The Fabulous Five to take WBTT stage beginning Aug. 22

The Fabulous Five are rehearsing for the new Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe show. Courtesy photo

The Fabulous Five will take the stage at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22, as the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe opens its second summer show.

Featuring some of the troupe’s most popular male performers, The Fabulous Five will sing hits of the 1960s. Nate Jacobs, the troupe’s founding artistic director, has written the show and adapted the music.

“Our guys are psyched and ready to go,” Jacobs said in a news release. “Last month we featured an all-female cast to perform music from the ’70s. It was an over-whelming success. The men now want to outshine the girls. It’s a hard act to follow but we say, ‘Go for it!’ The continuing fun rivalry between troupe members is thoroughly enjoyable, guaranteeing more top quality, high energy performances.”

The cast of The Fabulous Five will comprise Chris Eisenberg, Jacobs, Charles Manning, Michael Mendez and Leon Pitts II. The musical numbers will include some Motown songs, for which the troupe already has become known, along with other hits of the ’60s — favorites by Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Otis Redding and Ray Charles.

Among them will be “Lonely Teardrops,” “Twisting the Night Away” and “Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher.”

“The music of the ’60s is loved and enjoyed by multiple generations,” Jacobs said in the news release. “We look forward to presenting this wonderful music, bringing back bygone memories and perhaps, creating some new ones with WBTT’s The Fabulous Five.”

The group has scheduled 11 performances, ending on Sunday, Sept. 2. All shows Tuesday through Saturday begin at 8 p.m. Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. Tickets are $29.50; they may be bought online at www.wbttsrq.org or by calling the box office at 941-366-1505.

The theater is located at 1646 10th Way in Sarasota.