On Friday, April 25 at 7pm, within the intimate setting of the Palm Garden at The Island Hotel Newport Beach, Academy Award winning songwriter Richard M. Sherman will perform selections from his motion picture songbook for attendees of the 2008 Newport Beach Film Festival (open to the public). The concert will be hosted by noted author, film historian and Disney authority Jeff Kurtti. From Hollywood to Broadway to theme park locales around the world, the sun seemingly never sets on the music of Richard Sherman and his collaborator/brother, Robert B. Sherman.
"We\'re honored to have such a film musical legend join us for what promises to be an unforgettable evening of music and song," said Gregg Schwenk, executive director of the Newport Beach Film Festival. "The Sherman Brothers certainly rank among the greats of Hollywood song composers and if you don\'t recognize their songs you perhaps have slept through the past five decades."
The soundtrack of our childhoods resonates with beloved songs written by the Sherman Brothers. Their career spans almost 50 years and includes two Academy Awards for Walt Disney\'s "Mary Poppins" - Best Score and Best Song ("Chim Chim Cher-ee"). Other musical honors include three Grammy Awards, 24 gold and platinum albums, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and induction in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Within the past few years the Sherman wrote several additional numbers for the recent smash hit productions of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," which enjoyed huge success in London and on Broadway. Today, their music continues to enchant audiences on Broadway in the acclaimed stage musical "Mary Poppins," presented by Disney and Cameron Mackintosh.
The Sherman Brothers initially gained recognition in popular music with several top-ten hits, among them "You\'re Sixteen (a hit for both Johnny Burnett and Ringo Starr)," "Let\'s Get Together" (a hit for Hayley Mills) and "Tall Paul" (first hit song for Annette Funicello). 1960 marked the start of a phenomenal ten-year association with film producer Walt Disney, during which time they composed over 150 songs for his films, TV shows and theme parks. Their Disney credits include the films "The Jungle Book," "The Parent Trap," "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," "The Sword in the Stone," "The Aristocats," "The Happiest Millionaire," the "Winnie the Pooh" films, and of course, "Mary Poppins," among many others.
The Shermans went on to compose song scores for the animated features "Snoopy Come Home," "Charlotte\'s Web," the Broadway hit musical "Over Here!" and the \'fantasmagorical\' film musical "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," with its Oscar-nominated title song. The Sherman Brothers created screenplays and song scores for the film musicals "Tom Sawyer" (their music won First Prize at the Moscow Film Festival), "Huckleberry Finn," the 1976 Royal Film Performance of "The Slipper and the Rose" (with co-author Bryan Forbes), and "The Magic of Lassie," which earned them their ninth Academy Award nomination for Best Song.
Recent credits include the book "Walt\'s Time" – an autobiographical and pictorial journey through their songwriting years and the song score to the Disney hit animated feature "The Tigger Movie." And, thanks to the Disney Parks around the world, there is always Sherman Brothers music playing somewhere on the globe through such beloved attractions as "Walt Disney\'s Enchanted Tiki Room," "It\'s a Small World" (whose unforgettable and often parodied title song is considered among the most translated and performed songs on earth), "The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh," "Carousel of Progress," etc.
About Newport Beach Film Festival
Between April 24th and May 1st, the 2008 Newport Beach Film Festival will showcase more than 350 films from around the world, offering an ambitious and international selection of features, shorts, documentaries and animation that will compete for both Jury and Audience awards. Now in its 9th year, the Festival is proud to treat its audience to World and U.S. premieres, Academy Award entries, Sundance Selections, a Spotlight Series, and Children\'s Festival, from both the independent and studio worlds. With submissions from Asia, Europe, South/Central America and Africa, classic and contemporary filmmaking will provide a unique mix of genre and culture. The Newport Beach Film Festival has quickly gained recognition both from filmmakers and audiences, and is expected to attract more than 40,000+ people in 2008. For ticket information please visit: www.newportbeachfilmfest.com.
About Newport Beach
Newport Beach, an opulent seaside community located on southern California\'s Orange County coastline between Los Angeles and San Diego epitomizes the quintessential southern California lifestyle. Known for its picturesque views of the Pacific and one of the world\'s largest small yacht harbors, the city is acclaimed for its beaches, outdoor recreation, sophisticated atmosphere, international film festival, three annual epicurean festivals and the oldest holiday boat parade in the nation. For additional information, please call (800) 94-COAST or visit http://www.visitnewportbeach.com.