By Randi Bjornstad

The overall title for this year’s Oregon Festival of American Music at The Shedd is Pennies From Heaven: The Music of America in Hard Times, which celebrates the fact that the years of the Great Depression, difficult as they were, nonetheless produced some of the most beloved and uplifting classics in both movie and music history.

As usual, the Shedd has a full calendar of films, talks, concerts, and dinners — even a couple of singalongs — during its 10-day run.

OFAM music director Chuck Redd is back at the helm, with guest directors Shirley Andress, Siri Vik, Lynnea Barry, and Will and Peter, the Anderson Brothers, taking their turns running the show, plus two dozen additional vocalists and instrumentalists performing live on stage: Howard Alden, Julie Alsin, Steve Arriola, Vicki Brabham, Lyn Burg, Daniel Cathey, Tim Clarke, Jonathan Corona, Keri Davis, Doug Doerfert, Marisa Frantz, Glenn Griffith, Theo Halpert, Bruce Harris, Bill Hulings, Paul Keller, Randy Napoleon, Devin Perez, Randy Porter, Ted Rosenthal, Dylan Stasack, Michael Stone, Matt Taylor, and Paul Wells.

OFAM’s producers describe the era of the 1930s as reflective of the best and the worst of times, “filled with music and songs that were at times serious, sometimes sad and angry at The Depression and political injustice” while at the same time a vibrant cultural scene characterized by the proliferation of radio and film production, the era of Big Bands and Swing, the rise of Hollywood, all “by and large beautiful, hopeful, philosophical, full of humor, and reflective of uncrushable spirit.”

In that sense, the opening gala on Wednesday, July 27, draws from the Golden Age of Radio, featuring classic songs such as Star Dust, Thanks for the Memory, and Where The Blue of the Night, moving on through the 10-day OFAM run with songs popularized by the Boswell Sisters, the swing music of Benny Goodman and his band, movie music, jazz numbers made famous by Count Basie and Duke Ellington, the oeuvre of Artie Shaw, 1930s jazz and pop standards, Kansas City-style up-tempo blues, socially conscious musical topics that reflect the depth of the Great Depression, the rise of the “crooners,” and the bursting onto the Broadway scene of brothers George and Ira Gershwin and brother-and-sister Fred and Adele Astaire.

Ticket information

  • Many of the OFAM sessions — nine films, nine talks, and the two singalong sessions — are free.
  • Tickets for all concerts except the Sunday afternoon Jazz Party on July 31 are $25, $30, $35, $39.
  • Jazz Party tickets are $25, $30, $35, $45.
  • Some discounts and ticket packages are available.
  • Pre-concert meals will be served at 6 p.m. before evening performances. Reservations for meals must be made at least one day in advance of each evening performance, at $25.75 for adults or $19.75 for children 9 years and younger. Meals include entree, salad, side dish, rolls, dessert, and coffee or tea. Wine, beer, soft drinks, and juices are available for purchase.
  • Tickets may be purchased at the box office at 868 High St., by telephone at 541-434-7000, or online at theshedd.org

 

The schedule

Here’s the run-down for this year’s OFAM offerings — note that many of the concerts offer both an afternoon and an evening performance.

Wednesday, July 27

  • 9:30 a.m. film — The Big Broadcast of 1938, in the Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 1:30 p.m. singalong — Popular Songs of the 1930s, Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 5 p.m. talk — Intro to OFAM 2022, Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 6 p.m. dinner — Warren Court, by reservation
  • 7:30 p.m. opening gala — Music in the Air, Jaqua Concert Hall

Thursday, July 28

  • 9:30 a.m. film — 42nd Street (1933), Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 1:30 p.m. concert — Kansas City Swings, Jaqua Concert Hall (offered again at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 4)
  • 5 p.m. talk — The Boswell Sisters, Sheffer Concert Hall
  • 6 p.m. dinner — Warren Court, by reservation
  • 7:30 p.m. concert — Hummin’ to Myself, Jaqua Concert Hall (offered again at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6)

Friday, July 29

  • 9:30 a.m. film — The Little Colonel (1933), Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 1:30 p.m. concert — Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?, Jaqua Concert Hall (offered again at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5)
  • 5 p.m. talk — The 2022 Film Series, Sheffer Concert Hall
  • 6 p.m. dinner — Warren Court, by reservation
  • 7:30 p.m. concert — Air Mail Special, Jaqua Concert Hall (offered again at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5)

Saturday, July 30

  • 9:30 a.m. film — A Night at the Opera (1935), Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 1:30 p.m. concert — Body and Soul, Jaqua Concert Hall (offered again at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 3)
  • 5 p.m. talk — Hollywood in the ’30s, Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 6 p.m. dinner — Warren Court, by reservation
  • 7:30 p.m. concert — Pick Yourself Up, Jaqua concert Hall (offered again at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 4)

Sunday, July 31

  • 4 p.m. jazz party — Duke & The Count, Jaqua Concert Hall

Monday, Aug. 1 — no events

Tuesday, Aug. 2

  • 9:30 a.m. film — Die 3 Groschen-Oper (1931), Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 5 p.m. talk — The Big Band Era, Sheffer Concert Hall
  • 6 p.m. dinner — Warren Court, by reservation
  • 7:30 p.m. concert — Begin the Beguine, Jaqua Concert Hall

Wednesday, Aug. 3

  • 9:30 a.m. film — Pennies From Heaven (1936), Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 1:30 p.m. singalong — Folk Songs of the Great Depression, Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 5 p.m. talk — Jazz Standards, Sheffer Concert Hall
  • 6 p.m. dinner — Warren Court, by reservation
  • 7:30 p.m. concert — Body and Soul, Jaqua Concert Hall

Thursday, Aug. 4

  • 9:30 a.m. film — Swing Time (1936), Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 1:30 p.m. concert — Pick Yourself Up, Jaqua Concert Hall
  • 5 p.m. talk — Animation in the ’30s, Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 6 p.m. dinner — Warren Court, by reservation
  • 7:30 p.m. concert — Kansas City Swings, Jaqua Concert Hall

Friday, Aug. 5

  • 9:30 a.m. film — A Damsel in Distress (1937), Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 1:30 p.m. concert — Air Mail Special, Jaqua Concert Hall
  • 5 p.m. talk — Broadway’s Conscience, Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 6 p.m. dinner — Warren Court, by reservation
  • 7:30 p.m. concert — Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?, Jaqua Concert Hall

Saturday, Aug. 6

  • 9:30 a.m. film — The Wizard of Oz (1939), Sheffer Recital Hall
  • 1:30 p.m. concert — Hummin’ to Myself, Jaqua Concert Hall
  • 6 p.m. dinner — Warren Court, by reservation
  • 7:30 p.m. grand finale — All or Nothing at All, Jaqua Concert Hall