JUKE JOINT JUKEBOX

An Historical Cabaret

JUNE 3-4, 2022 @ 7:30pm
GENERAL SEATING: $28
RESERVED SEATING: $35

CREATED & DIRECTED BY:

GARY STANFORD JR.

​

MUSICAL DIRECTOR & ARRANGEMENT BY:

BENJAMIN SAKAGUCHI

PERFORMERS:

Gary Stanford 

James Glass

Letitia Burton

Maisie McPeek

Kymi Armour

Joe Hudelson 

Kristina Hudelson 

Fiona Wise

Sean McGrory

Dell Parker

Candace Johnson

Arielle Rothman

Juke Joint Jukebox (Gary Stanford creator/director, Benjamin Sakaguchi Music Director/Arrangement) takes a look at the originations of Juke Joints as created on slave plantations of the 1500s and 1600s. of early America. As slavery ended, Juke Joints did quite the opposite and became one of the primary adult social mechanisms in the country. It also became a primary venue for some of our most beloved music artists to perform, collaborate, network, and more. As Prohibition forced alcohol underground, many of the best parties with the highest rollers and hottest performers followed along, creating an underground arts environment like never seen before or again. As Prohibition ended the we notice that the Juke Joint moved above ground and flourished in the biggest metropolitan cities in the country, bringing the best of the best of musicians, performers, and music. As WW2 slowed the industrial flourish of the newly invented Jukebox, a slew of new artists hit the scene and the radio/tv airwaves with their music performed at Juke Joints by a multitude of club performers. We take a dive into Jukeboxes, Diners, and styles of the 50s, the Motown/rock and roll era of the 1960s.”