Ella, First Lady of Song

• Cast Size: Three Women of Color, One White Male
• Musicians: Six Musicians who will have spoken lines
• Singing, Acting, Some movement.

Character Breakdown

Woman 1: Ella Fitzgerald

A legendary African American big band, jazz and be-bop singer whose career spans 60 years.  Orphaned as a pre-teen, she feels most loved when singing on stage – while on an endless quest for personal love when off-stage.

Gender: Female

Age: 18 – 49

Vocal Range: Three octaves

Woman 2: Georgiana Henry/Young Georgiana 

Ella’s first cousin, traveling companion and dresser, who is down-home dignified; her presentation is unpolished, but her spirit is shiny. She’s streetwise gritty or religious and pious, depending upon the moment.

Gender: Female

Age: 16 – 50.

Vocal Range: 2nd Soprano

Woman 3: Young Ella/Frances

A scruffy, hardheaded school dropout, newly orphaned, unkempt and homeless, surviving by dancing on Harlem sidewalks, until a twist of fate takes her across a threshold into stardom.

Frances, Ella’s half sister, is bi-racial (African American/Portuguese/Brazilian). Her life’s choices have been impacted by Ella’s unprecedented success. She would give her sister anything to repay all she has been given and ultimately, she does.

Gender: Female

Young Ella: Age: 16 – 18

Frances: Age: 17 – 43

Vocal Range: Music sing/scat as young Ella Fitzgerald

Man 1: Norman Granz/ Joe Da Silva/Ralph Cooper (Apollo Emcee Voice Over)

As the Jewish son of Ukrainian immigrants, Norman lived through the great depression as a child and witnessed the Ku Klux Klan first hand; these experiences shaped his character and lack of tolerance for racism. He eventually falls in love with music and becomes Ella’s no-nonsense impresario manager. He is Joe Da Silva, a Portuguese ditch digger, Ella’s abusive stepfather (her halt-sister Frances’ father). History has painted him as abusive.  Ralph Cooper, Apollo Theatre Emcee (Voiceover), is the legendary, charismatic, African American host/master of ceremonies of the first amateur night at the Apollo in 1934.  (Depending on the race of Man 1, this may be a voice over or performed in silhouette)

Gender: Male

Norman Granz: Age: 18 – 49

Joe Da Silva: Age: 27

Ralph Cooper: Age: 40

Vocal Range: Baritone

Man 2: Chick Webb/Drummer

African American, drummer, ideally under 5’5.” Must be an actor. He is 1930’s hip with a good heart while suffering from a spinal disease, which has physically crippled him. He is known as “King of the Drums.”

Man 3: Ray Brown/Upright Bass

Must act. Ray, an African American bass player, whose good looks and talent give him no choice but to be a lady’s man.  During his marriage to Ella, his playboy ways are only magnified in the glow of her stardom. Separating the man from the music, history credits Ray Brown as the “bass chair” of the founding fathers of Be-Bop.

Man 4: Musician#4/Pianist/Duke Ellington

African American pianist/musical director; has minimal spoken lines.  The musician playing Man 4 can create his own take on a pianist from the 1930s to 1960s and is referred to in 1966 as Duke Ellington.

Man 5: Musician#5/Reeds

An African American tenor sax/clarinet/bari-sax player who has minimal spoken lines; he can create his own take on a reed player from the 1930s to 1960s.

Man 6: Musician#6/Trumpet

An African American trumpet player who has minimal spoken lines; he can create his own take on a trumpet player from the 1930s to 1960s.

Man 7: Musician#7/Trombone

An African American trombone player who has minimal spoken lines; he can create his own take on a trombone player from the 1930s to 1960s.

