Blues Brothers Revue: The Band's Back Together in Ridgefield

From The Ridgefield Playhouse: The Official Blues Brothers Revue returns to The Ridgefield Playhouse on Saturday, November 3 at 8pm, part of the Pepsi Rock Series powered by Xfinity, partially underwritten by The Ridgefield Press. There have been many imitators, but there is only one duo in North America sanctioned by Dan Aykroyd and Judith Belushi to don the official hat and sunglasses and walk in the legendary footsteps of Jake and Elwood Blues.The Official Blues Brothers Revue, comprised of Kieron (Elwood Blues) Lafferty and Wayne (Jake Blues) Catania, were hand-picked by Dan Aykroyd, Judith Belushi Pisano and original Blues Brothers Musical Director, Paul Shaffer, to carry the torch first lit by the iconic duo of Aykroyd and John Belushi on “Saturday Night Live” in 1978, and later immortalized in the eponymous blockbuster 1980 film directed by John Landis. Don’t miss a night of classic hits from the Blues Brothers catalog, including “Soul Man,” “Rubber Biscuit,” “Sweet Home Chicago,” and more. Visit Eddie’s Pizza & Pasta (24 Prospect Street, Ridgefield) the night of the show and enjoy a complimentary glass of house wine with your entree when tickets are presented! Media partner for this event is I95, The Home of Rock n’ Roll.

The Official Blues Brothers Review is a stage play written and directed by Wayne Catania, Kieron Lafferty & Judith Belushi Pisano. Backed by the all-star Intercontinental Rhythm & Blues Band, performers Catania and Lafferty capture the infectious humor and unbridled spirit of the Blues Brothers like no one since John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd walked the stage. They'll give you a show to remember, packed with classic hits from the Blues Brothers catalog and a night of laughter, dancing, and foot-stompin' fun! Over the years, many have taken the stage behind their dark sunglasses, skinny ties, and black felt fedoras to pay homage to the legacy of Jake and Elwood, but only a select few belong amongst the official pantheon of Blues Brothers – genuine, bona fide members of the family, carriers of the flame. Judy Belushi Pisano, referring to the duo as anything but an imitation of the original act proclaims, “Kieron and Wayne are not imitators, they live the music and embody the characters. They understand the spirit of The Blues Brothers and revel in the joy of being Jake and Elwood”.

Catania is an established and respected musician, actor and creative writer with a career spanning four decades. In the late 1970s, Catania’s resemblance to the late, great, John Belushi opened the door to showcasing his own formidable acting and musical talents onstage and onscreen. Joining ACTRA as a character actor, he was cast in numerous feature films, television shows, and international advertising campaigns. Catania’s charismatic and animated physical style were instrumental in forming a persona that led to the opportunity to be cast as Jake Blues in the Classic Blues Brothers Stage Show— the pinnacle of his life’s work.

Lafferty is an actor, writer and musician from Toronto. He started his career as a singer-songwriter, playing the Toronto club circuit where he gained a solid reputation for his soulful vocals and melodic harmonica lines. He gained critical acclaim for the CD release of Seven Sisters followed byBoomtown. As an actor, Lafferty has performed in film, TV and stage productions and has written scores for documentary film. Off stage, he puts his versatile vocal ability to work in commercials, narration and animation. Music and acting came together when Lafferty joined the cast of the award winning Las Vegas show ‘Legends in Concert’ as Elwood Blues.

For tickets ($47.50), call the box office at 203-438-5795, or visit ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a non-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.

Image via The Ridgefield Playhouse