Issuu

Volume 4, Issue 2 February 2019

A Tribute to Benny Goodman

Julian Bliss Septet

issue

A Word From

THE SCOOP

Volume 4, Issue 2 | February 2019

IN THIS

WHITNEY

Whitney Morse, Artistic Director, The Sharon® L. Morse Performing Arts Center

Farruquito

A Doll’s House!

International Subscription

I simply cannot believe that it is February.

REO Speedwagon

Just three short months ago I was hugely pregnant awaiting the birth of my second child and now she is two months old. As I type this I am preparing to return to the stage as Nora Helmer in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Per usual, as I get ready for these kinds of endeavors I begin to question my own sanity. “Can I do this?” “Who’s idea was this?” But this time I am adding to those concerns, “When will I pump?” “Will my daughter miss me?” “What if I don’t get enough sleep?” But, nevertheless, I continue to march on and do what I love. I am taking time everyday to pour over my script, brush up on my Norwegian history, and try to remember the last time I had to maneuver around a set in a corset and bustle.

Travis Tritt Forte

The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra Vienna Boys Choir Havana Cuba All Stars David Foster Tony Orlando Wayne Newton Julian Bliss Septet The Beach Boys

Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles The Studio Theatre A Doll’s House Backstage at The Sharon Show Calendar The Sharon Performing Arts Academy

Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is a classic play about Nora and Torvald Helmer, a married couple in 1879 Norway. Nora has a strongly guarded secret she must keep from her husband. She knows if he finds out he will never forgive her. How far will Nora go to keep her secret hidden? And how many times will I need to pump in rehearsal? Come down to The Studio Theatre and see for yourself. I haven’t been on The Studio Stage since May of 2018 and now nine months later, you all can witness my return: corset, bustle, and all. See you at The Studio!

pg. 31

Henrik Ibsen

A Doll's House MAR 19TH - APR 28TH TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

See you at

THE SHARON...

Havana Cuba All Stars

$20-$70 7PM

Last chance for the International Subscription See right for more details!

Farruquito

FEB 5

“Farruquito, heir to the most renowned Gypsy flamenco dynasty, is the greatest flamenco dancer of this new century...” –NY Times

Farruquito made his first international stage appearance on Broadway in New York City at the age of four alongside his grandfather, “EL Farruco”, and spent his formative years immersed in the legendary Farruco school. He has created and directed over 15 works since the age of eleven, and has not only been hailed by critics and audiences alike for his prodigious artistry, but also for his incredible personality, profound poetry and captivating beauty. As the principal inheritor of the greatest Gypsy flamenco bloodline, Farruquito has made it his life’s mission to share the purest form of flamenco on stages all around the world while further broadening his influence by collaborating with the most paramount film directors, conductors and artists of our time.

International Subscription Your passport for Destination Evenings in

20% off Ticket Prices Choose 5 International Shows Ticket Includes One Free Drink Get Your International Subscription Passport Stamped at Each Show

CUBA • CANADA • IRELAND • SPAIN • AUSTRIA

$46-$136 7PM FEB 7 6

Formed in 1967, signed in 1971, and fronted by iconic vocalist Kevin Cronin since 1972, REO Speedwagon is a band where the main constant over the decades is a never-ending desire to give their all to their fans, year in and year out. Formed loosely in the late ‘60s at college in Champaign, IL, REO (named after the precursor to the light truck) rode to gigs in station wagons, hopping from small gigs to even tinier gigs, just to get their name out. It worked, as fans quickly realized there was much more going on here than your average college party band. By the early ‘70s, the band’s unrelenting drive,

as well as non-stop touring and recording, jumpstarted the burgeoning rock movement in the Midwest. It carved a path that was eventually followed by STYX, Kansas, Cheap Trick and more. Platinum albums and freeform FM radio staples such as “Ridin’ The Storm Out” followed, setting the stage for 1980’s explosive Hi Infidelity (received the Recording Industry Association of America®’s 10X Diamond Award for surpassing sales of 10 million units in the U.S.). REO rode the top of the charts with a RIAA-certified 22 million albums sold in the U.S. and 40 million around the globe, with a string of gold and platinum records and international hit singles.

MEE BEF T THE ORE B THE AND SHO W

$100

“Can’t Fight This Feeling” “Keep On Loving You”

“Take It On the Run” “Ridin’ the Storm Out”

“Keep Pushin’” “Here With Me”

