11/5/2009 10:45:12 AM

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By Tom Weber

Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN 

Mix together a little nostalgia, some romance and a touch patriotism and suddenly, you're "In the Mood."

	If you go What:"In the Mood," Swing Era musical revue When: 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday Where: Mayo Civic Center, 20 Civic Center Drive S.E. Tickets: $39.50 and $29.50, available at the civic center box office, and through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com and (800) 745-3000.

That's the premise behind Bud Forrest's "In the Mood" musical revue, which brings the sites and sounds of the Swing Era to the stage of Mayo Civic Center for two shows Friday.

The show, which Forrest developed, has exceeded even his wildest dreams.

"If you had told me in 1994 when we started this that we'd be doing it 16 years later, I wouldn't have believed you," Forrest said from a tour stop in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The music of the Swing Era, which roughly encompassed the latter years of the Great Depression and then World War II, seems to be as alive as ever. "This is the 70th anniversary of the song 'In the Mood,' and I see no signs of it dying,'" Forrest said.

What Forrest had to say about his show:

• "We did something different than the other big bands. We decided to make it more theatrical, all choreographed. But there's no story, just the music, and a narrator who ties things together. It's a real variety show and musical revue."

• The show, which includes a tribute to veterans, features the String of Pearls Big Band Orchestra and the In the Mood Singers and Dancers, with musical arrangements straight from the 1940s.

• "This show is not just for senior citizens," Forrest said. "We get a lot of young people who are really into the swing dancing."

• "The hardest part of my job is what to leave out," he said. "We could probably do 10 hours and never play all the music." The lineup of songs changes slightly from year to year. Added this year are "Green Eyes,""Laura,""Moonglow,""Blue Moon" and "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.""We're always going to do 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy' and 'Tuxedo Junction,'" Forrest said.

In Forrest's mind, there's no mystery as to the show's staying power.

"We're doing songs by songwriters like Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, George Gershwin," he said. "How can you go wrong?"

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