Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk was a black history lesson presented in music and tap. Photo by Michael Daniel
Tap, tap, tap...do we see a trend developing here? With TAP DOGS behind us and RIVERDANCE coming up May 5-17, Sacramento Light Opera Association's Broadway series continued tapping Jan. 27-Feb. 1 with the Tony Award winning BRING IN 'DA NOISE, BRING IN 'DA FUNK at the Community Center Theater.
This high-energy production took the audience on a lesson in black history presented through music and dance.
BRING IN 'DA NOISE won four Tony awards in 1996, including Best Direction, Best Choreography, Best Supporting Actress in a Musical and Best Lighting Design. Director George C. Wolfe and choreographer Savion Glover reprise their award-winning Broadway duties in the Sacramento engagement.
The show takes the audience through a spectacular showing of black history using song and dance to portray the ever emerging roles and impact of blacks in America.
Of course the main impact of the show wasn't its "history" lesson - the talented cast quickly won the audience over with an output of energy that is seldom seen on stage.
A review in the April 26, 1996 New York Times by Ben Brantley said, "...people watching the show seem to find themselves yelping, whooping and sobbing without even being aware of it...". Indeed, this was the case in Sacramento as the much of the audience became so involved in the production that the clapping, swaying and shouts became as much of the show as the performances on stage.
BRING IN 'DA NOISE was a unique theatre experience that showed the audience the power of music and dance transcends everything else.'da Facts about 'da Noise on Broadway
Bring in 'da Noise was created in one room over the course of three weeks. Ninety-eight percent of what was created in that room is what you see on stage.
Performers go through 40 bottles of water per performance.
The average survival rate of a pair of tap shoes is three weeks.
Number of drumsticks used/destroyed per performance: 4-6.
Number of bucket drums used/destroyed a week: 20.
Number of trash cans used/destroyed a week: 3.
Number of times floor needs to be repainted: Once a month.
Youngest Broadway cast member: 16.
500 conventional lighting instruments are used in the show; 34 vari-lites; 25 miles of electrical cable connect all of this lighting.
