Ella Jane Fitzgerald became an internationally celebrated cultural force who has been called the greatest female singer in history. ELLA chronicles the ultimate rags-to-riches embodiment of the American dream, whose personal life was one of the best-kept secrets in show business. In her lifetime, the “The First Lady of Song” sold over 40 million albums, wrote hit songs, devoted herself to philanthropy, and amassed countless awards and commendations, including 13 Grammys, honorary doctorates from Harvard and Yale, the National Medal of Arts, France’s Commander of Arts and Letters, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Miss Fitzgerald is known in every part of the world as “Queen of Jazz,” “First Lady of Song,” “Mama Jazz,” and “The Memorex Lady.” Her bittersweet life juxtaposes the tragedy of a homeless orphan who faced poverty, racial prejudice, sexual and physical abuse, with a talent and a burning ambition that led to an astonishing musical career spanning seven decades. She was an African American woman who fought racism and sexism in an industry completely dominated by white males. Despite her challenges, Ella Fitzgerald topped them all, enjoying a career and a musical legacy rivaling or surpassing those of Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson.

Author Geoffrey Mark, an Emmy Award winner and Grammy Award nominee, has been called a “walking encyclopedia of show business history.” A singer/stand-up comedian in nightclubs and cabarets, and an Off-Broadway veteran, Mark has hosted radio series, written comedy for several stand-up comedians, and writes and produces documentaries and reality shows for cable television. Mark has three best-selling books, including The Lucy Book and is the producer of Nigel: Come Back to Me, a CD with a seventeen piece Big Band.

This is a benefit for the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation.