Take a trip back in time with an upcoming tribute show taking place this Saturday night at the Algonquin Theatre.
Dean & Jerry: What Might Have Been is a tribute concert featuring timeless hits and hilarious bits from the most famous comedy team of the 1950s, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
Playing a steady stream of classic tunes like Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime, You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You, Volare, That’s Amore and, of course, Jerry’s #1 hit Rockabye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody, the audience will enjoy the comic style that made these two legends.
The show stars Derek Marshall as Dean Martin and Nicholas Arnold as Jerry Lewis. Hitting all the right notes will be an amazing band led by Meredith Zwicker, who will also be on the piano, and local musicians Jamie Bestwick on the upright bass, John Minnis on trumpet and guitar, and Naomi Higgins on sax, and Logan Coey on drums.
Bestwick, a past recipient of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA) senior scholarship as well as a graduate of Humber College’s prestigious jazz music program, is no stranger to the stage. He’s been involved in numerous big-time stage productions and continues to wow his hometown’s audiences with his musical accomplishments.
The festival has been a huge supporter of mine since day one and I’m very grateful for every opportunity I’ve received over the years.”
Jamie Bestwick
He was originally approached by Orillia Opera House show producers back in October about the possibility of recruiting some local players who might be interested in the opportunity.
Local musician Jamie Bestwick will take to the stage for this Saturday’s tribute show. (Photo by Helena Renwick)
“The more I found out about plans for the show, the more excited I became and my involvement grew,” Bestwick says, adding that thanks to the help of musical director Zwicker, he was able to assemble a top-notch band of Muskoka professionals.
The extraordinary efforts of members of the HFA made a Huntsville show a reality and then the Dean & Jerry Show will continue a three-week run at the Orillia Opera House.
“I’ve been a fan of Dean Martin’s since seeing him in the 1984 film, Cannonball Run II,” says Bestwick. “It instantly became a favourite movie of mine and introduced me to the entire Rat Pack.”
Bestwick tells Doppler that some nostalgia will set in once the show begins.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have played on and under (in the orchestra pit) hundreds of stages all across North America. It’s always a special thrill and privilege to come home to the Algonquin Theatre and play in front of so many familiar friendly faces. Hope to see you at the Algonquin on Saturday night!”
Tickets to Dean & Jerry: What Might Have Been are $35 for adults, $32 for seniors and $20 for youth and are available by visiting the HFA website at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca or by calling the Algonquin Theatre box office at 705-789-4975.
The show continues at the Orillia Opera House from Wednesday, July 20th to Friday, August 5.
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