IN SUPPO RT O F

IN SUPPORT OF

FEB 8

7PM $35-$99

Nearly 30 years after Travis Tritt launched his music career, the Southern rock-influenced artist continues to sell-out shows and stay true and relevant to country music fans across the globe. Continuously performing shows and withholding a heavy appearance schedule, Tritt is proving to be unstoppable. The highly abbreviated Tritt timeline started when the young Marietta, GA native incorporated his lifelong influences of Southern rock, blues and gospel into his country during a honky-tonk apprenticeship that led him to Warner Bros. in 1989. Over the course of a decade, Travis released seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label. His 1990 debut Country Club and its succession of hits put him in the vanguard of the genre’s early ‘90s boom, dubbing him as one of “The Class of ‘89,” which included country music superstars Garth Brooks, Clint Black and Alan Jackson; all whom dominated the charts in the early ‘90s. “Country Club,” “Help Me Hold On,” “I’m Gonna Be Somebody,” and “Drift Off to Dream” peaked at numbers two and three on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts; all which led for Tritt to win Top New Male Artist award from Billboard and the CMA Horizon Award (now known as the New Artist Award). Additionally, in 1991, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) marked Tritt’s debut album Country Club as certified platinum. Two years after his debut, Travis’ sophomore album, It’s All About to Change, was released. Literally speaking, this album changed everything when the album shipped three million copies and all four of its singles reached the top five on the country music charts. Along with his first album, this release became triple-platinum certified by the RIAA. At the same time, his conspicuous lack of a cowboy hat and musical assertiveness set him apart. The next series of albums, seven of which are certified platinum or higher, scored him more hit singles and led him to amass more than 30 million in career album sales, two Grammys, three CMA Awards and a devoted fan base that has filled venues coast-to-coast. He’s been a force in sports appearances, having performed at the 1996 Olympics, two Super Bowls, a World Series Game, the opening of the Georgia Dome, the final Braves game at Atlanta-Fulton Country Stadium and, in 2013, the NCAA men’s basketball championship. In 2012, Tritt formed his own label, Post Oak Recordings and shortly after released his album, The Calm After... In 2016, Tritt released a new project, a special live 2-disc CD and DVD, titled A Man and His Guitar – Live From The Franklin Theatre. The release shot and recorded at the historic Franklin Theatre in Franklin, TN, spotlights Tritt’s distinctively soulful voice and his exceptional guitar prowess in an intimate theater setting. In late 2014 and throughout 2015, Tritt’s compilation album, Very Best of Travis Tritt, that was originally released in 2007, saw a sales resurgence as it topped the SoundScan Top 200 Catalog Country Albums chart for over 60 consecutive weeks with 15 weeks spent at No. 1 and 35+ weeks notched in a Top 5 position, while earning RIAA certified gold status by selling over 500,000 copies. The 20-track album features some of Tritt’s biggest hits, including “It’s A Great Day To Be Alive,” “Here’s A Quarter,” and “Anymore.” Most recently, Tritt joined the upcoming new music showcase series, REAL COUNTRY, alongside Grammy Award-winning artist, Shania Twain and ACM Award-winning singersongwriter, Jake Owen who will hand-select emerging solo artists, duos and groups to perform in showcases that spotlight the rich traditions, songs and themes of specific country genres. The best artists from each showcase will perform in a grand finale, for the chance to be named one of country music’s next breakout acts. Most recently, Tritt appeared on the music showcase series, REAL COUNTRY, alongside Grammy Awardwinning artist, Shania Twain, and ACM Award-winning singer-songwriter, Jake Owen, who hand-selected emerging solo artists, duos, and groups to perform in showcases that spotlighted the rich traditions, songs and themes of specific country genres. For more information on Travis Tritt, visit his website TravisTritt.com and follow him on and Facebook and Twitter.

RETURNING TO THE VILLAGES

FEB 9-12

7PM

$49-$99

with 4 SHOWS available!

FEATURING THE VILLAGES PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA The powerhouse tenor trio consisting of Josh Page, Sean Panikkar and Fernando Varela are back! Accompanied by a full orchestra under the direction of Maestro Pasquale Valerio, FORTE is guaranteed to wow audiences with their thrilling, signature sound that carried them all the way to the finals of America’s Got Talent. You’ll hear all of the romantic hits that made them a fan favorite and a household name: “Unchained Melody”, “Nessun dorma”, “My Heart Will Go On”, “Somewhere”, “Pie Jesu” and MORE. In 2013, Forte shocked the judges after meeting only a few days before their audition, coming together, and blowing away the world with a powerful collective voice. Forte represents the harmony and strength that can be created when people come together and lend their voice for the greater good.

JOSH PAGE started his career after an impromptu duet with Josh Groban at Madison Square Garden Arena went viral gaining well over 15 Million views across the internet. Forte formed as a result of this incredible moment, and went from complete strangers on the internet, to finalists on Americas Got Talent recording a debut album with Columbia Records, topping the Amazon & Barnes and Noble charts. Forte are on a mission to introduce opera crossover to new audiences. Their viral hit opera tribute to the “Game of Thrones” theme, was the first of any work to be celebrated by both The Metropolitan Opera & MTV News. In addition to work with Forte, Josh & his brother have a folk/pop duo called Brothers Page with over 1.5 Million Followers on Instagram @brothers.page making them the most followed singersongwriter duo in the world.

SEAN PANIKKAR continues “to position himself as one of the stars of his generation… His voice is unassailable—firm, sturdy and clear, and he employs it with maximum dramatic versatility” [Opera News]. This season he has made his debuts at the Salzburg Festival in a new production of Henze’s The Bassarids conducted by Kent Nagano and in the lead role of Glass’s Satyagraha at Los Angeles Opera conducted by Grant Gershon. Upcoming appearances include a return to the Festival d’Aix en Provence for a new production of Weill’s Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny directed by Ivo van Hove and conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen as well as performances of La Bohème at Pittsburgh Opera and Les Pêcheurs de Perles at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Concerts of the recent past have featured Sean Panikkar with Ragnar Bohlin and the San Francisco Symphony, Kent Nagano and the Spanish National Orchestra and Choir, Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Leonard Slatkin and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. An alumnus of San Francisco Opera’s Adler Fellowship, Sean Panikkar holds Master’s and Bachelor degrees in Voice Performance from the University of Michigan.

The story behind FERNANDO VARELA begins and ends with a voice. A voice tells the tale of a breathtaking tenor whose spirit and determination has defied the odds. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Fernando moved to Florida at the age of eight, and while he always loved music it was not until he was seventeen that he discovered the impressive talent he had within him. Fernando trained with some of opera’s renowned classical icons and toured worldwide with Grammy Award-Winning producer David Foster, and performing amongst some legendary superstars including Lionel Richie, Gladys Knight, Sarah Brightman, Babyface, Peter Cetera, Neil Diamond, Benny Andersson, Seal, Jewel, and Chaka Kahn. Varela is signed with Universal Music Group and released his debut album Vivere, March 2017, accompanied by his debut PBS Special, Coming Home. Fernando is currently in the studio with producer Emilio Estefan working on his follow-up album. Fernando Varela sets the standard for what true musicianship is all about, combining a unique voice and an engaging passion which lights up the stage.

