The Lone Tree Arts Center presents Low Down Dirty Blues October 18-27. Written by Arts Center favorites Randal Myler and Dan Wheetman, the creative team behind the beloved Muscle Shoals: I’ll Take You There, Low Down Dirty Blues most recently enjoyed an acclaimed run at Arizona Theatre Company, in both Phoenix and Tucson.

Low Down Dirty Blues is a sizzling musical revue that finds a group of veteran blues musicians—including powerhouse Tony Award nominee (and Arts Center favorite) Felicia P. Fields as Big Mama—assembled for an after-hours Saturday night jam session to swap stories and share their favorite blues tunes from the likes of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Billie Holiday, Etta James, Robert Johnson, and many more. Featuring nearly two-dozen smokin’ songs, such as “Rough and Ready Man,” “Born Under A Bad Sign,” “Shake Your Money Maker,” and “Change is Gonna Come,” Low Down Dirty Blues is filled with passion, soul, humor, and a zest for life. As the evening turns to the wee hours of the morning, the hot rhythms turn into beautiful gospel music.

Shake Anderson and Chic Street Man round out the cast, with Calvin Jones on bass and Jameal Williams on keyboard. Set design is by Christopher Waller, sound design is by Allen Noftall, lighting design is by Jen Kiser, and costume design is by Laurie Klapperich. Mister Erock is the stage manager.

Randal Myler (Director) is one of Lone Tree Arts Center’s favorite directors, leading the highly successful runs of Muscle Shoals: I’ll Take You There, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, The Explorers Club, Big River, Sylvia, Hank Williams: Lost Highway, and the 2012 and 2015 John Denver Holiday Concert. He received a Tony Award nomination (Best Musical/Best Book of a Musical) and a Drama Desk nomination (Best Musical Revue) for It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues, which he staged at both NYC’s Lincoln Center and Broadway’s Ambassador Theatre. Love, Janis, Randy’s musical biography of Janis Joplin, reached over 700 performances at the former Village Gate, while his highly-successful musical Hank Williams: Lost Highway has been performed both Off-Broadway (garnering him a Best Director nomination from the Outer Critic’s Circle) and throughout the United States, as was his Appalachian coal mining musical (co-written with Dan Wheetman), Fire On The Mountain, which received five Joseph Jefferson Awards in Chicago.

Dan Wheetman (Musical Director) has been collaborating with Randal Myler for over 25 years. He returns to LTAC after leading the musicians in Muscle Shoals: I’ll Take You There, Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Hank Williams: Lost Highway, and the 2012 and 2015 John Denver Holiday Concert. He has appeared in productions across the U.S. as an actor and musician. He has written several plays with Myler, including It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues, Appalachian Strings, Fire On The Mountain, Mama Hated Diesels, and Low Down Dirty Blues. He has garnered several LA Critics’ Circle awards for Musical Direction and a Tony nomination as a writer for It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues at Lincoln Center in New York. Along with his theater work, Dan has recorded several solo albums and plays in a very eclectic band, Marley’s Ghost.

Felicia P. Fields (Big Mama) is best known for her portrayal of Sofia in the Broadway and first national tour of The Color Purple, for which she received a Tony nomination, Theatre World Award, and a Clarence Derwent Award, among others. She was last seen at the Arts Center in Muscle Shoals: I’ll Take You There, and also appeared in Big River.

Shake Anderson (Shake) is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer. He has worked with artists as varied as Ruben Studdard, Victor Wooten, Bruce Hornsby, B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, Ray Charles, and Stevie Wonder, among others. He also formed the Grammy-winning gospel group New Breed with Israel Houghton. Shake has received several gold and platinum albums for his work on Blue Streak, Dr. Doolittle, Boys on the Side, and Austin Powers.

Chic Street Man (Jelly) composed and starred in the off-Broadway hit show Spunk, adapted by George C. Wolfe. He has also appeared at Cleveland Play House, Berkeley Rep, Seattle Rep, Arena Stage, and the Goodman Theater. He collaborated and starred in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ production of It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues.

Calvin Jones (Bass) has performed on Broadway in It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues, All Shook Up, A Night With Janis Joplin, and Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk, where he was also a member of the first national tour. He has over forty album releases to his name and has toured an performed with Donald Byrd, Steve Coleman, Eartha Kitt, Dave Koz, Max Roach, and James “Blood” Ulmer, among others.

Jameal Williams (Keyboard) plays keyboards and drums and produces music for various genres of music for artists all over the world. He teaches middle school students in Dallas, Texas, and recently wrote a curriculum for music production and artistry.

Dates & Tickets

Evening Performances: October 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, and 27.

Matinee Performances: October 20, 21, 24, and 27.

All tickets are $36-60. Tickets may be purchased by calling 720-509-1000, Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm or at www.LoneTreeArtsCenter.org.