Announcer Voiceovers: Cote D’ Azur (French And English), Tiny Bradshaw V.O., Vinny, Mr. Berg, Owner, Act One End Announcer

IT DON’T MEAN A THING

THERE’LL BE SOME CHANGES MADE

THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION

GOODY, GOODY

YES SIR, THAT’S MY BABY

SING ME A SWING SONG

YOU’LL HAVE TO SWING IT

A-TISKET, A-TASKET

MY BUDDY

SWEET GEORGIA BROWN

THE NEARNESS OF YOU

ANY PLACE I HANG MY HAT

TAKING A CHANCE ON LOVE (TACET EXCEPT BASS)

EASY LIVING (TACET TRUMPET)

OH LADY BE GOOD

I FOUND A NEW BABY

YOU’VE CHANGED

THERE’LL BE SOME CHANGES MADE

ORNITHOLOGY

HOW HIGH THE MOON

IT’S TOO DARN HOT

COME RAIN OR COME SHINE

THE LADY IS A TRAMP

THE MAN I LOVE

MACK THE KNIFE

Inspiration

Tony nominee and tap dance legend, Maurice Hines, along with his late brother Gregory, opened for Ella Fitzgerald in Las Vegas with their act, “Hines, Hines, and Dad.” In 2002, Hines garnered a commission from Washington DC’s prestigious Arena Stage to create an Ella Fitzgerald musical based on his personal history with Ms. Fitzgerald. Hines had previously found success with Lee Summers on a hip-hop version of Alice in Wonderland entitled “Yo’ Alice,” which was optioned by Radio City/Madison Square Garden Entertainment. Hines asked Summers to write the libretto for “Ella.”

When Arena Stage chose not to further develop their Ella musical, fate intervened. Concurrently, Hines’ cousin, Richard Nurse, became a board member with the historic Crossroads Theatre of New Jersey. Crossroads had launched the careers of or produced works by noted playwrights such as August Wilson, Anna Deavere Smith, George C. Wolfe, Ntozake Shange, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Amiri Baraka, and many more. However, after winning the 1999 Tony for “Best Regional Theatre,” due to the recession, by 2003, the theatre had closed its doors. Crossroads’ founding artistic director, Rick Kahn, and Richard Nurse asked Hines for a show to reopen. Hines and Summers said yes to a world premiere of “Ella, First Lady of Song” at Crossroads Theatre, with Hines as the director.

Gregory Hines had won a Tony for “Jelly’s Last Jam,” and while touring in a production of the same, Maurice overheard his co-star, recording icon and Grammy nominee Freda Payne (“Band of Gold”), doing her vocal warm-up. He noticed she possessed Ella’s sound and the ability to scat.

Hines, Payne, Summers, Kahn, Nurse, along with Frank Owens (Showtime at the Apollo) as Musical Director/arranger, had their first meeting on the stage of the World-Famous Apollo Theatre in 2004, just feet away from where Ella Fitzgerald herself had stood in 1934, crossing the threshold into becoming the First Lady of Song.

“Ella, First Lady of Song” premiered at the Crossroads Theatre to tremendous success, reviving the theatre to the present day. The musical has continued to be licensed to numerous regional theatres for over 20 years. In 2022, “Ella, First Lady of Song” won six AUDELCO Awards, including “Best Musical,” “Best Director of a Musical” (Lee Summers), “Best Featured Actress in a Musical” (Freda Payne), “Best Supporting Actress in a Musical” (Harriett D. Foy), and “Best Musical Direction” (Dionne Hendricks). In December 2023, the musical celebrated 20 years of productions at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, as “Ella: A Musical Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald,” written and directed by Lee Summers, starring Freda Payne, produced by Rick Kahn and Crossroads Theatre. Fans of the musical can see a full production at Michigan’s Meadow Brook Theatre in 2024.

Productions

• • Commissioned by Arena Stage – 2003
  • Crossroads Theatre – 2004
  • Metro Stage Theatre – 2012
  • Delaware Theatre Company – 2018
  • Houston Ensemble Theatre – 2022 (canceled)
  • Madison Theatre at Molloy University – 2022
  • Crossroads Theater – New Jersey Performing Arts Center – 2023
  • Meadow Brook Theatre – 2024

Billing

• Book by Lee Summers
• Conceived by Maurice Hines

Requirements

The following acknowledgement shall appear on the table program flyers and on publicity materials distributed in connection with performances of this Play. Said billing shall be in a type size no less than 50% (fifty percent) of that of the title and will appear on a single line right below title.  Billing shall be in substantially the following form:

