Kidz Bop Offers A Concert Experience For Children And Their Parents
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Kidz Pop CDs are known for taking popular songs on the radio and turning them children-friendly.
The popular kids' CDs have sold more than 1 million copies.
Now Kidz Bop LLC has created a stage show that aims to make young children feel like they're at their first rock concert, without the adult atmosphere.
Kidz Bop will be at the Morris Performing Arts Center, 221 N. Michigan St., South Bend, Nov. 18, beginning at 4 p.m.
The show features six children, four adults and a live four-piece band. One of those children is Markelle Gay, 13, from Atlanta, Ga.
He talked about the show during a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon.
"They called me to audition in L.A., but I couldn't make it out to L.A. at that time," Gay said. When he was in New York, they had auditions there, too, and asked him to come out. He was able to make those auditions. "I got it the next day."
For most of the songs, he said the male and female leads do the singing, with the children assisting. But Gay does get to sing one song by himself, he said. That song is "I'm A Believer," originally performed by The Monkees and then covered by Smash Mouth for the "Shrek" movie.
"It's funny to see adults smile when that song comes on," Gay said.
For the next Kidz Bop CD release in February, the album will include "Party Like A Rock Star" by the Shop Boys. Gay said he likes that song and they perform it during their touring show. Another song he said he especially likes on the tour is "Hey, Ya!" originally by Outkast.
"I like so many brands of music, you'd be surprised," he said. He likes hip hop because it's the in-thing now, but he said he's liking rock a little bit more. He enjoys the old sounds of Motown, and enjoys the high energy and story of Broadway music.
The Kidz Bop tour started in September with two weeks of rehearsing. The show travels for 10 months around the country.
"We act, we dance, we sing. It's the whole shebang," Gay said.
Before joining Kidz Bop, Gay said he performed in traveling performances of "Beauty and the Beast," "Music Man" and "Evita."
"I just like the energy it gives off" of doing theater, Gay said.
Tickets are $18, $25 and $33. A facility fee of $2 will be added to all ticket prices. Additional fees and discounts may apply. For more information or to charge tickets by phone, call the Morris Performing Arts Center at 574-235-9190. Tickets also may be purchased online at www.morriscenter.org
Gay said, "It's a rock concert with kids having fun, It's awesome!"
