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Tina Fabrique stars as Ella Fitzgerald in Pittsburgh Public Theater's production of "Ella."

Tina Fabrique has been bringing Ella Fitzgerald back to life for audiences for four years -- not that the First Lady of Song has ever really left.

"She's been gone since 1996, but she's still on the scene, just like Sinatra," says Fabrique, who Thursday will open Pittsburgh Public Theater's season in "Ella."

Fabrique, a Tony nominee for "Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk," sang the theme song for "Reading Rainbow" and the documentary "Mad Hot Ballroom," which included three Fitzgerald songs on its soundtrack.

When she says Ella is still with us, Fabrique means that voice, of course. "And not just in elevators; in places where it really counts. In the older community, her music might have been their first dance or when they were doing something really special. But a lot of young people, especially those who know music, they know Ella."

And for those who don't, Fabrique has been spreading the word in "Ella," the brainchild of director Rob Ruggiero, who conceived the show with Dyke Garrison before Jeffrey Hatcher was invited to write a book that would weave the singer's life into a musical event. The show includes nearly two dozen songs, among them "Night and Day," "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)," "The Man I Love" and "A-Tisket, A-Tasket,"

Herbie Hancock was here. Count Basie, George Benson, Wynton Marsalis, Joe Henderson and Bobby McFerrin, too.

But the biggest turnout was for Ella Fitzgerald.

It was June 13, 1982, and nearly 100,000 people came to Point State Park for the opening of the inaugural Kool Jazz Festival, right on the heels of the Three Rivers Arts Festival.

Fitzgerald, 65 at the time, "was the ideal choice ... and the night was absolutely magnificent," Barry Paris wrote in his Post-Gazette review. He also noted that the mostly peaceful gathering represented about a quarter of Pittsburgh's population.

She sang for an hour and came back for an encore of "I Got a Crush on You," "Mack the Knife" and "I'll See You in My Dreams."

The following year, Fitzgerald returned as part of another all-star Kool Jazz Festival. More than 80,000 turned out on June 12, 1983, to hear Pittsburgh native Stanley Turrentine and the First Lady of Song.

'Ella'

Where: Pittsburgh Public Theater at the O'Reilly Theater, Downtown.

When: Thursday through Nov. 1. Tues.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 and 7 p.m.; some Sat. 2 p.m.; also Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 29 at 2 p.m.

Tickets: $40-$60, $15.50 for age 26 and under; ppt.org or 412-316-1600.

The show's first act is as much dialogue as song, and the second act re-creates a concert Fitzgerald gave in Nice in the mid-1960s. She had just returned from the funeral of her half-sister, Frances, and was feeling low.

The songs in the first act "are to move the story along," says Fabrique, "and in between there is the conversation she has with Norman Grant, her manager. She is in a quandary as to how to deal with a very, very emotional moment and a painful time in her life."

Fabrique says that in sharing some of Ella's experiences, her youthful turmoil and humble beginnings, "she uses the audience as her best friend to share this with" and feels its love in return.

There is some common ground for the Harlem native and Fitzgerald. They both made their Apollo Theater debuts in their teens. At that time, Fabrique was listening mostly to Sarah Vaughan because they shared similar vocal qualities. But Ella was on her playlist, too.

The music is what helps keep the show fresh.

"When you're talking about jazz, it's music that allows you to express yourself, so it's different every night even with the same songs," she says.

"You have your basic place of working, then you have those places you can go to. That's what jazz is. So we have that at our disposal."

The songs don't change from night to night, although sometimes audiences forget that they are not at a concert, calling for their favorites or shouting, "Sing it, Ella."

Fabrique keeps the energy level high on stage, saying she has to stay at the top of her game physically and take care of her voice.

"I think a piece like this when you really get into the thick of it, it's really like a well-oiled machine. Once you step on that pedal, it just keeps moving."

What has kept her going is the encouragement from people who knew the late singer, who are the benchmark for her performances.

"I've been told by the people who know her that I've met, people like [sax and flute player] James Moody, who came to the show, they gave me the indication that what I was doing was capturing her on stage, capturing her spirit, the spirit in which she performed as we tell her story. So they give me the OK that I'm right on track."

She said Ben Vereen told her that watching her, "he had the feeling he was looking at Ella."

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