Middle Township PAC Presents ‘Great Balls of Fire’

COURT HOUSE – The Middle Township Performing Arts Center presents Linda Gentille & The Jersey Shore Pops with “Great Balls of Fire, Legends of Piano” on Saturday, August 20 at 7:30 PM. The show stars conductor and pianist Linda Gentille. The show features the music from the great piano legends of the last 50 years including Liberace, Roger Williams, Billy Joel, Elton John, Barry Manilow, Stevie Wonder, Fats Waller, Floyd Cramer and Victor Borge. It will include such piano classics as Piano Man, Just the Way You Are, Chopstix, Great Balls of Fire, Copacobana, Mandy, Can’t Smile Without You, Crocodile Rock, Your Song, Just the Way You Are, Beer Barrel Polka, This Joint is Jumping and Tocatta and Fugue in Dm.
This spectacular new Broadway style show will include video clips depicting the rise to stardom of these great performers. It is a chronological walk through time with these artists while the songs they made famous are performed.
The Jersey Shore Pops is a big band orchestra with string section, modeled after the orchestras of the Frank Sinatra era which featured a string section along with the bid band sounds. The orchestra was founded by entertainer and conductor Linda Gentille in 2009. The orchestra features 25 of the finest New Jersey musicians either born or based in New Jersey. Many Philly Pops fans have become season ticket holders for the Jersey Shore Pops because of the reasonable ticket prices and free and convenient parking offered by the venue of the Middle Township Performing Arts Center.
Tickets to the Jersey Shore Pops has become the most popular show at the 1000 seat state of the art performing arts center in Middle Township. This is part of a new series of concerts at the Performing Art Center in Middle Township. Kay Aspell, Manager of the center says,” This is the first series we have had at the PAC and we are so pleased with the response from the community and ticket sales. Season tickets have doubled after the first season and people cannot get enough of the Pops. We expect this show to sell out!”
Gentille now performs 8 months a year on luxury cruise lines, including Princess, Oceania, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. She has performed at the Music Pier yearly for the past 6 years to rave reviews this show is expected to sell out once again! This is the first show she has performed that brings in more recent piano legends such as Billy Joel and Elton John. Gentille specializes in American classic and ragtime music. Gentille says, ”I love the music of Gershwin and Porter, but wanted to develop a show that would also appeal to younger audiences. I included the old favorites from Liberace and Roger Williams, but have added music from Billy Joel and Elton John which gives the show a great variety. It is a great family show for music and piano lovers of all ages.”
Some of the talented Jersey Shore Pop’s orchestra members include Clifford Buggs, (Trumpet), renowned trumpet soloist and former leader of the Coast Guard Band in Cape May, John Drechen, Band Director at Lower Cape May Regional High School (Trumpet), Andy Laslasis (Bass), Ray Deeley and Carl Bahner, (Percussion) Angela Guido, Ted Blohm and Jim Tangney (Trombone), Paul Butler, Cindy Yenloevich , Christopher Kobik and Walter Palmer on Saxaphone, Clarinet and Flute. The newly added string section includes: Susanne Di Vincenzo, Briana Saddler, Sandy Miller, Susan Elsayed, Amina Elsayed, Amy Cave, Mindy Au and concert mistress Karen Tangney. The musicians include a collaboration between the Pops and the Atlantic Youth String Orchestra.
The orchestra debuted last year at the Middle Township Performing Arts Center to rave revues and record audience attendance. This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. The funds were administered by the Cape May County Culture and Heritage Commission, under the authority of the County Library Commission, for the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
The finale concert in the series will be Saturday, September 17 at 7:30 PM and will be “ JERSEY GOLD” featuring the original and current lead singer of the popular vocal group “ The Association”, Jim Yester. This show is a rock and roll pop show featuring the music of popular singers born in New Jersey including Frankie Valli, Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Ricki Nelson and Bruce Springsteen.
Individual tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. A special discounted church/club group rate is available for 20 or more at only $20 a ticket. To purchase tickets for the Jersey Shore Pops, call the box office at 800-838-3006 . Tickets can be ordered online at www.JerseyShorePops.org .. The box office is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM- 4:00 PM for walk ins and is located at the Middle Township High School , Exit 10 (GSP).