And tell Laura I love her, Songs of the early 60s & stories of adolescence

at the NAC’s 4th STAGE (53 Elgin Street) on Thursday, March 20, 7:30 p.m., doors open at 7:00 Ages 12 and up Tickets: $20, $17 for seniors, Live Rush & subscription available

Description Who did put the bop in the bop-shoo-bop-shoo-bop? And why must I be a teenager in love? As the 1960s began, and the first great tidal wave of boomers crashed into adolescence, these and other life-and-death questions were uppermost in their minds and their music.

It was a time when bands were courteous and well-dressed, when TV was new, and when the real crises were about bad skin, fitting in, and falling in and out of love. And though the lives of 60s teenagers are very different from those of today, adolescents from all eras have hearts that flutter and sometimes break, fears about their reputations with their peer group, and ways to cope as they muddle toward to adulthood.

“And tell Laura I love her” is a light-hearted look at adolescence, with lots of opportunity for the audience to sing along to the great rock music of THE LASTbandSTANDING.

For more information, contact: Caitlyn Paxson, Managing Artistic Director (mad@ottawastorytellers.ca, 613-322-8336, www.ottawastorytellers.ca)

Performers

Gail Anglin began her career as a storyteller in Mrs. Call’s English class in Port Jervis High School. She always wanted to be “Bobby’s Girl” and wear an “Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” but neither of those worked out for her.  However, she has continued to tell stories ever since PJHS.  She wishes to send thanks out to Mrs. Call and to Terry Von Ignatius who, at a class reunion some years ago, remembered her telling stories all the way back at show-and-tell in Sullivan Avenue Elementary School.

A versatile performer and creator of original works, Gail is a master at comic timing, and as one of Ottawa’s rare singing storytellers, she has co-created and appeared in several popular musical storytelling shows at the National Arts Centre’s 4th Stage, including the popular “For the Love of Pete” (Seeger).

Tom Lips is a gifted singer and songwriter as well as a creative and dynamic teller of traditional and original stories.  Described by Christine Lavin as “a masterful singing storyteller,” Tom writes in an eclectic mix of styles.  His songs have been described as “poignant outpourings of emotion”, but his wry sense of humour is never far away. His CDs, ” and , have won many friends.

Tom has been an active storyteller for two decades, with numerous performances in the epic series and the Fourth Stage storytelling series, as well as appearances at Ottawa museums and the storytelling festivals of Ottawa, Toronto, North Bay, and Westport. Visit Tom’s website at www.tomlips.ca.

THE LASTbandSTANDING is made up of Dave Danic on bass, Dom MacDonald on drums, Shawn Peters on guitars, Bill Danic on keyboards. They are part of Off the Menu (www.offthemenu.ca ), a classic rock cover band that has developed a strong reputation in the Ottawa area based on their great repertoire and full-sounding live music. As part of this group THE LASTbandSTANDING has experience playing a large variety of events, including fund-raising galas, private parties, weddings, fairs, and bar shows. Their ability to provide tight rhythm and bass, powerful guitars, as well as melodic keys and harmonica in a professional manner, makes them a great choice for adding flavour to a live performance. In this show, they are joined by Martina Dobson, a teacher at Ottawa’s Canterbury High School, on tenor sax.

Patrick Holloway Coordinator, Publicity and Marketing Ottawa StoryTellers 179 Murray Street, Ottawa ON K1N 5M7 Office: 613-322-8336  Home: 613-731-1047 Cell: 613-296-1030 PR@ottawastorytellers.ca or patrick.holloway@sympatico.ca