaret Series starts to wind down, our Summer Cabaret Series is just starting to ramp up! This summer, the Cabaret will be rockin’ and boppin’ with some of the best music from the past century—all presented with fresh, fun new twists.

Kicking off our Summer Cabaret Series is Rock & Roll Reignited, an original musical revue that infuses Rock & Roll classics with sizzle, showmanship, and style. A four piece band who call themselves “Not Fade Away” will bring the best of the ‘50s and ‘60s to FST in their Sarasota debut. The group just wrapped up their national tour, performing for audiences at over 150 sold-out venues.

This high-energy Cabaret was created by Jared Mancuso, an actor-musician who has played Buddy Holly in professional productions of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story from coast to coast to rave reviews. According to Steve Stanley from Stage Scene LA, Mancuso “holds the audience in the palm of his hand” and is “absolutely sensational.”

But don’t worry—Mancuso and his band mates aren’t going to try to imitate or replicate Holly. Instead, they want to give his music—as well as songs like “The Wanderer,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and “Come On, Let’s Go”—new life.

“I had been doing productions of Buddy and other tribute shows that covered Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and the like, but the shows weren’t scratching this creative itch that I had,” said Mancuso. “I wanted to create something original where the songs were amped up and revitalized. I was worried that, if I didn’t find a new way to share this music that I loved, it was going to die out.”

So he created Not Fade Away, a band that reinvigorates songs like “Peggy Sue,” “You Really Got Me,” and “Shake, Rattle, & Roll” by infusing them with a more contemporary sound.

Next is the highly anticipated return of The Jersey Tenors, a mash-up sensation blending iconic opera classics with Rock & Roll hits from artists like Queen, Journey, and Elton John. When the group made their FST debut in Summer 2017, The Jersey Tenors were a hit with audiences and critics, alike.

In their new show, The Jersey Tenors celebrate artists from the stage to the screen, performing exciting original arrangements of songs by Frank Sinatra, Bon Jovi, and The Bee Gees.

“We love to surprise our audiences,” said Brian Noonan, founder of The Jersey Tenors. “We wanted audiences to know that we’re not just some limited act that does one particular genre of music. Our goal is to make each show distinct—whether it is with our unique musical arrangements or the wide array of musical styles we perform.”

The Jersey Tenors will be lending their powerful voices to songs like “Walk Like A Man,” “Your Song,” “That’s Life,” “Eye of the Tiger,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and many more.

Bringing the Summer Cabaret Series to a close is New York State of Mind: All the Hits of Billy Joel With The Uptown Boys. Created by Alex Aguilar and John De Simini over the past two years, this new concert experience features over two dozen classic Billy Joel songs, from “For the Longest Time” and “Only the Good Die Young” to “Tell Her About It” and “Piano Man.”

Between Aguilar and De Simini, the show’s creators have over 40 years of collective experience working on Broadway’s biggest hits, including Jersey Boys, Million Dollar Quartet, and Memphis.

“I came up with the idea to make a show that brought the Broadway experience all over the world,” said Alex Aguilar.

“When Alex shared this idea with me, I was immediately in,” said John De Simini. “The next step was finding a song catalogue that was universally loved and that everyone could relate to. The first artist that came to mind was Billy Joel.”

With some smooth Motown-inspired choreography and a little theatrical flair, The Uptown Boys use the music of Billy Joel as an avenue to share their stories of life, love, and trying to make it in New York City.

“Everyone is going to have a favorite song and everyone is going to enjoy something in this show. I couldn’t be more excited to bring this show to Sarasota audiences,” added De Simini.