WANT TO GO? Five Guys Named Moe
WHERE: Arena Stage
WHEN: Nov. 14 – Dec. 28
TICKETS: Tickets may be purchased online at arenastage.org, by phone at 202-488-3300, or at the Sales Office at 1101 6th St. SW.
SOUTHWEST NIGHT: Dec. 26 at 8:00 pm
Who is Louis Jordan? Called “The King of the Jukebox” in his prime in the 1940s, his music lives on in the age of iPhones and he is known for his “jump blues” or “jumpin’ jive.” In a period of segregation, he was able to crossover with the number one hit single, “G.I Jive/Is You or Is You Ain’t My Baby,” which he performed with his orchestra in Universal’s 1944 wartime musical Follow the Boys. He scored 18 number one hit records and four of his songs are in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Nat King Cole, Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Ray Charles, James Brown, BB King, and Chuck Berry are among the many entertainers who credit Jordan with influencing them. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame deemed him a forerunner of R&B and rock and roll.
Five Guys Named Moe at Arena Stage celebrates Jordan’s life with some of his greatest hits. Big Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Eat Moe, No Moe, and Little Mo sing, dance, and have a party on stage with classics like “Let the Good Times Roll.” Five Guys Named Moe also won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment in 1991.
Jordan’s place in both musical and African American cultural history was recognized in 2008 with a U.S. Postal Service stamp that featured Jordan and his film “Caldonia” as part of its tribute to Vintage Black Cinema. You too can give your own “stamp of approval” by getting a ticket to this award-winning musical at Arena today.
By: Sheila Wickouski