The Blue Brothers Show at George Mason University/Patricia LeslieThe best party in town Saturday night wasn't in D.C., it was in Fairfax, Virginia at the Center for the Arts at George Mason University where a Blue Brothers' revival carried the audience up, up and away for a solid two hours of pure showtime.
Singing, dancing, and partying in the aisles with the performers was the almost-sold-out, mixed-aged crowd who adored Jake (Brad Henshaw, writer and director) and Elwood (Daniel Fletcher) Blues. The "brothers'" cartwheeled across the stage and wowed the audience with the synchronicity of their steps, matching heels backwards in mid-air at one point. Martha Graham would have been proud of the choreography by Debbie Jenner.
The Blues Brothers Show at George Mason University/Patricia LeslieThe shimmering Bluettes (Jocasta Almgill, Victoria Ekanoye, and Victoria Goddard) in multiple glittery costumes sang strong backup and gyrated right along with the leads, to the delight of the throng, some of whom dressed the part.
On sax was Derek "Ricky" Mian and playing trumpet, David Mian (relationship?) who showed their stuff all through the night, but especially in the Theme from Dragnet which started Act 2.
The best crowd pleasers seemed to beee King Bee, Riot in Cell Block #9, and Joe Cocker's With a Little Help from My Friends.
Jake Blues (Brad Henshaw) and Rufus Ruffell on guitar perform Joe Cocker's With a Little Help from My Friends/Patricia LeslieBlues and soul numbers excelled, but the audience's response to every single number, including an unimaginative arrangement of Under the Boardwalk, was enthusiastic and loud. Yes, everyone was happy.
The lighting designer (Tjeerd Hendriks) and technician (Aoife Hendriks, relationship?) were outasite.
The Blues Brothers Show in blue at George Mason University/Patricia Leslie
The Blues Brothers Show at George Mason University/Patricia Leslie
It was a memorable and fantastic show with big bang for the bucks necessary for the tickets, priced much lower and with cheaper (free) parking than a concertgoer finds in the District.
The Blues Brothers Show at George Mason University/Patricia Leslie
The Blues Brothers Show at George Mason University/Patricia Leslie
He (?) did Cab Calloway's Minnie the Moocher/Patricia Leslie
Some members of the Blues Brothers audience came dressed to kill/Patricia Leslie
Their looks are deceiving for they were having a very good time inviting attention outside before the Blues Brothers Show began/Patricia Leslie
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