‘Vocalosity’ brings ‘a cappella’ to NPAC

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Vocalosity. The name, a mix of the words “vocal” and “virtuosity,” gives a good idea of the level of singing being showcased by the show, which comes to the Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio on Saturday, October 22.

The dictionary defines the Italian phrase a capella as: “singing without accompanying instruments,” but, in “Vocalosity,” the musical style, which ranges from monotone Gregorian chants to barbershop harmonies and “doo-wop” pop songs of the 1950s, has been given a refreshing new format by entertainment entrepreneur Deke Sharon.

Sharon could be called the re-creator of a capella, since the singing style is featured in his popular television shows “Pitch Perfect”, “Pitch Perfect II”, and ‘The Sing-Off”, which have elevated the style to a completely new level.

Sharon’s version of a capella singing is also one that James C. Jones, a member of the “Vocalosity” cast, could perform his entire life.

“This is pretty much my dream job, so I’m going to do it as long as I can,” Jones, a bass singer and one of 10 cast members of the show coming to Van Wert, said during a recent telephone interview.

He also explained just what the audience will see when “Vocalosity” comes to the Niswonger a week from Saturday.

“It’s a show, and it’s a concert,” Jones said of the production. “It’s a concert, because it’s all about music; it’s not a musical, because there’s no story. It’s a show, because the audience is still being taken on a journey.”

Jones said the production is a very controlled musical expression, with each number expressly crafted to trigger a specific feeling or experience.

“There’s a moment in every number that we want the audience to experience,” Jones added. “There’s nothing random about the songs we do, the order they’re in, or how people feel when we sing the songs.”

Jones said several of the numbers feature all 10 performers, while others will use smaller numbers, from four people on up.

In addition, while audience members will sometimes think they hear instruments being played, the “instruments” are really just one instrument: the human voice.

“You might think you’re hearing instruments, because we are mimicking instruments: the sound of drums, the sound of guitars, trumpets, stuff like that,” the singer explained.

But “Vocalosity” is much more than just singers mimicking instruments and singing, Jones said.

“It’s going to be a production,” he noted, with dancing and lighting added to enhance the singing on each number of the show. “One of my favorite numbers is a classic rock song where the lights go crazy!”

The show will feature a number of different musical genres, from those Gregorian chants and classic choral music, to barbershop, classic rock, and even some hip-hop numbers, he said. The show also will run the emotional gamut, from laughter to tears.

“I want people to expect to feel a lot of different emotions,” he said, noting that seeing audience members laughing and crying, sometimes during the same number, is something he particularly enjoys, because it means the show is doing what it’s supposed to do.

“That’s really powerful to me,” Jones said of the audience response. “If there’s anything I can say about what ‘Vocalosity’ is going to do, it’s certainly going to take control of your emotions for the whole time that you’re there.”

Tickets for the show, which begins at 7:30 p.m. October 22, can still be purchased at the NPAC box office, 419.238.NPAC from noon-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or anytime online at www.npacvw.org. Tickets range from $20 to $40 apiece, with group discounts and savings for those who bundle several shows together.