Program Insert - Opening Night

Season Opening Celebration!

Brian Stokes Mitchell & Kelli O’Hara

Friday, September 19, 2014 at 8 pm

Brian Stokes Mitchell & Kelli O’Hara Brian Stokes Mitchell Dubbed “The Last Leading Man” by the New York Times, Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a rich and varied career on Broadway, television and film, along with appearances in the great American concert halls.

His musical versatility has kept him in demand by some of the country’s finest conductors and orchestras. He has performed selections from “Porgy and Bess” with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony at Carnegie Hall; Performed works by Aaron Copland and various contemporary composers at the Hollywood Bowl with the L.A. Philharmonic under the batons of Leonard and John Mauceri; Broadway tunes at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC under the baton of the late Marvin Hamlisch (most recently at the National Symphony Orchestra’s 75th season Pops concert debut), and Jazz and standards with Maestro John Williams at Disney Hall and with the Boston Pops. He debuted Pulitzer prize-winning composer David Del Tredici’s “Rip Van Winkle” with the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Slatkin. He has been invited to the White House and has performed for Presidents Carter, Clinton and Obama.

In 2005 he made his cabaret debut as both singer and musical arranger in New York at Feinstein’s at the Regency in his critically acclaimed one-man show “Love/Life” which then moved to the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center. He received both the New York Bistro and Nightlife awards for his cabaret debut.

He headlined the Carnegie Hall concert presentation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific” with Reba McEntire, which aired on PBS in the Spring of 2006.

His Broadway career includes performances in Man of La Mancha (Tony nomination and Helen Hayes Award); Kiss Me Kate (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards); Ragtime (Tony nomination); August Wilson’s King Hedley II (Tony nomination); Kiss of the Spider Woman; Jelly’s Last Jam; David Merrick’s Oh, Kay! and Mail, which earned him a Theatre World award for outstanding Broadway Debut.

In 2011, Stokes returned to Broadway after a 7-year absence to do concerts, film and TV and spend some family time with his young son. The show was Lincoln Center Theatre’s production of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown which also starred Patti LuPone.

Based on the Pedro Almodovar film of the same name, Stokes played the philandering Ivan. The cast album was released the same year.

At Encores he has starred in “Do, Re, Mi” and “Carnival” most recently starring in “Kismet.”

In 1998 he joined the likes of Helen Hayes, Sir John Gielgud, Alec Guinness and James Earl Jones when he became the sole recipient of that year’s Distinguished Performance Award from the Drama League, the nation’s oldest theatrical honor, for his performance in “Ragtime.”

Television credits include a seven year stint on “Trapper John, MD,” recurring roles on “Crossing Jordan” and “Frasier,” PBS’ “Great Performances,” DreamWorks’ “The Prince of Egypt” (singing “Through Heaven’s Eyes”), and his “Presidential Debut” in “The Singer and the Song” from the White House.

In May of 2011, Stokes appeared in the film “Jumping The Broom.”

Stokes has continued to stay active in the recording world as well. He has appeared on more than 20 albums as a cast member or

Our Mission

Mayo Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, presents a wide range of programs that entertain, enrich, and educate the diverse population of the region and enhance the economic vitality of Northern New Jersey.

The 2014-2015 season is made possible, in part, by a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as support received from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, F.M. Kirby Foundation and other numerous foundations, corporations and individuals.

FM KIRBY FOUNDATION

Media Partner

THE BLANCHE & IRVING LAURIE FOUNDATION As a courtesy to the artists and for the uninterrupted enjoyment of your fellow patrons, please turn off all electronic devices. Please unwrap any lozenges before the performance begins. No portion of this performance may be photographed, recorded, filmed, taped, broadcast or mechanically reproduced without the written consent of the Artist and/or the Presenter. Mayo Performing Arts Center is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

special guest. In 2006 he released his selftitled album as the inaugural artist on the newly-formed Playbill Records label.

