NORTH BEND — The sounds of the Harlem Renaissance will come to Little Theatre on the Bay next weekend with the fourth-annual Little Ole Big Band show, “Keep a Song in Your Soul: A Tribute to the Great Harlem Songwriters.”

Listing Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Fletcher Henderson, Eubie Blake, Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver and Cab Calloway among the honored composers, director Steve Simpkins compared the influence of Harlem on the music of the 1920s and ’30s to the influence of Vienna in the 18th century.

“Many of these composers led the way,” Simpkins said. “White musicians followed, conspicuously imitating the sounds and style of these guys.”

The variety show opens Saturday, Nov. 10. Among the new features this year, instead of a second weekend of performances at LTOB, there will be a dinner show catered by Black Market Gourmet at the North Bend Community Center on Saturday, Nov. 17.

Co-director Byrell Justice said the dinner show would offer the audience an opportunity to dance and add “a touch of class” to the show, which he is promoting at area retirement homes.

“That’s from their era,” Justice said. “An 80-year-old man can get up and dance with his wife to the tunes that they knew then.”

Another change is that Justice recruited several new younger performers, including Bay Area Teen Idol finalists Clint Guevara and Alyssa Birrer and “Anything Goes” star Alexander Rich. North Bend Middle School student Emily Peck also performs on group numbers.

Birrer, who performs in two dance numbers along with singing a solo and in a quartet, said she was happy to join the show because she loves the theater and being a part of everything.

“It’s good music,” she said. “It really is.”

But while Birrer said she’s learned to appreciate different types of music, the music of the ’20s and ’30s was not familiar to the 14-year-old. But unlike performing in Teen Idol or Little Ole Opry, she didn’t have to pick her own songs — Simpkins and vocal director Janice Kendall listen to auditions and assign songs to performers that fit their strengths.

“Of course, Alyssa’s never heard ‘Sweet and Hot,’” Simpkins said, referring to her solo. “I think it’s good that people her age and people in general are introduced to music that is an important part of our musical heritage. … I’m impressed with how sophisticated this music is, compared with what’s going on today. It’s much more rhythmically and harmonically complex.”

Simpkins said that the need to obtain arrangements for big band music makes it impractical for performers to choose songs even if they know the era.

“Country bands can work from a lead sheet,” Simpkins said. “With a large group, even six instruments, you can’t just improvise. You have to play arrangements.”

There are two new members in the Little Ole Big Band this year: Mike Miller on alto sax and Gina Shaddox on bass. The band also includes Dustin Dillon, Trevor Edd, Steve Krajcir, Kendall, Steve Moon, Simpkins and Judy Snyder. Ron Carpani will play in the band for the Nov. 17 show.

While there was an emphasis on bringing new blood into the show, Justice said returning performers are important, too, including Ken Graber, Luanne May, Linda Sweatt, Kathleen Zappelli, Kerry Oxford and Melissa Peck. A duet by Justice and his wife, Cassie, was a highlight of last year’s show, and they will be doing a similar act this year.

Another interesting act, Justice said, will be a tap dance by Kay Pace dressed as half man and half woman.

And then there’s the comedy team.

“The jokes are good, no matter what (emcee) Connie Nipgen says,” Justice said.

Performances are at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, at LTOB; and at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, following a dinner at 6:30, at the North Bend Community Center.

Tickets are $12 for the LTOB shows, with discounts available on advance tickets to students and seniors. Tickets for the Nov. 17 show are $40 or $75 per couple.