Dogwood Blossoms to perform ‘Swing Time Afternoon’ Oct. 19 at Woodward Opera House

Prepare to be swept away by jazz and jive when the Dogwood Blossoms Chorus takes the stage for “Swing Time Afternoon — A Salute to Love in the Golden Age of Big Band Music.” The curtains open at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19, at the Woodward Opera House, and everyone is invited to share in a tribute to those jazz orchestras, crooners, and pop vocalists who provided the romantic musical backdrop for one of our country’s most evolutionary eras.

“‘Swing Time Afternoon,’ is an original show we designed specifically for our chorus,” said Jeff Dolan, director of the Dogwood Blossoms. “It is full of familiar classics from the 1940s performed barbershop style, which is what our chorus does best.”

From wistful wartime ballads such as “Moonlight Serenade” and “Mood Indigo,” to rug-cutting boogie-woogie tunes like “In the Mood” and “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” the show’s repertoire contains tight, powerful harmonies that ring throughout the auditorium. In addition, a sweet love story weaves through the show that is sure to touch the hearts of every generation. 

Another treat for showgoers is a segment featuring Blue Phoenix Quartet, a women’s barbershop quartet from the Northern Ohio area that competes in two organizations: Sweet Adelines International and Harmony Incorporated. Blue Phoenix and the Dogwood Blossoms both belong to Region 17 of Sweet Adelines International. They placed second at the SAI Region 17 contest this past spring and in June they became the current HI Area 4 champions and qualified for the HI International contest being held in Hershey, Pennsylvania, in November.

Next year marks 45 years of Sweet Adelines International membership for the Dogwood Blossoms. “We are a non-profit organization based in Mount Vernon,” expressed Sammi Noland, Dogwood Blossoms Show Chair. “Our main purpose is to provide music for public events, schools, churches and residential facilities in and around our community. We sing the ‘National Anthem’ at ball games, the fair, and other gatherings. The best way to keep up with us is to like and follow us on Facebook.”

This show is especially significant for families, as it allows a peek back to American life before many of us were born. “Bring the kids. Afterward, you can enjoy a discussion about life during the 1940s, as well as the characteristic style of barbershop music, which originated in the U.S.,” Dolan said. “The program book you receive at the show contains information about barbershop music, including its beginnings.”

Doors to the show open at 2 p.m., and the curtains part at 3 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults. Children 10 years old and younger are admitted for free, but they must have a ticket to get in. All tickets can be purchased at the door on the day of the show, or online by going to www.thewoodward.org. Call 740-324-5229 for more information.