Accompanied by a full orchestra under the direction of Maestro Pasquale Valerio with Special Guest Pianist, William Joseph: WILLIAM JOSEPH is one of the most electrifying pianists, composers and producers of our time. His rare virtuosity and passion left music icon David Foster mesmerized when he first heard him play. That chance encounter with Foster in Arizona sent Joseph’s career skyrocketing. Foster’s interest and professional collaboration with Joseph also ushered in special opportunities to share the stage with world-class artists John Mayer, Beyoncé, John Legend, Michael Bublé, Steven Tyler, Alicia Keys, CeeLo Green, Carly Rae Jepsen, Andrea Bocelli, Mel Gibson, Sarah McLachlan, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Blake Shelton, Ray Romano, Brian McKnight, Seal, Robin Williams, Natalie Cole, and Barbra Streisand. Joseph’s epic melodies and sensational arrangements have been featured in many high-profile events reaching mass audiences around the world, including the Olympics, Major League Baseball, Miss America Pageants, as well as a featured appearance and performance on a National Advertising Campaign for Mitsubishi Motors America.

Celebrated Pops Concert

FEB 13

7PM

$25-$65

JOHN MURRAY (TENOR) is a native of Orlando, FL Most recently, John has appeared as the Tenor soloist for Imperial Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Handel’s Messiah and Mad Cow Theatre’s Productions of Light in the Piazza and James Joyce’s The Dead. John holds degrees in music from both Shenandoah Conservatory and University of Central Florida. He has appeared as a soloist on an internationally broadcast performance of Handel’s Messiah with the choir of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. John also appeared as a soloist for a performance of Mozart’s Requiem with the choir of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Kissimmee, FL. John has sung for many sacred choirs in the United States, and, in multiple major cathedrals around the word, including St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Le Cathedrale de Notre Dame in Paris, and Westminster Abbey in London. John is a proud member of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe choir, and also serves as outreach artist for Opera Orlando.

SALVATORE LOMBARDO, (VIOLIN) Italian, born in 1977 in Catania (Sicily), made his debut at a very young age obtaining the first prize at the “Campochiaro” international competition. He made his debut as a soloist performing “la campanella” by Paganini with the orchestra of the Bellini theater in Catania. Winner of the violin contest in the orchestra of the Teatro San Carlo in Naples at the age of 19, he perfected with Franzetti, Marin, Belkin, Girshenko. Member of the Kubrik trio in Italy, he plays as the first violin in the Carlo Felice orchestra in Genoa in 2015 and in other chamber ensembles. In his professional career he meets and collaborates with Muti, Maazel, Prêtre, Sinopoli, Inbal, Pappano, Mehta, Valchua, Zukerman, Vengerov, and many others. With the “Collegium Philarmonicum” orchestra he recorded the concert for violin and orchestra by Antonello Paliotti, a living Neapolitan composer. He has an intense concert activity in duo with the piano and collaborates with the group “Cinquetto”, an instrumental ensemble that reread the classical repertoire in a humorous way, performing in concert halls, schools and hospitals for children, to transmit through the humor the beauty of music and art.

The perfect way to share

love notes with yourValentine!

SAMANTHA BARNES DANIEL (SOPRANO) is a native of Central Florida and an alumna of the University of Central Florida where she earned degrees in Vocal Performance, French Horn, and English Literature. She then pursued a Master’s Degree at Northwestern University in Chicago. Ms. Barnes Daniel spent two summers as a young artist at Chautauqua Opera in 2009 and 2010, and joined the Pullin Opera Studio as a resident artist at Arizona Opera in 2010. She was a member of the Opera Tampa Singers from 2012-14. Ms. Barnes Daniel twice won first place at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions for the Central Regionals in 2008 and the Southeastern Regionals in 2012. Both years she continued on to the National Semi-Finals on the Metropolitan Opera Stage. She is also a prize winner from the American Opera Society of Chicago, was a Sarah Tucker Grant Nominee in the Richard Tucker Foundation Competition, a semi-finalist in the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition, and a finalist in the Marcello Giordani International Vocal Competition. Ms. Barnes Daniel’s recent work includes several roles with Florida Opera Theater and the Orlando Philharmonic, including Mrs. Gobineau in The Medium, Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, Flora in La Traviata, First Lady in The Magic Flute, and soloist in Mahler’s 3rd Symphony and Barber’s, Knoxville: Summer of 1915. She will sing Mahler’s 2nd Symphony with the Orlando Philharmonic in April of 2017. She is a founding member of the professional women’s ensemble, Helena and maintains a private voice studio of 35 students in the Orlando area.

