A Stephen Sondheim Musical Tribute To Steve With Love

Symphony of the Americas & Music Director Pablo Mielgo welcome Emmy Award-winner and Tony nominated actress, singer and recording artist, Liz Callaway, in a special tribute performance celebrating the legacy of Stephen Sondheim. The exclusive Florida engagement takes place Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 7:45 pm at Broward Center for Performing Arts in the Amaturo Theater.

Sondheim was a singular musical theater giant. His music and lyrics shaped the modern Broadway stage and redefined the Broadway musical with his new formula.

“I fell in love with Sondheim music when I was 10 years old, when my parents took me to see my first Broadway show, Company. I brought home the cast album and memorized every song. Little did I know that his music would become part of my DNA. I’ll always be grateful to Steve for taking a chance on me, for his guidance, and for giving me ‘so much stuff to sing,’” said Liz Callaway in an interview with Playbill Magazine, December 29, 2021.

That experience was life changing for Callaway. Ten years later, she made her Broadway debut in Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. She received a Tony Award nomination for her performance in Baby, and for five years, she won acclaim as Grizabella in Cats. Callaway also starred in the original casts of Miss Saigon, The Three Musketeers, and The Look of Love

Callaway has performed in off-Broadway productions and received a Drama Desk nomination for her performance in The Spitfire Grill (Playwrights Horizons). Her New York appearances include the legendary Follies in Concert at Lincoln Center, A Stephen Sondheim Evening.

As a concert and recording artist, she and her sister Ann Hampton Callaway created the award-winning Sibling Rivalry, and Boom!, a celebration of the music of the 60’s and 70’s. In 2022, Callaway released her latest album

To Steve With Love, which was recorded during a live performance at New York’s 54 Below, for which she recently

March received the 2022 BroadwayWorld Cabaret Award for “Best Show, Celebrity”. Callaway also premiered a new concert featuring the music of Stephen Sondheim worldwide in 9 countries including China, France, and Barcelona Spain.

Her distinctive voice has been heard in animated feature films. Callaway sang the Academy Award nominated song

“Journey to the Past” in the animated feature Anastasia and is the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin and the King of Thieves and The Return of Jafar Her additional film work includes the singing voice of the title character in The Swan Princess, Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride, and Beauty and the Beast.

The Program (selections include)

“Merrily We Roll Along Overture” from Merrily We Roll Along

“What More Do I Need” from Saturday Night

“Broadway Baby” from Follies

“Old Friends/Like It Was” from Merrily We Roll Along

“Comedy Tonight” from A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to The Forum

“Anyone Can Whistle” from Anyone Can Whistle

“Our Time” from Merrily We Roll Along

“Sweeney Todd Suite” from Sweeney Todd

“The Miller’s Son” from A Little Night Music

“Children Will Listen” from Into The Woods

“Follies Overture” from Follies

“Losing My Mind” from Follies

“Being Alive” from Company

Symphony of the Americas enters its 35th season in 2022-2023 under the direction of Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Pablo Mielgo. The internationallyrecognized artist from Spain, Mielgo, continues Symphony of the Americas’ commitment to serving South Florida’s multicultural population with diverse programming. Symphony of the Americas represents a cultural crossroads of music, ranging from classical to Broadway showcasing artistic excellence and globally-recognized guest artists. This season, Mielgo and The Symphony have set a goal to engage more deeply with the community.

Author: Jan Mitchell PR | Photo Courtesy of LizCallway.com

On March 15, 2023, Tony Award-winning performer Bernadette Peters will be delighting audiences with a one-night only concert at West Palm Beach’s Kravis Center. Singing Broadway favorites that only Peters knows how to do best, everyone in attendance is bound for a remarkable evening.

With an illustrious career spanning five decades, Peters’ voice, talent, and stage presence has made her a legend of stage and screen. As one of Broadway’s most critically acclaimed artists, she has earned three Tony Awards, a Golden Globe, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Some of her most notable roles include the Witch in Into the Woods, Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun, Mama Rose in Gypsy, and in 2018, Peters replaced Bette Midler as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!

OutClique had the opportunity to catch up with Peters before her upcoming South Florida appearance.

Denny Patterson: Thank you for taking some time to chat with me, Bernadette! Can you begin by telling us what we can expect from your concert at the Kravis Center?

Bernadette Peters: Since I was in Hello, Dolly! in 2018, I’ve added in two numbers from the show, “Before the Parade Passes By” and “So Long Dearie.” They’re a lot of fun and the audience really enjoys them, and I also have a brand-new opening!

Denny Patterson: What do you always hope audiences take away from your concerts?

Bernadette Peters: First of all, and above all else, I hope that they’re entertained, and that can cover so many things. Thoughtfulness, fun, emotions, something that makes them remember a happy moment in their life. I have a lot of fun things, and I even tell a joke or two, but I also have dramatic songs. And I do a lot of Sondheim, and he talks about the healing conditions so tenderly, sensitively, and thoughtfully. Of course, there are songs that remind me of special moments in my life, like “No One Is Alone” and “Children Will Listen.” I feel like it's a privilege to be up there singing to people and singing songs that I choose, because when you do your own show, it’s about the songs that you want to sing. It’s not about the character. Yes, they’re character driven, but when you play a character, you’re given the song, and that’s it. I sing songs that other characters sing because when I sit in the wing, I’m listening. I’m the audience, and think, oh, I love that song.

