aka is proud to present Big Band to Be-Bop at the Hill Country Community Theater on April 30, 2005. Since its inception in the summer of 2000, aka has performed music from a wide range of musical time periods, but it has been the music of the 40’s and 50’s which seemed to receive the greatest admiration from our audiences. The music will hopefully bring back fond memories of days gone by, but not forgotten. The music of the 40’s reminds us of the Big Band Era and of the “Greatest Generation” whose contributions and sacrifices made possible our freedom today. The music of the 50’s takes us beyond the war years and back to a time when America emerged as a living example of hope, optimism, and prosperity.

aka is a collective of dedicated performers who just really like to sing and make music. Cathy Rose, the group’s founder, has experience in musical theater in the Austin area, has acted in a UT film and has done commercials. Sue Sewell brings a background of musical theater from her hometown of Snyder, Texas, as well as numerous performances in Austin. Gayle Kahler has also performed in community theater, both as a dancer and in the chorus. Cathy, Sue and Gayle have combined their talents to create the choreography for the group’s various shows. Mark King sang many years in a performing choir and brings a wealth of talent to aka, including sound enhancements and set design. Jerry Don Landers has been a backstage singer for major productions in the Austin area, is a long-time member of a community choir, and plays several instruments. Boyd Lawrence came to aka after several performances in Gilbert & Sullivan shows. He and his wife also perform at various venues in the Austin area. In reality, we are all stage hogs who enjoy our moment in the spotlight. Oh, we inevitably get asked, “What does aka stand for”? Well, it is basically what you might think: “also known as.”

Tickets are $20. Please call 693-2474 for tickets or more information. The performance starts at 8:00 pm. See you at the theatre!