SEAN CHRISTOPHER STORK (BARITONE) has been singing across the state of Florida since graduating from Florida State University in 2007. His regular engagements include singing with the First Coast Opera in St. Augustine, The Florida Lyric Opera in Tampa, The Villages Philharmonic, and Orlando Philharmonic Orchestras. He has made his unique mark on such roles as Guglielmo in Cosí fan tutte, Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Escamillo in Carmen, Procolo in Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali, Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Captain Corchoran in HMS Pinafore, and musical theater roles such as Hucklebee in The Fantasticks, Rapunzel’s Prince in Into the Woods, and Harold Hill in The Music Man. Sean has also been a featured Master Work soloist for such works as Theodore Dubois’ Seven Last Words of Christ, Franz Schubert’s Mass in G, W.A. Mozart’s Regina Coeli and Requiem in D minor as well as George Friderick Handel’s The Messiah, Giaccomo Puccini’s Messa di Gloria and Ralph Vaughan William’s Five Mystical Songs and Dona Nobis’ Pacem. A strong supporter of modern music, he has collaborated with local composers in recordings of new works such as The Sculptor, War and Peace and Kevin Lay’s Starboy. He is also an active composer and arranger, having commissioned works for the Basilica Choir of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe, as well The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Stork is currently performing across the country with such auspicious ensembles as The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra, The Hudson Valley Chorale, Orlando Harmony, Orlando Exchange, the Dickens Carolers, and the Basilica Choir of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. His full Biography and Resume are available at www.seanstork.com

$20-$65 7PM FEB 18 14

VIENNA B OYS CHOIR

Boys have been singing at Vienna’s Imperial Chapel since 1296. In 1498, Emperor Maximilian I (HRR) moved his court to Vienna, thus founding the “Hofmusikkapelle” (Chapel Imperial), and the Vienna Boys Choir. Over the centuries, the Viennese Court attracted musicians like Heinrich Isaac, Johann Joseph Fux, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Antonio Salieri, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Anton Bruckner; Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, and Franz Schubert were themselves choir boys. Until 1918, the boys sang exclusively for the imperial court. In 1924, the Choir was reestablished as a private organisation.

The Choir performs with major orchestras, conducted by the likes of Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, Christian Thielemann, Michael Tilson Thomas, Simone Young. A highlight are appearances at the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert. In 2012 and 2016, the boys performed under the baton of Mariss Jansons.

Today, there are 100 choristers between the ages of nine and fourteen, divided into four touring groups. Each spends ten weeks of the year on tour. Between them, the choirs give around 300 concerts each year, attended by almost half a million spectators around the world. Since 1924, 2499 choristers have sung over 1000 tours in 98 different countries. The boys’ first tour of the USA took place in 1931, their first world tour in 1934-35.

300 boys and girls attend the Vienna Boys Choir Schools. The Choir has a primary school, a middle school, and a successful High School programme catering to young singers. A quarter of the schools’ alumni go on to become professional musicians. Professor Gerald Wirth, himself a former choirboy, is the President and Artistic Director of the ensemble. The Choir’s education and singing tradition is listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in Austria.

On Sundays, the Choir performs with the Vienna Philharmonic and the State Opera Chorus in Vienna’s Imperial Chapel, as it has done for 520 years. In 2012, the Choir opened its own concert hall, MuTh: the state-of-the-art facility is hugely popular. The repertoire includes everything from Medieval to contemporary works.

Since their first recording in 1907, the boys have recorded 376 shellacks, singles, LPs, and CDs. In 2015, the choir signed an exclusive deal with Deutsche Grammophon; their latest release was a CD of music by Strauss, “Strauss For Ever”. Numerous films and TV documentaries attest to the choir’s international appeal. New York filmmaker Curt Faudon has produced four major films about the boys. “Good Shepherds”, currently in production, has them singing with Maasai warriors, Sami reindeer herders, and primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall.

$20-$55 FEB 20

7PM

ASERE! A Fiesta Cubana featuring musicians and dancers o

A joyous spectacle of music and dance from The group is inspired by and dedicated to Cuba showcasing a rich culture with different promoting the entire tapestry of Cuban music rhythms and melodies from “Son Cubano” to through a fresh, contemporary lens. cha cha cha and rumba. In their upcoming “Asere”— or “Friendship” Back by popular demand, this high-energy —tour, the All-Stars will be backed by three group is a joyous celebration of Cuban music of Cuba’s finest dancing couples. With the greatest dancers and musicians of Cuba and dance styles. working in tandem, the American encore of the The Havana Cuba All-Stars are some of Havana Cuba All-Stars’ tour will be a spirited Cuba’s greatest musicians. With rhythms and spectacle of song and dance, exemplifying melodies from the cha cha to the rumba, from Cuba’s greatest musical traditions. “Son Cubano” style to the salsa, the All-Stars will showcase a wide variety of Cuban beats.

of the Havana Cuba All-Stars!

“The Havana Cuba All-Stars created a truly passionate and intimate affair.” —The Daily Campus “The audience demanded an encore and the band played one more song as everyone swung their hands in the air.” —The Daily Campus “...brilliant performance...” —The Berkshire Eagle “Throughout the performance, toes were tapping, hands were clapping and hardly an audience member could find the discipline to sit still as delightful, fun and infectious rhythms took effect.” —Times Enterprise

$59-$99

3PM & 7PM FEB 22 7PM FEB 21 & 23 18

4 SHOWS AVAILABLE! David Foster seems constitutionally incapable of resting on his laurels, and his relentless drive has propelled him throughout his career. Few other individuals can claim to have their fingerprints on more major moments in all of popular music than David Foster. He has created hit songs and awardwinning gold and platinum albums for a diverse array of artists including Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, Seal, Chaka Khan, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Chicago, Hall & Oates, Brandy, ’N Sync, Boz Scaggs, and Gloria Estefan. He has escorted singers who have straddled both pop and classical styles like Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban into

the mainstream. He has created culturedefining soundtracks for blockbuster films like The Bodyguard, Urban Cowboy, and St. Elmo’s Fire; and crafted timeless holiday classics, including perennial bestsellers like Josh Groban’s Noel, Michael Bublé’s Christmas, Celine Dion’s These Are Special Times, Rod Stewart’s Merry Christmas Baby, Andrea Bocelli’s My Christmas, and Mary J. Blige’s A Mary Christmas. For his remarkable work, Foster has won 16 Grammy Awards, including three for Producer of the Year, an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and racked up three Oscar nominations for “Best Original Song.” He has also earned a reputation as a keen spotter of new talent, playing a key role in the discovery and career launches of Celine Dion, Josh Groban, and Michael Bublé.

