The Citizen

The Smith Opera House will have patrons swinging back to the '40s with the Big Bands sound of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.

The night will blast the last of the Big Bands sound from the war years legacy of Tommy Dorsey, said Kevin Schoonover, Smith Opera House executive director.

“Tommy Dorsey, ‘The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing,' was a master of creating warm, sentimental and always musical moods - at superb dancing and listening tempos,” stated the Buddy Morrow Web site, www.buddymorrowproductions.com. “Tommy sustained these moods through the arrangements of the likes of Paul Weston, Axel Strodahl and Sy Oliver, and he showcased singers who could project them brilliantly.”

“We've taken out the front rows of seats for people to dance. It's going to be a smokin' hot swinging show,” Schoonover said, as he described the potential scene of couples swinging to the old-time tunes.

The Smith Opera House hosts these types of shows every year. Schoonover described it as a way to give back to the community. As the proceeds generally break even and the cost of the show is a real bargain compared to the usual admission of $24, Schoonover said the shows work out as a great way to give back and entertain the area.

“These shows traditionally sell out,” he said.

In the spirit of the Big Band legacy, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, formed in 1944, is a great way to bring back a lost lust for the musical masterpiece that is swing.

If you go

What: Tommy Dorsey Orchestra

When: 7 tonight

Where: The Smith Opera House, Seneca Street, Geneva

Cost: $17, $10 for seniors

For details: Call 781-5483