In late 2012, Stokes released his sophomore album “Simply Broadway.” Inspired by classic piano/vocal albums of the American Songbook, Stokes decided to use this same simple approach using songs from the Broadway Canon. Stokes and his pianist, Tedd Firth, coarranged and recorded 25 songs, 12 of which made it onto “Simply Broadway” (a release of the other songs is sure to follow).

The recordings were made in the “old style” - singer and pianist recording together in the same room at the same time without overdubs.

USA Today picked “Simply Broadway” as one of the “Best albums of 2013” and Stokes continues to tour his concert version of that album. Simply Broadway is available on iTunes, Amazon and CD Baby.

In May, he performed as King Arthur in a one -night-only Gala concert at the Kennedy Center in “Camelot.” This past summer, he made his “Shakespeare in the Park” debut as Don Pedro in “Much Ado About Nothing.” For the 2014 holiday season, Stokes will be touring with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under the baton of John Morris Russel.

For fun he has been known to fly planes and jump out of them, and can ride a bicycle on a high wire.

Stokes has enjoyed working with numerous charitable organizations from the March of Dimes to the USO, most recently participating in a concert, CD and DVD that raised money for the community of Sandy Hook and Newtown, CT after their terrible tragedy.

He is in his 10th term as Chairman of the Board of the Actors’ Fund (www.actorsfund.org).

Stokes resides in New York City with his wife, son and rescued mutt, Diggidy.

Kelli O’Hara Kelli O’Hara has unequivocally established herself as one of Broadway’s great leading ladies. She recently created the role of Francesca Johnson in the new musical The Bridges of Madison County, for which she received her 5th Tony Award Nomination (also Drama Desk, Drama League and OCC nominations). Prior to that, she starred in Far From Heaven at Playwrights Horizon as well as a long run in Nice Work If You Can Get It for which she garnered her 4th Tony Award Nomination. Other Broadway credits include: South Pacific (Tony, Drama Desk Nominations, OCC Nominations), Pajama Game (Tony, Drama Desk, OCC Nominations), The Light in the Piazza (Tony, Drama Desk Nominations), Sweet Smell of Success, Follies and Dracula.

Regional/Off Broadway credits include: Far From Heaven at WTF, King Lear at the Public Theater, Bells Are Ringing at City Center Encores, Sunday in the Park with George at Reprise, My Life With Albertine at Playwright’s Horizons and Beauty at the La Jolla Playhouse.

Kelli starred in the New York Philharmonic productions of Carousel & My Fair Lady, receiving critical acclaim for her portrayal of Julie Jordan and as Eliza Doolittle respectively.

Kelli’s concerts span from Carnegie Hall to Capitol Hill and in between. She has performed three times at the Kennedy Honors and frequently appears on the Memorial Day and July 4th PBS live telecasts.

Among her film and television credits are Sex & The City 2, “Blue Bloods,” Martin Scorsese’s The Key to Reserva opposite Simon Baker, The Dying Gaul starring Patricia Clarkson, “Alexander Hamilton” (PBS), “NUMB3RS” (CBS), “All My Children,” the animated series “Car Talk,” and numerous live performances on national television shows. She will play “Mrs. Darling” in the upcoming NBC presentation of Peter Pan.

Performing Arts Company

Matt Adamo Samantha Alexandra Julianna Belles Josh Berg Sara Brazofsky Justin Chimoff Mollie DeFilippo Brittany Duhaney Brianna Ennis Victoria Fanning Abby Fletcher

Amanda Fletcher Christian Harvey Alissa Kapp Rachel Levy Madelin Morales Taylor Olsen Clarissa Po Lauren Rapp Maria Schneider Shannon Turer

Save the Date!

Friday, January 30, 2015

A concert 20 years in the making!

20th Anniversary Celebration Concert featuring Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra Valery Gergiev returns to MPAC for the first time since he opened the theatre on September 29, 1994 Tickets $69-$150