time grammy award winner

“ST. ELMO’S FIRE” “AMERICA’S SONG” “THE BEST OF ME” “FOR JUST A MOMENT” “VOICES THAT CARE” 19

$35-$65 FEB 24 & 25

4PM & 7PM

E L B A L I A V A S W O SH

“Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Ole Oak Tree” “Knock Three Times” “Candida” “My Sweet Gypsy Rose” “He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You)”

Tony

OrLando Tony Orlando is one of America’s most endearing and enduring iconic stars. 2018 finds Tony bringing his exhilarating energy, warmth and humor to a tour of live concert shows across the nation as he celebrates over five decades as a beloved entertainer. 2016 found Tony collecting a dizzying number of top honors. These include the Casino Entertainer of the Year Award, recipient of the “Best All Around Entertainer” Las Vegas which he has won a total of four times, and previously three times in Atlantic City; Jukebox Artist of the Year Award from the Amusement and Music Owners Association of New York; The Ellis Island Medal of Honor one of the nation’s most prestigious awards; The Bob Hope Award for excellence in entertainment from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society honoring his efforts on behalf of our nation’s veterans. Tony’s tireless work on behalf of our veterans led to his being named Honorary Chairman at the 40th Anniversary at the NAM-POW’s Homecoming Celebration at the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library in 2014. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Eisenhower Foundation as well as Honorary Chairman of Snowball Express, an organization that serves the children of our fallen military heroes. Tony also hosts the Congressional Medal of Honor dinner every year in Dallas to honor our Medal of Honor recipients. He has also served as the Master of Ceremonies at the Secretary of Defense Freedom Awards at the Pentagon.

Few entertainers have excelled in so many realms as Tony has: a top selling recording artist, songwriter, concert headliner, network television star, Motion Picture actor, Broadway performer and author. Tony was also GM and Vice President of CBS-Music Division April-Blackwood Music from 1966-1970. He represented such songwriters as James Taylor, Laura Nyro, Blood Sweat and Tears and signed and produced Barry Manilow’s first recording while working for the legendary Clive Davis. The enormously popular Tony Orlando and Dawn television variety show ran for four seasons, from 1973 to 1977, on CBS. The show catapulted Tony Orlando and Dawn from popular recording artists into major stars. Tony Orlando and Dawn was the first multi-racial singing group to star in a network television series. Tony is still one of the most popular live concerts artists, and has headlined around the world and entertained for five US Presidents. Like a painter, Tony is an artist who steps onto a stage as if it were a blank canvas. Each show he weaves colorful emotions set to music touching the deepest part of a person’s heart. A 2016 review says it best, “The truth is: Tony Orlando is more than a singer. He has the ability to reach an audience, touch us inside, and connect with us on a higher level with his voice, style, and values.” Tony is a recipient of three American Music Awards and two People’s Choice Awards for best male entertainer. For outstanding achievements to the entertainment industry Tony was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

FEB 26

7PM

$75-$150

Wayne Newton

A lot has come and gone since Wayne Newton first set the entertainment world on fire as a precocious, big-voiced six-year-old. When Elvis Presley was still driving a truck, Wayne almost ten years his junior had already sung before a president, toured with a Grand Ole Opry road show and released his first record. While the Beatles were still scrambling for their early Liverpool gigs, Wayne, who was two years younger than John Lennon, was playing Las Vegas and appearing on the Jackie Gleason and Lucille Ball television shows. In a business that is, at best, volatile, and success sometimes short-lived, Wayne has performed live, at last count, to more than 40 million people and on television and record, to many times that number. He has epitomized the talent, glamour and energy that is Las Vegas-the entertainment capital of the world-for so long that he is called “Mr. Las Vegas.” And these days, having established himself both on television and in movies as a fine actor, he’s getting more attention than ever. He does it with the incredible talent and showmanship he was born with and the approach he developed as a child entertainer in Virginia. He simply works harder and digs deeper than anyone out there, sizing up audiences as he goes, tailoring shows to fit their moods, until he’s given them their money’s worth. The songs change and the show gets re-worked, but Wayne’s basic approach is the same as it has been since his beginning, and it’s something that goes to the core of who he is. “I’m still doing the kind of shows I’ve always done.” Wayne says, “and I can tell you one thing; People may leave one of my shows disliking Wayne Newton, but they’ll never walk out saying, ‘He didn’t work hard for us’. At a young age, Wayne was already a veteran of show business. He was just four when he settled on a life course. His parents had taken him to see a Grand Ole Opry road show in Roanoke, Virginia, and he watched, wide-eyed, as Hank Williams and Kitty Wells, among others, performed. When it was over he said to his mother, “That’s what I want to do.” “What?” she asked. “That,” he answered, pointing toward the stage. A natural, he learned piano, guitar and steel guitar by ear, and by the time he was six, he was doing a daily radio show before going to school. On weekends, he and his older brother Jerry appeared with the Opry road shows that came through Virginia and Tennessee, and performed before movies at a local theatre. He was in first grade when they performed at a USO show for President Truman and eight years old when they entered a local contest and won the chance to audition for the nation’s biggest amateur show. “There are two people I know of,” he says with a laugh, “who flunked ‘Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour’ auditions: Elvis Presley and me.” That disappointment was a minor setback in a childhood that included serious health struggles. Wayne’s severe bouts with asthma forced the family to move from Virginia to Phoenix, Arizona, where he recovered and continued his career. The stamina that would see him through this and many other difficult periods he credits to his Powahatan Indian/Irish father, who overcame his own poverty-stricken background, and his Cherokee Indian/German mother.

