From Big Band sounds to rock ‘n’ roll rhythms, BB’s Stage Door Canteen schedules a swinging lineup.
Stepping through the doors into BB’s Stage Door Canteen can be something like a time machine. While H. G. Wells hasn’t been named entertainment director, the shows planned for the coming season will take audiences on journeys through across the years and across the world, through the struggles of wartime and the celebrations of peace earned.
Focusing on the music and stars of the 1940s, the entertainment venue of the national World War II Museum’s new lineup also will follow those performers into the post-war years, stretching from the Big Band era to early rock ‘n’ roll.
The biggest highlight of the season is “On the Home Front: Louisiana During World War II.” The museum has long celebrated the contributions to the war effort of New Orleans boatbuilder Andrew Higgins. His PT boats were key tools in the war in the Pacific, and the D-Day invasion would not have been possible without the landing crafts he designed. “Andrew Higgins is the man who won the war for use, ” President Dwight Eisenhower later said.
Louisiana’s contributions to the fight, however, were not limited to the Higgins factor. “On the Home Front, ” an original musical commissioned by the museum, salutes that legacy, as well as other aspects of the state’s war efforts. It will be presented May 11-July 1.
The Canteen’s brightest new crooner, Spencer Racca, gets his own show with the Victory Six swing band singing the styles of Bobby Darin, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. Audience members may also hit the dance floor for the show, which plays weekends from Sept. 16 to Oct. 1.
Racca, who was the winner of last year’s Stage Door Idol competition, also will be performing a matinee series of shows dedicated specifically to Ol’ Blue Eyes. “The Best of Sinatra” will be presented on Wednesdays March 7-June 27.
American veterans from six wars hold a special place in their hearts for Bob Hope. The legendary entertainer first performed in USO shows for the troops in 1941 and continued for 50 years, through the Persian Gulf War. This fall, “On the Road with Bob Hope and Friends” revisits some of those tours, include the bevy of beauties who reminded the forces what they were fighting for. The new variety show, featuring Bill Johnson as the comedian, will recall those USO tours from the end of WWII through the Vietnam War. It will be presented Oct. 13-Nov. 26.
The full Victory Swing Orchestra will set the stage for romance with “A Sweetheart of a Valentine’s Show” on Feb. 17. Sweep across the dance floor with your beloved to such heart-tugging melodies as “Moonlight Serenade, ” “String of Pearls, ” “Begin the Beguine” and “Stardust.”
The Canteen goes country after Mardi Gras with the return of “Always … Patsy Cline.” The popular show tells the story of an ordinary housewife’s friendship with the queen of country music, incorporating many of her hit songs, such as “Crazy, ” “I Fall to Pieces, ” “Walkin’ After Midnight” and “Sweet Dreams.” It runs Feb. 23-March 25.
The big band makes way for some old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll with a pair of shows in the spring. Johnny Rogers plays Buddy Holly in a tribute show endorsed by Holly’s own family. It will be presented on April 6-8. That show will be followed on April 20-22 by “Blue Angel: A Roy Orbison Tribute.” Terry Harris plays the one-man show recreating the look and sound of “The Big O.”
Also returning in the coming months will be popular shows featuring the members of the Victory Belles, the Stage Door Canteen’s signature ensemble, and their blend of smooth harmonies and classic songs.
“America’s Wartime Sweethearts: A Tribute to the Andrews Sisters” returns to the Wednesday matinee series Sept. 13-Feb. 28. The upbeat show is highlighted by the Belles’ performances of such hits as “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree, ” “Chattanooga Choo Choo” and, of course, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”
The Belles ring in the season with a new Christmas show, “Home for the Holidays with the Victory Belles, ” which opens on Nov. 29. Performing secular and sacred favorites, the show features Rockette-style choreography and an array of sumptuous costumes. (For kids, look for the popular Teddy Bear Tea also in December.)
Before the new season gets under way, several other shows will keep the remaining days of summer swinging.
The popular Stage Door Idol competition, featuring singers performing songs written or recorded in the 1940s, has one more quarterfinal round before the finals. The winners of each of the preliminary rounds and a wild card pick will compete for the $1,000 prize and a shot at having their own show with the Victory Six. The last preliminary round is at 6 p.m. Aug. 1. Admission is $5. The finale, which will crown the 2017 Stage Door Idol, will be at 6 p.m. on Aug. 15. Admission for that round is $10 at the door.
The Victory Swing Orchestra invites guests to take to the dance floor on Aug. 12,26 and Sept. 9 as the big band puts everyone “In the Mood” with a swinging selection of classic World War II-era songs. The orchestra plays from 6 to 9 p.m.
Not feeling quite ready to show off your moves? Join the Sunday Swing program, featuring dance instructors who will have you sweeping across the floor to the music of local swing bands. It takes place each Sunday at 1: 30 p.m. through Aug. 27.
