(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — George Clements was born in Evanston and remembers visiting his grandparents on the North Shore.
"We'd always go to Winnetka and the Skokie Country Club. They'd drag us there and make us dress up as kids," he recalled.
Clements’ parents both attended Northwestern University. His mother performed in Chicago-based theaters and his father taught at New Trier High School.
"We were at the Broadway Playhouse in 2019. It's good to be back on the road playing, and I'm actually so happy to be back in Chicago. My roots are here. My aunt and uncle are coming to Saturday's performance,” he said.
Clements was plucked from a bluegrass band to play the role of Paul Simon in "The Simon & Garfunkel Story.”
"I had never done anything on the stage like Broadway or acting but I love this music, so I auditioned and got the gig,” he said.
The immersive, concert-style show chronicles the journey shared by the folk-rock duo, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. It tells the story from their humble beginnings as Tom & Jerry to their success as one of the best-selling recording artists of the 1960s to their dramatic split in 1970.
It culminates with the famous “Concert in Central Park” reunion in 1981 with more than half a million fans in attendance.
Clements said he's been listening to this music for as long as he can remember.
"I grew up with Simon & Garfunkel and I'm a huge fan of Paul's solo music. I have all his records,” he said.
Brendan Smith, 24, plays Art Garfunkel. He said it was daunting to play such an iconic singer who is still alive and working.
"After watching tons of interviews, studying how he looks, how he performs, it's become a bit easier. I've grown an appreciation for his tone and his style of singing. It's very different from my voice, but I find it very fun to delve into that type of singing,” Smith said.
"I was also such a fan of this music, even though I wasn't born when it was made. I know Simon & Garfunkel are from New York City and they wrote it in my hometown. I listened to it on my way to school. I have a deep connection to their journey."
The performance includes state-of-the-art video projection, photos and original film footage. The show features hits that include “Mrs. Robinson,” featured in the 1967 film The Graduate, “Cecilia,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Homeward Bound.”
"The times of the ’60s and ‘70s were a time of great social change. I think we are also living in a time of great social change,” Clements said. “The pandemic has brought up a lot of mental health issues, social awareness, people having to cope with a lot of uncertainly about what the future holds. This music grew out of a similar time, and it's resonating with young people and people who grew up with it.”
"The Simon and Garfunkel Story" plays at the CIBC Theater through Sunday.
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