The Hot Club of San Francisco
Saturday, March 10, 2007
8:00 p.m.

Travel back with us to the intimate jazz clubs of Paris and the refined lounges of that city's famous Hotel Ritz as this ensemble of accomplished and versatile musicians celebrates the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s pioneering Hot Club de France. The ensemble borrows the all-string instrumentation of violin, bass and guitars from the original Hot Club, but breathes new life into the music with innovative arrangements of classic tunes and original compositions.

Usually called “gypsy jazz,” the music of The Hot Club of San Francisco has entranced audiences around the globe for over 10 years. Critics have hailed the group’s playing as “intricate, scorching and brilliant.”  Step into our own “Hotel” Ritz for a swingin’, sultry evening of Le Jazz Hot.

More about The Hot Club of San Francisco

More about Gypsy Jazz

Back to top

The Little Foxes
by Lillian Hellman
An original GIAHA production
Fridays and Saturdays, April 13-14 & 20-21, 2007
8:00 p.m.
Sundays, April 15 & 22, 2007
3:00 p.m.

Lillian Hellman’s enduring American drama caused a sensation when it first opened on Broadway in 1939 and again as a film in 1941.  Revived many times throughout the decades, this 20th century play set in the post-Civil War South still rings true today with its story of a family in conflict, fighting each other and the world around them for wealth, power, and a sense of fulfillment.  These are the themes that take center stage in GIAHA’s original production under the direction of Rob Nixon, an approach that makes for exciting, living theater rather than a mere exercise in period nostalgia.

Heading a cast of local and out-of-town actors, in a role made famous on stage by Tallulah Bankhead and on film by Bette Davis, is GIAHA’s Heather Heath as the complex, fascinating and potentially deadly Regina Giddens—lying, scheming, struggling to secure a rightful place for herself and her daughter in a world ruled by men.  This is live theater the way you love it—sharply written, wonderfully acted, highly entertaining and bracingly relevant to our contemporary world.

More about Lillian Hellman and her plays

Back to top

North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble
Saturday, October 7, 2006
8:00 p.m.

Starting the season off with a burst of breathtaking energy and amazing technical skill, the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble performs both traditional rhythm tap as it was danced in its prime and cutting-edge contemporary choreography.  Imagine Stomp, Fred Astaire, Riverdance, vaudeville, and Bring In Da Noise… all on the same bill — that’s what you’ll get in this must-see performance!

Company members range in age from 8 to 18, with as much as 10 years dance experience each.  The Ensemble has performed and collaborated with a number of orchestras and jazz bands and toured nationally and internationally.  These remarkable young dancers regularly appear at the two largest tap festivals in the U.S., and you’ll be thrilled to see them right here in the Golden Isles.

More about North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble

More about the art of Tap Dancing

Back to top

Tlen-Huicani: The Singers of Vera Cruz
Friday, November 10, 2006
8:00 p.m.

Bringing a global reputation for expert musicianship and a passion for the traditional music of their native land, Tlen-Huicani takes the stage of the Ritz this fall with vivid, unforgettable music that will transport you to another time and place.  The group, whose name means “the singers” in the indigenous Nahuatl (Aztec) language, has performed in more than 50 countries and released a number of recordings exploring the music of Mexico, as well as styles and genres from other Latin American cultures.

Recognized as the leading folk group in Mexico, Tlen-Huicani takes the beautiful harpa jarocha or folk harp as the centerpiece of its music.  Describing their performance, the Chicago Reader said, “Rich-throated vocalists harmonize on lushly melodic motifs, and it's enough to make you want to just float off into the almond-scented ether.”

More about Tlen-Huicani

More about the music of Vera Cruz, Mexico

Back to top

A Christmas Carol
Friday-Saturday, December 15-16, 2006
8:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
3:00 p.m.

A beloved holiday tradition we all look forward to year after year.  It’s Charles Dickens’ familiar tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the spirits who teach him the true meaning of Christmas.  But local audiences know that each year, GIAHA presents a brand new production with a different script and a fresh cast to keep the timeless classic delightfully surprising and alive for everyone.  Young and old alike, whether you’ve heard the story a hundred times or never before, you’ll want to share this funny, spooky and always pertinent holiday show with family and friends.

And RitzPass holders get a free ticket to opening night!

More about Charles Dickens' classic story

More about Victorian Christmas traditions

Back to top

Aquila Theatre presents
Romeo and Juliet
Saturday, January 20, 2007
8:00 p.m.

Shakespeare’s unmatchable vision of uncompromising true love has stood the test of time as one of the greatest stories ever told.  The Aquila Theatre Company’s new production of Romeo and Juliet utilizes a highly talented British and American ensemble to create an adaptation that brings the play’s compelling themes and exquisite poetry to vivid life.  Aquila has won international acclaim for bold, intelligent and stylish productions of Shakespeare.  The New Yorker calls them “beautifully spoken, dramatically revealing and crystalline in effect.”  Join us for an evening of sparkling drama that will open your eyes and ears anew to this classic love story.

More about Aquila Theatre Company

More about William Shakespeare

Back to top