CVU’s Fall Musical Traces Roots of Rock
With ‘60s Pop Hits of ‘Leader of the Pack’

See opening night photos, click here

(Oct. 20, 2006) HINESBURG, VT – Revisit the sixties and the beginnings of rock’n’ roll with the CVU Drama's Fall musical, “Leader of the Pack – The Ellie Greenwich Musical,” on Nov. 2-4 at Champlain Valley Union High School auditorium.

The Broadway hit tells the story of Ellie Greenwich, a major influence on sixties rock 'n' roll and one of the most successful songwriters of the era who earned a startling 25 gold and platium records. CVU Drama’s 2006 presentation follows in the tradition of its past productions of Les Miserable in 2005, Into the Woods in 2004 and Chicago in 2003. Nearly 30 students from Williston, Shelburne, Hinesburg and Charlotte are in the show, directed and choreographed by Sebastian Ryder.

With her longtime collaborator (and one-time husband) Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich was one of a talented group of Jewish kids from Brooklyn who transformed American pop music in the late 1950s and 1960s. After school, these young composers would take the subway into Manhattan, meeting with skeptical music publishers and trying to sell the songs that were influenced by their daily teenage lives.

While the songs came out of the hearts and minds of young Jewish kids, they were masterfully interpreted by young black singers and vocal groups: The Drifters, the Coasters, Ben E. King, the Shirelles, the Crystals, the Ronettes.

Greenwich's particular rise to fame and fortune is punctuated with the virtual Hit Parade of her music: "Chapel of Love," "Da Do Ron Ron," "Be My Baby," "Hanky Panky," "Do Wah Diddy," "And Then He Kissed Me," "River Deep, Mountain High" and, of course, the title song. In addition to Greenwich and Jeff Barry, Leader of the Pack is populated by a cast of colorful characters who influenced her music.

Check out some crazy high-school photos of the cast and crew, click here
 

The CVU Orchestra takes a bow at the conclusion of the show
(Photos by Stephen Mease)