Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Songs full of youth, angst

East Lake High students take on Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical for three performances.

By THERESA BLACKWELL
Published March 15, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Joseph Garnett Jr.] East Lake High School junior Grant Allison plays the trumpet as cast members perform River Deep during rehearsal of the musical Leader of the Pack.

EAST LAKE

The golden age of the girl singing group makes a comeback at East Lake High School tonight.

The East Lake High School performing arts department presents Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical at 7:30 tonight, Friday and Saturday in the school theater.

Greenwich, who wrote the music and lyrics for the musical with friends, is also the central character during a time when she collaborated on song after song that hit it big.

They were the perfect songs for teens coming of age in the early 1960s: simple lyrics about youthful loves and lovers' angst, catchy tunes you could sing or dance with together.

So maybe it's not surprising that East Lake students in the musical are finding an affinity for the music of their parents and grandparents.

"I love it," said Chelsea Burton, a junior who plays Greenwich. "Some of them are really soulful, especially What a Guy. I went and put that on my iPod the day I learned it."

Ryan Negrini, a junior who plays Jeff Barry, Greenwich's husband and songwriting partner, said when he told his mother Lisa Negrini which songs they were performing, she started singing.

"Chapel of Love," said Jerry L. Shaver, designer and director. "Who doesn't remember that?"

Brette Morningstar, a senior who plays Annie Golden, remembers dancing to the tune with her father, Mark Morningstar, as a small girl.

"My Mom Susan Small remembered singing Chapel of Love on the way to get married," said Sarah Small, a senior who plays Darlene Love.

Music predominates in this musical, with nearly 30 songs like Today I Met the Boy I'm Gonna Marry, Do Wah Diddy, I Can Hear Music, Leader of the Pack and River Deep, Mountain High interspersed with short vignettes of Greenwich's life and rise in the music industry

* * *

Ellie Greenwich started writing songs at 13 on Long Island and formed her first girl's group, the Jivettes.

Late in her college years, she met songwriter Jeff Barry and they eventually married. They became partners at the offices of songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in New York's famed music business headquarters: The Brill Building, where much of Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical is set.

Greenwich, Barry and other partners she collaborated with wrote for groups like the Shangri-Las, the Ronettes, the Dixie Cups, the Exciters, Neil Diamond, Ike and Tina Turner and countless others.

But in the mid-1960s, the age of the girl singer was falling before a wave of British invaders like the Beatles.

In 1984, Greenwich made a broadway comeback, portraying herself in Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical, winning a Tony nomination for Best Musical and a Grammy nomination for Best Cast Album.

* * *

At dress rehearsal Tuesday, the lights were down and nearly 30 cast members filled the stage.

Along with conducting, orchestra conductor Chris Stansberry was tapping drumbeats with his feet to cue the cast. The drummer was out sick and the drummer understudy was at a concert, hoping to see The Who.

The show bounced from high point to high point, pausing for some sad times along the way.

After taking their bows, students talked about which song was their favorite and often, it was one they were singing.

Sarah liked Christmas - Baby Please Come Home mainly for her cool costume and Ryan liked Hanky Panky just because it was fun. And Leader of the Pack was Brette's favorite.

"I feel like when I'm up there singing, I can bring that song back to life from the '60s," she said.

Zan Frett, a junior who plays Gus Sharkey, liked Da Doo Ron Ron best.

"It's got a lot of energy and we can have fun and look snazzy while we're up there," he said.

In his critique to the cast, Shaver said Zan was stealing his scenes.

"He's upstaging you because he has character," Shaver told the group.

But there would be one more rehearsal Wednesday, one more chance to change costumes and scenes more quickly, get every note in tune, synchronize their dance steps.

"You give me an awesome rehearsal and kick it up in your energy," Shaver said, "and you're going to blow the walls off East Lake High School."

Theresa Blackwell can be reached at tblackwell@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4170.

IF YOU GO

Leader of the Pack

East Lake High School performing arts department presents Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical at 7:30 tonight , Friday and Saturday in the school theater, 1300 Silver Eagle Drive. General admission tickets at the door cost $10, $8 for seniors. Call (727) 943-5574.

[Last modified March 14, 2007, 23:57:00]