THE STORY: The fabulous songs of Johnny Burke are here perfectly woven into various settings and scenes as if they always belonged there. We move from a smoky 1920s Chicago Speakeasy, where we hear such songs as “Dr. Rhythm” and “What’s New” to the Bowery for the classic “Pennies from Heaven” and others. The ever popular “Your Hit Parade” takes us into the 1930s, segueing into a World War II USO show for several songs including “Personality” and culminating with the Academy Award winning “Swinging on a Star.” The journey continues to a glittering ballroom for the immortal “Imagination” and then takes us into the world of Paramount’s Hope/Crosby/Lamour “Road Movies” and the songs they made famous. The evening ends in the Starlight Supperclub, high atop Manhattan, with a celebration of Burke’s genius. Other favorite songs included are “Misty,” “You’re Not the Only Oyster in the Stew,” “Ain’t It a Shame About Mame,” “Scatterbrain,” “One, Two, Button Your Shoe,” “An Apple for the Teacher,” “There’s Always the Blues,” “Apalachicola,” “But, Beautiful,” “Like Someone in Love,” “If Love Ain’t There (It Ain’t There),” “Sunday, Monday, or Always,” and “Here’s That Rainy Day."
“Johnny Burke wrote his songs with moonbeams! Songs poured out of him like life-renewing raindrops, glinting like pennies…It feels awfully good! A brazen infectious delight!” —The New York Times.
“A Winner! You’ll have a ball! Grab the chance to Swing on this Star! —New York Post.
“A dazzling, toe-tapping, finger-snapping delight!” —ABC Radio Network.
“We exit swinging too!” —Newsday (NY).
