“New Year's Rockin' Reunion: A Tribute to Buddy Holly & Friends" at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse -- December 31.
Sunday, December 31, 9:15 p.m.
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse, 1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island IL
The familiar sounds of “Peggy Sue,” “Maybe Baby,” “Oh Boy,” “Everyday,” and many other iconic '50s-rock hits will fill the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse on December 31 when the Rock Island venue presents New Year's Rockin' Reunion: A Tribute to Buddy Holly & Friends, a classic-rock celebration featuring headliner Todd Meredith, the star of Circa '21's 2008 musical Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story and the touring smash That'll Be the Day: A Tribute to Buddy Holly & the Crickets.
A true pioneer of the 1950s' burgeoning rock scene, Buddy Holly was highly influenced by Elvis Presley after seeing him perform in 1955, and the artist began to incorporate into his music a rockabilly sound, a rhythm-guitar downstroke, and unique hiccup-like vocals. During his short career, with a plane crash costing the artist his life at age 22 (alongside Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and pilot Roger Peterson), Holly wrote and recorded many songs, and is often regarded as the musician who defined the traditional rock-and-roll lineup of two guitars, bass, and drums. Holly was a major influence on later popular music artists, including Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, the Hollies, Elvis Costello, Dave Edmunds, Marshall Crenshaw, and Elton John, and was among the first artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 1986. Rolling Stone, meanwhile, ranked Holly number 13 in its list of 2010 list of "100 Greatest Artists."
A magna cum laude graduate of New York's Siena College, Buddy Holly portrayer Todd Meredith has acted in, directed, and music directed numerous productions of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story nationwide, and in addition to playing Buddy Holly, he's performed as Carl Perkins in several stagings of the Tony-winning Million Dollar Quartet. Meredith's musical-theatre credits also include roles in Pump Boys & Dinettes, Ring of Fire, Urinetown, and Annie, and reviewing the actor in DC Metro Theater Arts, Julia L. Exline wrote, “Todd Meredith's performance as Buddy Holly, a determined young singer who refused to submit in a repressive environment, was one of the most effervescent I've ever seen.” In his New Year's Eve return to Circa '21, Todd will be reuniting with friends and former Buddy castmates Tristan Tapscott and Steve Lasiter, and beyond Holly, the concert event will feature beloved tunes by music icons such as Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry, and Johnny Cash.
The 9:15 p.m. New Year's Rockin' Reunion: A Tribute to Buddy Holly & Friends performance on December 31 will be preceded by the doors opening at 7:30 p.m., with hors d’oeuvres pre-set on your table and souvenir photos. The 8 to 9 p.m. dinner will include soup and salad and your choice of three entrees, while the post-concert countdown to midnight will included champagne and party favors. Admission is $105 per person, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)786-7733 extension 2 and visiting Circa21.com.