FEB 27

7PM

$20-$50

A Tribute to Benny Goodman

Julian Bliss Septet

Gracing the stages of Ronnie Scott’s legendary jazz club to the Wigmore Hall in London, Bermuda Jazz Festival, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Julian Bliss Septet has shared their uplifting, classy, humorous shows and exceptional musicianship around the world since their formation in 2010. Handpicked by one of the finest clarinetists of our day, Julian Bliss, the Septet perform shows that combine over 200 years of musical heritage with and incredible command of Western classical and jazz. The band started out exploring the inspirational music of Benny Goodman – a passion of Julian’s since the age of 7 – and has gone from strength to strength with packed audiences and standing ovations around the world. The live show, and consequently their first album, showcased some of the best tunes of this era inspiring authenticity with a modern twist.

Most recently, the Julian Bliss Septet has delved into the treasured Tin Pan Alley sounds of Gershwin and his contemporaries. The mostloved melodies and swinging tunes explore musical stories and are showcased by original arrangement for the septet, including a suite from Porgy and Bess, an excerpt from Rhapsody in Blue and the great songs: I got rhythm, Embraceable you and Lady be Good.

$75-$105 4PM & 7PM MAR 3 & 4 26

E! L B

LA I VA A S

OW H S

Back by popular demand! You can capsulize most pop music acts by reciting how many hits they’ve had and how many millions of albums they’ve sold. But these conventional measurements fall short when you’re assessing the impact of The Beach Boys. This band has birthed a torrent of hit singles and sold albums by the tens of millions. But its greater significance lies in the fact that The Beach Boys’ songs have forever changed the musical landscape, profoundly influencing countless performing artists to follow. The Beach Boys are led by Mike Love and Bruce Johnston, who, along with Jeffrey Foskett, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill, Keith Hubacher, Christian Love and Scott Totten continue the legacy of the iconic American band. Grammywinning songwriter Bruce Johnston joined The Beach Boys in 1965, replacing Glenn Campbell, who filled-in for Brian Wilson, on vocals/bass, when he retired from touring. Highly regarded

in his field, Johnston’s vocal work with such legendary artists as Elton John and Pink Floyd firmly established him among rock’s elite artists.

Captained by Mike Love, The Beach Boys play an astoundingly busy schedule of concerts, averaging 150 shows a year, ranging from sundrenched summer festivals to gala New Year’s celebrations and special events across the globe. The Beach Boys have continued to create and perform with the same bold imagination and style that marked their explosive debut over 50 years ago. In 2013, their Capitol Records release, Sounds of Summer (RIAA certified triple platinum with over three million in sales and climbing), and its companion The Warmth of the Sun marked a resurgence in Beach Boys interest that again rocked the world.

Special Offer!

With every online ticket purchased for The Beach Boys, you’ll receive a digital copy of the Mike Love’s new double album, UNLEASH THE LOVE. You will receive an email with more details about this offer approximately 7-14 days after your purchase. This offer will be redeemed via a promo code at MusicRedemptions.com. To take advantage of this offer, please email help@MusicRedemptions.com. The Beach Boys found through their music the key to unfading youth— and they made copies for everyone. To these guys, the beach isn’t just a place where the surf comes to play— it’s where life is renewed and made whole again. Had this remarkable band been less committed to its art and its fans, it could have retired from the field with honor at dozens of points along the way, confident that it had made a lasting contribution to world culture. It could have rested on the success of the epoch-shifting Pet Sounds masterpiece in 1966… or after Mike Love’s concept album Endless Summer ignited a second generation of Beach Boys fans and stirred a tempest that rocked the music world… or after recording Love’s co-written Golden Globe nominated “Kokomo” in 1988 and seeing it become its best selling single ever… or after being inducted that same year into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame… or after watching its worldwide album sales blow past l00 million… or after winning the NARAS Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 [along with The Who, Bob Marley, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr. and Les Paul]. And still, The Beach Boys continue to have fun, fun, fun, with no end in sight. In 2012, The Beach Boys scheduled a 74 concert date limited 50th Anniversary Reunion Tour which was scheduled as a limited run reunion tour and ended in the U.S. July 15th and internationally on Sept 28th in which the original members reunited and released “That’s Why God Made the Radio.” The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts, their highest chart position in 37 years and an unprecedented milestone. In 2016, The Beach Boys celebrated the 50th anniversary of the hit “Good Vibrations,” which is widely considered one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of rock and roll. The band commemorated this prolific time in the life of the Beach Boys with a 50 Years of Good Vibrations tour. Additionally, front man Mike Love released his highly-anticipated New York Times best-selling memoir titled GOOD VIBRATIONS: My Life as a Beach Boy, in September

