Upcoming Shows
Herb Reed & The PLATTERS
Herb Reed and The Platters play Reagle stage Famed group dishes up nostalgic memories They were one of the most successful vocal groups with an incredible string of pop hits during the ’50s and ’60s. They were the first black act of the early Rock and Roll era to reach number one on the pop charts and the first Rock and Roll group to have a Top Ten album in America. They were the most romantic of the doo-wop groups. Stylistically, they bridged the Big Band sound and rock – pointing the way to an era in which rock would dominate American music. They called themselves The Platters. And they served up dozens of top hits. Their prolific tune trunk included familiar sounds like:
Eventually, the group of five singers (four men and one woman) began its national ascent in 1953. They finally broke through in 1955 when their recording of Only You (And You Alone) hit the Top Ten on the charts, soon to be followed by the hit sound of The Great Pretender which easily reached the coveted Number One slot. Through the years, the act made 400 recordings, sold over 200 million records, performed in 91 countries and received more than 230 awards world wide. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Vocal Hall of Fame in 1998. The hit which catapulted them into the national spotlight, Only You, received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999 and their huge 1956 hit, The Great Pretender entered the Hall of Fame soon after, in 2002. The Platters also appeared in 27 movies including the well known Rock Around the Clock and The Girl Can’t Help It. A few of their hit songs also graced the soundtrack of the seminal film, American Graffiti. Herb Reed is an original founding member of The Platters and is credited with creating the group’s name after hearing a disc jockey refer to recordings as “platters.” For years, Reed has managed, performed and toured with the group ensuring that the original intentions and interpretations of The Platters hits are preserved. For fans of early rock and nostalgia buffs seeking to “relive the memories,” Herb Reed and The Platters play Reagle’s Robinson Theater home in Waltham for two performances only. The group will recreate the unforgettable sounds of Only You, My Prayer and The Great Pretender – along with many more of their classic, chart topping hits. Their continued popularity with audiences suggests that The Platters still have the magic touch with a song. |
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A Little Bit of Ireland
Reagle Gets Its Irish Up! Ireland spectacular returns for 12th edition There’s something downright infectious about Irish music. It has mysterious charms. Just try not tapping your foot to it. It’s impossible. Its unique sound conjures up images of winsome colleens and hearty lads — arms held firmly at sides — tapping out intricate and astounding syncopations. The sights and sounds are uniquely Irish. But, its appeal is universal. As February draws to a close and melts into Saint Patrick’s Day — everyone is Irish, or so it seems — if only for one mid-March day when things like shamrocks, shillelaghs and such are celebrated. So, it’s welcome news that Reagle Players is preparing the twelfth annual edition of its highly popular Irish spectacular entitled A Little Bit of Ireland. It’s that time of the year again when everything Irish adorns the Waltham stage for a wee while. This is a delightful Irish stew of a show which serves up something for every taste — classic step dancing, pub music, obligatory tenors, lullabies, standards, ditties and a-million-and-one Irish jokes. Directed and conceived by Robert J. Eagle, the show boasts an onstage cast of seventy performers. The large chorale and guest soloists interpret nearly every great Irish air in the tune trunk. Dancers of all ages abound. Resident funnyman, Harold “Jerry” Walker stirs up more than a bit of Irish laughter with his comic antics and hijinks. Walker, a Reagle favorite, is a veritable master of the Irish joke. Adding another air of tradition and authenticity is Máiriń Ui Chéide, a sean-nos singer descended from a long line of poets and song writers. She is a five time gold medalist at competitions in Ireland for this ancient singing art form. Her haunting intonations of several standards are mesmeric. Skilled dancers from the Harney Academy of Irish Dance in Walpole literally wow the audience with the intricacies and nimble style of the classic step dance form which has made national champions of some of their students. The Gaelic sounds of Larry Reynolds and Comhaltas — a classic Irish band — provide perfect accompaniment to the festivities while the ten harps of the Massachusetts Harp Ensemble evoke things heavenly and Irish with their unique and fulsome sound. Listen for old favorites, fall under the haunting spell of the penny whistles, button accordions and bodhrans filling the air — and you’re bound to be bewitched. Whether one hails from Galway or Gloucester or Glocca Morra, those who delight in Irish entertainment will be swept away with Reagle’s snazzy salute to the Old Sod. Check out A Little Bit of Ireland this year. Once there, one quickly discovers that more than Irish eyes are smiling. |
