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honored to play Ella Fitzgerald. I have been an admirer of her music for a very long time. My vocal teacher introduced me to her music, and I immediately fell in love with her tone, vocal phrasing, and of course her scatting. I attended Berklee College of Music in Boston where I spent a lot of time listening to and performing jazz music, especially Ella. While tour-ing Europe with a trio one summer break, we were invited to perform at the famous Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland where I had the honor of meeting Ms. Fitzgerald. Needless to say that will always be one of the many highlights of my life.

MB: Ms. Fitzgerald was famous for her ability to scat. Most of us kind of know what scatting is, but not really—could you talk about that a bit?

YC: Ooh, I love to scat! Scatting is vocal improvisation using nonsense syllables. Although freestyle, the scat singing is done within the melodic lines of the song, incorporating tempo, musical structure, and riffs. The choice of scat syllables can be used to reflect the sounds of different instruments like a sax to a trumpet. Ella is considered to be one of the greatest scat singers in jazz history.

MB: You have quite a relationship with Dreamgirls, from the original Broadway o

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enter REP kicks off its 2013/2014 season with a musical about the great vocalist Ella Fitzgerald. The company’s artistic

director Michael Butler knew that the key to producing a show about the legendary vocalist was having the right person lined up to play Ella.

“It’s simply too difficult a role to sing, not to mention a major cultural figure to enact,” says Butler. Butler and director Robert Barry Fleming agreed that Yvette Cason was the perfect player for the part. Cason performed on Broadway (Dream-girls), at the White House, and with Stevie Wonder. Butler and Fleming had already worked with Cason on an original blues musical, and knew she could blow the roof off any joint. Here, Butler and Cason discuss the great Ella Fitzgerald, as well as Cason’s incredible career.

MiChael Butler: Yvette, you are both a musical theatre actress who’s performed on Broadway and an accomplished jazz vocalist as well. And I know you are a great admirer of Ella Fitzgerald. How does it feel to take on the First Lady of Song?

Yvette Cason: I am elated, and I am

production to the International Tour to the movie. Was that your first Broadway gig?

YC: Yes, Dreamgirls was my first Broad-way production. It was such a blessing to have worked with the brilliant Michael Bennett and Michael Peters. To be in the movie was magical, something I could have never imagined. I also was on Broadway with the musical Play On directed by Sheldon Epps, which was the story of Twelfth Night with Duke Ellington’s music. I got to sing and scat in that show.

MB: That must have been so gratifying because your early training at the Berklee College of Music was in jazz, but you have this amazing musical theatre background as well. Did you start out thinking you would be a jazz vocalist and then get hooked by theatre?

YC: I knew that I wanted to be a singer, write songs, and be a recording artist at an early age. Theatre presented itself when my vocal coach, who I had studied with many years before and after college, suggested I go to New York and audition for Dream-girls. I’m so glad I did! I had no idea that this wonderful musical was going to help shape my career and me as a performer. I love the theatre. I love to sing and act. Musical theatre gives me the opportunity to do both.

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MB: Ok, so you’re on Broadway in Dreamgirls—how do you sing the enor-mously difficult “And I Am Telling You” 8 times a week?!

YC: I remember watching Jennifer Hol-liday sing that song and thinking the same thing. It’s the big number in the show. The first time I sang it I was emotionally and physically drained. My years of vocal training helped a lot. Vocal placement, breathing, and pace were key. It wasn’t the easiest song to sing, but it helped make my voice stronger and more resilient, helping to prepare me for my future work in musi-cal theatre.

MB: Our show, Ella—the Musical is so much more than a concert show. It uses memory and music to tell Ella’s story. What are some of the things you hope au-diences learn or take away from seeing it?

YC: Audiences will, of course, come to the show because of their love and appreci-ation for Ella the singer and her music, but I hope they leave with a greater apprecia-tion for her as a musician. She was more than just a singer. Her tone, melodic phras-ings, and her impeccable scatting definitely set her apart from most singers. Her band knew it and respected her for it. I hope the audience leaves knowing a little more about Ella the person too.

MB: You’ve sang at the White House—that’s not your everyday gig! Was it as interesting as it sounds?

YC: Yes, it was very exciting and inter-esting. Another one of those unforgettable moments of my career. At the time of my invitation, Ronald Reagan was president, and I had just been crowned Ms. DC Black America, representing the District of Columbia. The Kennedy Center and the White House were honoring the jazz vibraphonist Lionel Hampton. I sang “My Funny Valentine.”

MB: We are so lucky Yvette, to have you share your gifts with us here, in this show. Thank you!

what: Ella—the Musicalwhen: September 6–October 12where: Margaret Lesher Theatretickets: $37–$57info: (925) 943-SHOW (7469) or lesherARTScenter.org

Colleen BenatarVP/Relationship [email protected] ext. 215

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treated as though your business is our business. Your requests are our top priority. After all, where would we be without you?

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“ When you are our client, you’re treated as though your business is our business. Your requests are our top priority. After all, where would we be without you?

I’m proud of our business philosophy – simply put,

it is - Place the client first -the rest will follow . . .”

stage star embodies the great 20th century vocalist in

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