The Blues Brothers Revival ran through the Spring and Summer of 2004 at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts. The musical captured the spirit of the original Blues Brothers movie and paid homage to Chicago's rich history of blues, gospel and traditional soul music while throwing in Jake and Elwood Blues into the mix. It's where it all started - it's where the Blues Brothers began and the show has since taken on a life of its own.
This live stage musical combines the hits from the original movie as well as the five popular albums put out by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. The musical is presented by the John Belushi Estate and Judy Belushi Pisano.
Infectious and unbridled energy...Blows the roof off
Chicago Sun Times
The Official Blues Brothers Revival was woven around John Belushi's character Jake, who had spent most of the last several years stuck in Purgatory. Elwood and a cast of gospel characters conspired to use whatever musical means possible to get him out and up into the "Kingdom of Heaven." Jake, Elwood and the cast perform this musical redemption every performance with the able assistance of the audience. The two-act musical has a 1970 South Side Chicago set.
The raucous fun includes their encounters with black magic, beautiful blues singers, Chicago cops, as well as an orphanage nun, Mother Immaculata who leads the cast in an Irish step dance. The Band was composed of street musicians playing classic Blues Brothers songs: “Soul Man”, “She Caught The Katy”, “Sweet Home Chicago”, “Shotgun Blues”, “Rubber Biscuit,”, “Jailhouse Rock” to name a few and the show also featured the classic hit songs “R-E-S-P-E-C-T”, “Son of a Preacher Man”, “Rawhide”, “Minnie the Moocher” and a number of American Gospel classics.
WAYNE CATANIA (Jake Blues)
Wayne is a musician, singer, actor and hails from Toronto. He feels truly blessed to be part of the Official Blues Brothers Revival cast and has been living for every performance, every audience and every show. Wayne recorded his first album, Play To Win playing drums (his first instrument) with the Eighty Four band. He toured Canada with the renowned Stampeders. Wayne had the privilege of meeting John Stuart of Legends in Concert who ultimately brought him closer to the character Jake Blues performing shows across North America for several years.
Wayne has performed in numerous commercials and starred in the A&E documentary film, Lost in Las Vegas. He was cast in Tia Carrera’s Relic Hunter as the world’s ugliest nun. Wayne is honored to be working along side the most talented cast musicians and crew ever assembled. “We truly are on a mission from God,” he says.
KIERON LAFFERTY (Elwood Blues)
Kieron has spent the last five years playing to packed houses from Atlantic City to Las Vegas and from Chicago to New Orleans in the award winning casino show Legends in Concert with his partner as the “Dues Brothers”, a tribute act to the original Blues Brothers. During this time, he met film producer Paul Jay of Jay Films who was determined to put together a two-hour docu-drama of their tribute acts as they travel to Las Vegas, hence A&E’s critically acclaimed Lost in Las Vegas.
Originally from Toronto, Kieron grew up hanging around his father’s club, The Electric Circus, listening to great acts like Sam & Dave, CCR, and The Doors, and folk legends like Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot. Soon after seeing Taj Mahal, he picked up the harmonica and as a teenager began writing his own songs. After a five-year journey to New Zealand, Australia, Asia and Europe, Kieron arrived in Toronto in the mid-80s, touring extensively in various incarnations singing and playing blues, jazz, folk and funk. He has released three independent CDs of his own material, Sensible Religion, Seven Sisters and most recently, Boomtown. Kieron has written music for film and television including the soundtrack for A&E’s Lost in Las Vegas. He is also busy doing a lot of voiceover work for commercials, cartoons and narration.
Great energy & music. This IS Chicago. Even audience members with no rhythm are dancing
WTMX The Mix