Denny Patterson: Is there a song from your set that is the most meaningful to you?

Bernadette Peters: They all have a different meaning to me, and I choose these songs because I connect to them deeply and in a special way. So, each one is important.

Denny Patterson: Your entertainment career has spanned for decades. For those who don't know, how did this journey begin for you?

Bernadette Peters: My mother said I used to sing in front of the television when I was little, which I probably did because I love all kinds of music. So, she took me to singing lessons, and when I was five, I was on The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour. Even before that, I was on Juvenile Jury, and that was the first thing I ever did. So, I really grew up in the business. I had a normal childhood because I went to public school until I was 13, but my career was more of a hidden hobby then. I didn’t want the kids to know I was different, so I didn’t talk about it as much (laughs). Then when I was 13, I went on the road and understudied Dainty June in the second national tour of Gypsy. Then cut to years later, I’m playing Mama Rose. What was interesting about it when I was a kid, my mother came along with me, but so did my sister because she was the understudy for Louise. When I did it on stage, it felt like a recreation of my childhood.

Denny Patterson: What keeps performing new and exciting for you?

Bernadette Peters: I'm always about growing and learning. That's why I choose songs that have a lot of meaning. They always reveal something new to me and take me on a journey. Staying open to the creativity that comes in when I sing, that’s what keeps it new and exciting, and acting is the same way. I’m always growing, and it’s all about how much more I can connect with the audience. How can we all have this experience together? They come in and sit down, but I’m on that side of the stage, and we’ll have this exciting journey together. This special moment in the theater.

Denny Patterson: What was the best advice you received when you first started on Broadway?

Bernadette Peters: My first acting teacher, his name was David Le Grant, and he said to never copy anybody. Never try to be like anyone else. They already have one of those. The way emotions come out of you, that’s the original way. There’s only one of you, and always bring that to the table. That way, people will go, oh, I want her because she’s different from anybody else. I like what I’m feeling from her. She’s not trying to do this in the style of whomever else.

Denny Patterson: Some of your most memorable roles include Dot in Sunday in the Park with George, the Witch in Into the Woods, and Mama Rose in Gypsy, which are all Stephen Sondheim shows. What was it truly like working with him?

Bernadette Peters: It was wonderful. If you do revivals, a lot of the time, the author has passed on. Steve was always involved. If you asked him what this line meant, what does it mean when a character does this, could you take more time here, he would go, wait a minute. Let me think about that. He would go through his brain, which was amazing. When he wrote, he explored all possibilities, and he would find the best one. It was like having Shakespeare right there.

Denny Patterson: There were rumors that you were going to be involved with his last musical, Square One Is this true or not?

Bernadette Peters: I did the last reading with Nathan Lane, and then Steve passed on. So, I don’t know what’s going to happen with that show.

Denny Patterson: What are some upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for?

Bernadette Peters: It was announced that Carol Burnett will have her 90th birthday celebration on April 26, so I will be doing a few things on that, which I think will be a lot of fun. Then there’s something else, but it hasn’t been announced yet, so I can’t talk about it right now.

Denny Patterson: Yes, I was very happy to hear that you will be involved with Carol Burnett's 90th birthday special. What kind of impact has she had on you?

Bernadette Peters: She’s just so full of kindness. I recently watched her on Finding Your Roots , and she talks about the man who gave her money to go to New York. Carol thought he was just drunk on champagne, but his wife said, no, he means it. So, he gave her his card, and when she went to his office, he said, I’m going to give you the money to go to New York, but there are conditions. You pay me back if and when you can, no interest, and you promise to help other young performers. She saw me in an Off-Broadway show in New York, and one of her dearest friends happened to be the partner of my manager. She came to see the show, and while we were talking, she mentioned that was going to have a new TV variety show. I was the first person she booked, and she brought me back year after year after year. That was so kind of her, and I love her so much.

Denny Patterson: What more do you hope to accomplish with your career?

Bernadette Peters: Oh, plenty! I think I’m ready to do a play. Although, I would miss singing, so maybe I could hum a few tunes within the play (laughs). I’d also love to do some more television, and I’m just ready to take on some more interesting roles. Things are happening. I would also love for Broadway Barks to expand even more, where we can help more animals with medical needs. They’re here for us. There are people that are so lonely, and all they have is their animal. Companion animals are very precious, and they serve an important purpose, which many people came to realize during the pandemic. So many animals were adopted.

Denny Patterson: Before we wrap up, do you have any other project or anything else you’d like to mention or plug?

Bernadette Peters: Just the Carol Burnett special on April 26 on NBC, and then a couple other projects that I can’t talk about just yet, but stay tuned!

Author: Denny Patterson | Photo Courtesy of Andrew Eccles