2016. Most recently in 2017, Love released a special double album through BMG entitled Unleash the Love. Featuring 13 previously unreleased songs and 14 re-recordings of Beach Boys classics, the album is a testament and continuation of Love’s remarkable career. Few, if any, acts can match The Beach Boys’ concert presence, spirit and performance. They were centerstage at Live Aid, multiple Farm Aids, the Statue of Liberty’s 100th Anniversary Salute, the Super Bowl and the White House. On one day alone— July 4, 1985— they played to nearly 2 million fans at shows in Philadelphia and Washington, D. C. Love’s role as the band’s front man sometimes overshadows his stature as one of rock’s foremost songwriters. “Surfin’,” The Beach Boys’ first hit came from his pen. Love wrote the classics “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “I Get Around,” “Help Me Rhonda,” “California Girls” and the Grammy nominated “Good Vibrations.” Years later, he showed he still had the lyrical chops by co-writing the irresistible and chart-topping “Kokomo.” On The Beach Boys’ horizon is a continued national/ world tour and charity activities through Mike Love’s Love Foundation, which supports national environmental and educational initiatives. Love and The Beach Boys’ recent efforts raised over a quarter of a million dollars for the Red Cross to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina and made additional contributions to the disaster relief in Haiti. The band has appeared on countless worldwide TV shows throughout the years including: The Ed Sullivan Show, Dick Clark’s American Bandstand and The Tonight Show. Other television appearances include performances on Don Imus’ MSNBC show Imus In The Morning, TNT’s NBA All-Star Game, NBC’s Macy’s Day Parade, The Today Show, PBS’ A Capitol Fourth, Good Morning America, Weekend Today, The O’Reilly Factor.

MAR 6 & 7

4PM & 8PM $55-$85

E! “mean mr. mustard”

SA VAI L

ABL “here comes the sun”

“I want you (she’s so heavy)

HOW

“she came in through the bathroom window”

“Come together”

“oh! darling” “something”

“because” “the end”

RAIN – A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES presents Abbey Road! In celebration of the anniversary of the release of Abbey Road, RAIN will bring the greatest hits to life in addition to all your early favorites. This mind-blowing performance takes you back in time with the legendary foursome delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is the next best thing to seeing the Beatles. Experience the worlds’ most iconic band and come celebrate the best of Abbey Road with RAIN – A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES.

See you at

THE STUDIO...

Henrik Ibsen

A Doll's House Translated by Christopher Hampton 30

“A Doll's House (Hampton, trans.)” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

140 years later and the house still stands. Henrik Ibsen's 1879 masterpiece about Nora and Torvald Helmer's fragile marriage was a watershed moment in both theatre and feminism. As Christmas Eve approaches and purse strings tighten; the Helmer's discover that the faรงade of their perfect lives will crumble with the stroke of a pen. Seemingly carefree Nora must face the consequences of her darkest secret and the lies she told to save her husband's life.

Preview: MAR 19-21, 2019 Opening: MAR 22, 2019 | Closing: APR 28, 2019 $15 Previews Performances | $35 Performances

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! The Studio Theatre Tierra del Sol 806 San Marino Drive, The Villages, FL 32159 www.TheSharonStudio.com | (352) 751-7799 #TheStudioTheatreTDS

Henrik Ibsen

A Doll's House Whitney Morse as Nora Helmer

won Broadway World’s award for Best Supporting Actress for Proof in the Inaugural Season at The Studio Theatre Tierra del Sol. Morse kicked off the first season in Next To Normal, The Last Five Years, Proof, and Songs for a New World. In The Studio Theatre’s second season, Morse starred in Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune as Frankie, and in Company as Amy. Over this past summer at The Studio Theatre, Morse accomplished a once-in-a-lifetime acting experience in White Rabbit Red Rabbit. She also performed a one-woman run of fourteen sold-out performances for Tell Me On a Sunday. Her Central Florida Theatre credits include The Secret Garden, 1776, and Big River (Mad Cow Theatre). Chicago: Next To Normal (Skokie Theatre), Other Desert Cities (Citadel Theatre), The Children’s Hour (Pride Films and Plays), Spike Heels (Brown Paper Box), Down Range (Genesis Theatricals), Trafford Tanzi and I Carry Your Heart (Prologue Theatre Company), Accomplice (Jedlicka Performing Arts Center), The Turn of the Screw, Jeeves at Sea, Unnecessary Farce, and The Merchant of Venice (First Folio Theater). Whitney is the Artistic Director of The Sharon and The Studio Theatre. MFA Acting - Columbia University School of the Arts. www.whitneymorse.com

Alex Jorth*

as Torvald Helmer is happily making his debut with The Studio Theatre Tierra del Sol! He is familiar with the space, however, having just appeared as Skip in Victory Productions’ Life Could Be A Dream. As a resident of Southeast Florida, Alex performs across the state with companies such as the Maltz Jupiter Theatre (Annie, Fiddler on the Roof, Billy Elliot, The Producers), Slow Burn Theatre Company (Violet), MnM Productions (La Cage Aux Follies), Palm Beach DramaWorks (A Little Night Music, 110 In The Shade), The Wick Theatre (42nd Street, Oklahoma!, Dames At Sea, etc.), TheatreZone (Godspell, Mack & Mabel, Copacabana, etc.), Alhambra Theatre (Crazy For You, Joseph..., etc.), and last but not least, alongside the Muppets at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Nationally, Alex has appeared in The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, the Footloose 10th Anniversary National Tour, and at McCarter Theatre Center, Gateway Playhouse, Porthouse Theatre, Little Theatre on the Square and many others. Alex is a proud Iowa native, Millikin University graduate (BFA Music Theatre), and Actors’ Equity Association member.

*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers, appearing under a special agreement with Actors' Equity Association.

Peter Eli Johnson as Nils Krogstad

Peter’s previous credits include SideShow (Porchlight Music Theatre Co), Both Your Houses (Remy Bumppo), The Lark (Promethean Theatre Ensemble), Man of LaMancha (Light Opera Works), as well as TimeLine Theatre, Northlight Theatre, and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Regionally, he’s worked with Great River Shakespeare Festival (MN), Riverside Shakespeare Festival (IA), Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, Texas Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Arkansas Repertory Theatre. A native of the Pacific Northwest, Peter Holds and MFA in Acting from Western Illinois University. He lives in Chicago.

