Queens Theatre Opens Season with ELLA: ELLA, THE NEW ELLA FITZGERALD MUSICAL, Now thru 10/7

Queens Theatre, in association with Eva Price of Maximum Entertainment, presents the New York City premiere of ELLA, the new Ella Fitzgerald musical, from tonight, September 27 to October 7, 2012. Tickets are on sale now at the Queens Theatre Box Office, by phone at 718-760-0064 or online at queenstheatre.org.

It's a life lived out loud in this exhilarating new musical about jazz and swing legend Ella Fitzgerald. This theatrical event weaves myth, memory and music as it tells the uplifting and poignant story of one of the greatest jazz/pop vocalists of 20th century music. Set in 1966, on the night of one of the most important concerts of her career, Ella jams with the musicians—including famed trumpeter and former Queens resident Louis Armstrong—reflects on her life, her secrets and the love of music that made her soar.

ELLA features more than a dozen of her most famous hits, including "A Tisket, A Tasket," "How High the Moon," "That Old Black Magic" and "They Can't Take that Away from Me," this swinging new musical invites audiences to fall in love all over again with the magic and soul of Ella Fitzgerald. Much more than a musical revue, ELLA takes us deep inside the mind and the creative spirit of one of history’s greatest performers.

“It’s fitting that a musical about Miss Ella Fitzgerald should make its New York premiere at Queens Theatre,” said Ray Cullom, Executive Director of Queens Theatre. “Not only was Ella once a resident of Queens, the borough has this rich, and often unknown, jazz history. So many of the greats lived and played here - Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Lena Horne… the list goes on and on.”

Conceived by Jeffrey Hatcher and the show’s Director Rob Ruggiero, ELLA stars Tina Fabrique, who created the role in the world premiere at Hartford’s Theatreworks. Tina has brought her brilliant interpretation of the legendary singer to the nation’s most prominent theaters, including Arena Stage in Washington DC, Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven CT, and the Cleveland Playhouse. Variety raves “Fabrique, who has been with the Ella since the beginning, captures the essence of Fitzgerald. She deftly uses her voice to recreate the singer's style, yet still makes the song her own.”

ELLA will play a limited 12-performance engagement at Queens Theatre February 23-March 4, 2012. Performances are Wednesday – Friday evenings at 7:30pm and Saturday evenings at 8pm, with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are priced at $42 for weekday performances and $49 weekends, with discounts available for Seniors, and groups of 10 or more.

Tickets are on sale now online at www.queenstheatre.org, by phone at 718-760-0064, or in person at the Queens Theatre box office. Phone & B.O. hours are Monday to Saturday, 10am-6pm; Sunday, 10am-3pm.

Queens Theatre, under the artistic leadership of Executive Director Ray Cullom, is the premier home for international music, theatre and dance in the borough of Queens. Designed by Philip Johnson as part of the historic New York State Pavilion for the 1964 World’s Fair, the theatre is a vibrant performing arts center committed to presenting world-class entertainment that reflects the diversity of New York’s largest borough. With three performance spaces, the theatre plays host to a variety of performances throughout the year, from cabaret to comedy, including the Immigrant Voices Project, a program that seeks out emerging playwrights and develops works that represent the rich cultural diversity of the city.