In The Groove

The new Mel Brooks musical is based on the Oscar-nominated smash hit 1974 film of the same name. The musical is a wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Mary Shelley classic from the comic genius of Mel Brooks. When Frederick Frankenstein, an esteemed New York brain surgeon and professor, inherits a castle and laboratory in Transylvania from his grandfather, deranged genius Victor Von Frankenstein, he faces a dilemma. Does he continue to run from his family’s tortured past or does he stay in Transylvania to carry on his grandfather’s mad experiments reanimating the dead and, in the process, fall in love with his sexy lab assistant Inga?

Unfolding in the forbidding Castle Frankenstein and the foggy moors of Transylvania Heights, the show’s raucous score includes “The Transylvania Mania,” “He Vas My Boyfriend” and the unforgettable treatment of Irving Berlin’s “Puttin’ On the Ritz.”

Earthrise is a duo comprised of Akiko Jackson and Morgan Raithel. Beautiful music is part of their magical artistry and, whether the music is classical or contemporary, Earthrise’s music emanates the ambiance, flow and elegance fitting the splendor of the area.

Both members are classically trained musicians and professional performers, offering a lovely and finely tuned presence. Smooth piano lines weave around Jackson’s expressive voice, beckoning the audience into the heart of each song, singing the stories that belong to us all. With a history in rock, folk, R&B, country and jazz ensembles, she pours her unique mix of genres into an easy stream of songs. Her piano/voice combo is alternated with weathered guitar and fingerpicking.

Raithel is an extraordinary flautist and singer, who possesses a resonant voice that glides effortlessly across several genres. She lends a memorable touch to standards, new and old.

Tea Leaf Green is a quartet rock band from San Francisco. They focus both on the piano and the guitar as the driving force in their music. Tea Leaf Green takes classic sounds and gives them a present-day polish, masterfully weaving an intricate tapestry that brings together a wide range of styles. TLG is a rock jam-band that seems more interested in a lyrical message and having jam fill in the details.

Tea Leaf Green mixes a potent rock ‘n’ roll style with instrumental exploration and catchy lyrical melodies to create a blend of sound that is both soulful and stirring. Each band member adds something unique and magical to the formula, which in turn allows for the creation of a groove that flows like a West Coast wave. Their repertoire stretches from touching, lovelorn ballads to composed instrumentals to fast-paced, blissful rock.