Alyson Johnson as Kristine Linde

has performed for 15 years in Central Florida regional and community theatres. Some favorites include Stop Kiss, Tell Me on a Sunday and Next to Normal (Studio Theatre); Bonnie & Clyde (Garden Theatre); Young Frankenstein, Beyond Therapy, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Into the Woods, Man of La Mancha (Moonlight Players, Clermont FL); Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Noises Off, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Bay Street Players, Eustis FL). Graduate of University of Central Florida, 2001 and also 2019 (probably!) She is thrilled to be returning to The Studio Theatre, and thanks her family for their love, support, and encouragement.

LonWard Abrams as Dr. Rank

is exceedingly proud to be a part of his third straight season with The Studio Theatre at Tierra del Sol. In 2016, their inaugural year, he played the part of Robert in their multi award nominated production of Proof, for which he received a Broadway World Best Actor nomination. Last year he understudied the role of Rothko in Red and was also one of four actors chosen to perform White Rabbit Red Rabbit. He is back for the current season, understudying the role of Detective Cole in Stop Kiss as well as playing Dr. Rank in the Ibsen classic, A Doll’s House. A huge thank you goes out to Whitney Morse, Jason Goedken and everyone else responsible for bringing this exceptional professional theatre to all of us here in The Villages.

Patti McGuire as Anne-Marie

A Doll’s House will be Patti McGuire’s debut production with The Studio Theatre Tierra del Sol and she is extremely excited to have the opportunity to work with such accomplished professionals. Patti moved to Orlando when cast as the original Iowa Housewife in Menopause, The Musical. She has appeared in Central Florida productions with Mad Cow, Orlando Repertory Theatre, Winter Park Playhouse, SeaWorld, and Fringe Festival. Before moving to Florida, Patti appeared in productions in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Patti currently teaches Debate and ESE at Winter Park High School, and earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from Minnesota State University, Mankato. She is looking forward to retiring from teaching and being able to devote more time to acting, traveling, and riding her Harley.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! 33

BACKSTAGE AT THE SHARON

Every year, a small team from The Sharon makes a trip to the Association of Performing Arts Prof Conference to scout out new and upcoming shows. It is here, that a lot of the magic happens behind-th

Our staff is able to see a ton of talent in a few action-packed days and make decisions on upcomi bookings that we all get to enjoy on The Sharon’s stage, season after season. Our Booking Coordinator E Constant, Artistic Director Whitney Morse, Technical Director Kenny Constant, and our Operations Jason Goedken, all made the chilly trip up to New York City last month to kick off the New Year by fi some fantastic shows to bring home to The Villages, Florida. What shows did they choose this year? Yo to stay tuned to our future show announcements to find out!

N Solei is the Whi Red that Th Theatr last

Don’t Tell Mama in New York City is where Artistic Director Whitney Morse got the Inspiration to bring Don’t Tell Nonnie open-mic nights to The Sharon’s Lobby Lounge!

Booking Coordinato

Elizabeth Constan

fessionals he-scenes!

ing show Elizabeth Manager finding us ouâ€™ll have

with Technical Director

Kenny Constant

Nassim imanpour e writer of ite Rabbit d Rabbit The Studio re produced summer!

Operations Manager

Jason Goedken

nt 35

THE SHARON SCHEDULE

February 2

DON THREE McLEAN TENORS + One

On Sale Today!

Farruquito

On Sale Today!

VIENNA B OYS CHOIR

Tony Tony OrLando OrLando 4pm & 7pm

4pm & 7pm

DAVID FOSTER

3pm & 7pm

Wayne Newton

Julian Bliss

Septet

On Sale Today!

DAVID FOSTER

March 3

On Sale Today!

STEEP CANYON

RANGERS

Jay Leno

Judy Collins

Classical Concert

24 31

On Sale Today!

L inda Eder

The Sharon is now oďŹ€ering Acting Classes: ACTING CLASSES (Some sessions ages 14+)

Whether you are a beginning theatre artist, seeking first time experience, or a seasoned professional, wanting to improve your skills, our classes are constructed to teach and improve theatre artists at any level of his or her capability. Level 1 .............................$250 Level 2 .............................$250 Level 3 .............................$250 Acting classes meet 3 hours a week for 6 weeks.

CURRENT SCHEDULE ACTING LEVEL 1

ACTING LEVEL 2

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

May 6th at The Studio May 13th at The Studio May 20th at The Studio May 27th at The Studio June 3rd at The Sharon June 10th at The Sharon

March 28th at The Studio April 4th at The Studio April 11th at The Studio April 18th at The Studio April 25th at The Studio May 2nd at The Studio

with Nathaniel Niemi

with Whitney Morse

For questions and registration visit: The Sharon Box Office | www.TheSharon.com/academy | 352-751-7799

GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE

Purchase at any of The Villages® box oﬃce locations. #TheSharon

Performing Arts Theatres of The VillagesÂŽ

1545 N Buena Vista Boulevard

1051 Main Street

806 San Marino Drive

The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center has a mission to provide quality entertainment to The VillagesÂŽ and its surrounding communities. www.TheSharon.com | #TheSharon 1051 Main Street, The Villages, FL 32159

Our mission is to inspire the residents of Central Florida to examine relevant issues by elevating them through innovative and intimate storytelling. Think outside the box, inside the box at The Studio Theatre. www.TheSharonStudio.com | #TheStudioTheatreTDS 806 San Marino Dr, The Villages, FL 32159 ÂŠ 2019 The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center. Prices and availability subject to change without notice.