Ella, First Lady of Song

(100%)

[Star Billing]

(100%)

Book by Lee Summers

Conceived by Maurice Hines

(60%)

Such billing shall also appear wherever and whenever the name of the Play appears in all advertising issued by, authorized by, or under the control of the Producer. It is understood that under no circumstances may the director, designers, the acting company, or other creative personnel receive any larger billing, except in the case of minimum single-column or directory-type ads, in which the above billing may or may not be used, at the discretion of the Producer.  Additionally, the individuals billed as set forth above shall be entitled to a bio in all programs whenever any other party is entitled to same, subject to space limitations no more onerous than to which any other party is subject.  No inadvertent failure to comply with the provisions of the above shall constitute a default under the terms of this Agreement, provided, however, that the Producer shall rectify the failure as soon as practicable upon receiving notice from the Author.

ADDITIONAL TITLE PAGE AND BILLING:

Furthermore, you agree to include clear and prominent credit on the title page of all programs and in all publicity wherever and whenever the full production credits are given, in a type size not less than 25% of the type size used for the non-logo title of the Play substantially as follows:

Musical Arrangements and scoring by Frank Owens and William Knowles

SHORTENED BILLING:

In advertisements of ¼ page size or less where only the title of the play, performance dates and venue are provided, the following “shortened billing” is permissible.

Ella, First Lady of Song

Book by Lee Summers

Conceived by Maurice Hines

Music Publishing Credits:

Indemnity.  Producer shall be solely responsible for all cost, expenses, losses, claims, liabilities and the like which may arise in connection with the presentation of the Play hereunder, and Producer shall indemnify and hold the Co-Owners, individually and collectively, harmless in connection therewith.  The Co-Owners warrant that collectively they own the concept and book and shall indemnify and hold harmless Producer from claims resulting from a breach of the aforesaid warranty (though Co-Owners’ inability to license any songs from third party music publishers shall not constitute a breach of any warranty hereunder). Co-Owners warrant that they have not secured any third party music rights for songs contained in the Play. Producer shall use good faith efforts to license from third party music publishers all songs contained in the Play. Summers and Hines shall be indemnified from any liability to any third party music publishers or music rights holders whose music is featured in the Play.

Ella, First Lady of Song: Songs

IT DON’T MEAN A THING

THERE’LL BE SOME CHANGES MADE

THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION

GOODY, GOODY

YES SIR, THAT’S MY BABY

SING ME A SWING SONG

YOU’LL HAVE TO SWING IT

A-TISKET, A-TASKET

MY BUDDY

SWEET GEORGIA BROWN

THE NEARNESS OF YOU

ANY PLACE I HANG MY HAT

TAKING A CHANCE ON LOVE (TACET EXCEPT BASS)

EASY LIVING (TACET TRUMPET)

OH LADY BE GOOD

I FOUND A NEW BABY

YOU’VE CHANGED

THERE’LL BE SOME CHANGES MADE

ORNITHOLOGY

HOW HIGH THE MOON

IT’S TOO DARN HOT

COME RAIN OR COME SHINE

THE LADY IS A TRAMP

THE MAN I LOVE

MACK THE KNIFE

Butterfly Theatricals Billing
In accordance with the Dramatic Performing Rights License, all publicity materials (posters, programs, etc.) MUST include the following credit: 

Ella, First Lady of Song

is presented through special arrangement with Butterfly Theatricals (BT).

All authorized performance materials are also supplied by BT.

To request materials, please email: ButterflyTheatricals@gmail.com

www.Leesummersshows.com

The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.

Included Materials

Item                                                                                                                         Quantity Included

KEYBOARD – CONDUCTOR SCORE                                                                      2

LIBRETTO/VOCAL BOOK                                                                                       10

Production Resources

REFERENCE RECORDINGS

Standard Orchestration

Instrumentation Doubling

PIANO        GRAND OR BABY GRAND

BASS      UPRIGHT

DRUMS DRUMKIT

TROMBONE

SAXOPHONE

TRUMPET

Butterfly Theatricals LLC – Copyright 2020