Official live Blues Brothers Revue busts into Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe on Nov. 10
From a press release:
They’re on a mission from God. It was announced today that Dan Aykroyd, Judy Belushi, and musical director Paul Shaffer will present the official Blues Brothers Revue at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m.
This live concert combines the comedy and musical hits from the original 1980 movie starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd and pays homage to Chicago’s rich history of blues, gospel, and soul music with a night of laughter, dancing, and foot-stompin’ fun.
Tickets, which are $19 in advance and $24 the day of the show, go on sale next Friday, June 29 at 10 a.m. and will be available at ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster outlets, the Penn’s Peak box office (325 Maury Rd., Jim Thorpe), and Roadies Restaurant and Bar (325 Maury Rd., Jim Thorpe). Penn’s Peak box office and Roadies Restaurant ticket sales are walk-up only; no phone orders.
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.
Discovered in Las Vegas, performers Wayne Catania and Kieron Lafferty capture the infectious humor and unbridled spirit of the Blues Brothers like no one since John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd walked the stage. Backed by a powerhouse band, they deliver a show to remember that is packed with classic hits from the Blues Brothers catalog, including “Soul Man,” “Rubber Biscuit,” “Sweet Home Chicago,” “Rawhide,” and “Gimme Some Lovin’.”
Jake, Elwood, and the band hit the right balance of humor, music, and mayhem. Upbeat and uplifting, the official Blues Brothers Revue is fun for all ages.
Wayne Catania is an established and respected musician (AFM), 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. His charismatic and animated physical style were instrumental in forming a persona that now complements his achievements on the live music stage.
All of this has culminated in the opportunity to be cast as “Joliet” Jake Blues in the “Classic Blues Brothers Stage Show,” a part that Wayne is very specifically qualified for and passionate about and which is, in reality, the pinnacle of his life’s work. Over the past 15 years, Catania has been the face and personality of the immortal Jake Blues, touring the continental United States and Canada with the official Blues Brothers Revue.
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, he enjoys everything about vintage automobiles and cycling.
Also from Toronto, Kieron Lafferty was influenced by the great acts that played at his father’s nightclub, The Electric Circus. Legends like Sam & Dave, Credence Clearwater Revival, and The Doors were the wellspring of his youth. Following the footsteps of his mentors, he began a career as a musician, playing in the Toronto blues/rock circuit, where he gained a solid reputation for his soulful vocals and melodic harmonica lines.
In the 1990s, Lafferty focused on songwriting and released several CDs, including “Sensible Religion” and “Seven Sisters,” produced by Arnold Lanni. Well-received by critics, the tracks “Thankful” and “Money Speaks” earned steady airplay in Canada and, over the next few years, he toured with his band E-Key and the Head.
As an actor, Lafferty has had roles in a number of films, including “The Stem” by Alan Royal and “Synchronicity,” a rockumentary by Bob Connolly. He and brother Sean wrote the music and the songs for the film and subsequent CD “Signs in the Sky.” Filmmaker Paul Jay cast him in the A&E docudrama “Lost in Las Vegas.” Lafferty wrote the film score and, with the help of Eric Schenkman (Spin Doctors), those sessions evolved into a CD of eclectic blues called “Boomtown.”
Venturing into musical theatre in 1998, Lafferty joined the cast of the award-winning Las Vegas show “Legends in Concert” as Elwood Blues. The Blues Brothers act evolved beyond the Las Vegas show rooms and, together with his stage partner Wayne Catania, they starred in “The Blues Brothers Revival,” a musical written by Victor Pisano and staged in Chicago in 2004.
Since that time, their Blues Brothers act has toured extensively across the U.S., Canada, and Australia, and they are currently touring in the official Blues Brothers Revue. In addition to his stage work, Lafferty also puts his extremely versatile vocal ability to work in commercials, narration, and animation.
Currently, Catania, Lafferty, Judy Belushi Pisano, and Anne Beatts (“Saturday Night Live,” “Square Pegs”) have just finished writing the pilot for an action/comedy/musical TV show based on the further adventures of Jake and Elwood Blues.
