Texas Tenors Play Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts, 2/4

 First discovered in 2009 on TVs reality show "America's Got Talent," The Texas Tenors now enjoy international repute as powerful entertainers who weave effortlessly from John Denver to Puccini, Merle Haggard and Leonard Bernstein. This made-in-America Texas trio takes their audience on a musical ride from West Virginia to Italy to New York City, pausing between genres to swap tales big and small and smile wide to roaring applause.  Their voices boom and blend with the power and beauty of that other famous trio of tenors, deeply resonating with listeners of every stripe.  And, yes, they're awfully nice to look at!

     On Saturday, February 4 at 7 p.m. they'll be center stage at the Spencer Theater, singing favorites like O Sole Mio, Rawhide, Deep In The Heart of Texas, Torna a Surriento, Danny Boy, Nessun Dorma, My Way, Unchained Melody, Mountain Music, Sometimes I Dreamand more.  Excellent seats are available for $79 & $76. Call the Spencer Box Office at 575.336.4800 or go online towww.spencertheater.com for tickets.

     Patrons are also invited to a pre-performance barbecue brisket buffet in the Spencer lobby. Buffet cost is $20 per person and service starts at 5 p.m.

     In the past two years The Texas Tenors have performed more than 300 concerts crisscrossing the globe and appearing in a variety of venues including performances with such prestigious institutions as the Houston Symphony, the Van Cliburn and Autry Foundations, The Royal Theatre of Scotland, Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino Las Vegas, MGM Grand Foxwoods, Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas (largest cruise ship in the world) and the Pro Bull Riders World Championships to name a few.  And just last month, the trio was named the 2011 Branson Critics Ensemble of the Year and the 2011 Branson Show Awards' Group of the Year.

About the artists:

John Hagen has been described as "astonishing… a superb tenor of deep musicality" making his Lincoln Center debut in New York City in Teatro Grattacielo's mounting of Mascagni's  Gulglielmo Ratcliff.  Mr. Hagen created 3 tenor roles in the world premier of The Lost Dauphane for Pamiro Opera airing on PBS.  John has performed a vast array of operatic roles ranging from Alfredo in "La Traviata" to the title role of "Otello" for Cleveland Opera on tour.  His favorite Broadway roles include Billy Bigelow in "Carousel" and Che in "Evita."  John has received many awards and accolades throughout his career including finalist in the New Jersey Opera Association of Verismo Opera competition held at Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Opera Auditions Regional Finalist, and winner of numerous competitions mounted by the National Association of Teachers of Singing.  Mr. Hagen is highly regarded for his performances of the Verdi Requiem and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 performing these works with the Austin Symphony (TX), Corpus Christi Symphony (TX), Omaha Symphony, Nebraska Chamber Orchestra, Cedar Rapids Symphony, and the Haverford Chorale in Philadelphia.  John has taught voice at Wartburg College and at his alma mater, the University of Northern Iowa.

J.C. Fisher has entertained audiences around the world for the past 15 years. With a passion for sports, he also enjoyed singing in church and eventually discovered a deeper love for music in college.  While earning his Bachelor's Degree in Music, JC performed various roles including Rodolfo in La Boheme, Tamino in The Magic Flute, Ernesto in Don Pasquale, and Henrick in A Little Night Music.  After college, JC traveled to Lucca, Italy where he sang in the Puccini festival under the direction of acclaimed Italian maestro Lorenzo Malfatti.  Singing everything from Country to Gospel led to one of JC's favorite experiences singing along side Rudy Gatlin in "Annie Get Your Gun" and Oklahoma in Branson, Missouri.  He has performed solo on more than 75 cruise ships worldwide.

Marcus Collins was born in a small town and began to sing at the age of 4.  He first learned how to sing by emulating his favorite radio artists such as Garth Brooks and George Michael before training classically in college.  Along with numerous talent shows, fairs, and cruise ships, Marcus has also performed in New York City with the cast of "Hairspray," Off-Broadway's "Altar Boyz" as Matthew, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," and as Jinx in "Forever Plaid."  Beyond music, he has worked extensively as an actor with appearances in over 100 episodes of network television, 25 films, and numerous commercials including P.S. I Love You, Across The Universe, 30 Rock, Terminator:  The Sarah Conner Chronicles, Sex and the City, recurring roles on One Life To Live ad As The World Turns, and the lead character in the video game Alone in the Dark.

Blended together, the performance style of The Texas Tenors is awesome.  See for yourself at the Spencer, Saturday, February 4 at 7 p.m.!

Next Up:

• Sunday, February 12 at 6 p.m. Guild Valentine Soiree ($50). Taking place on the elegantly decorated stage of the Spencer Theater, the celebration includes a gourmet three-course dinner, a complimentary cocktail and dancing to the Michael Francis Trio.

     • Thursday, February 23 at 7 p.m. Damn Yankees, The Home-Run Broadway Musical ($79 & $76).  Home-runs, hit songs and a sizzling siren named Lola have made Damn Yankees a musical comedy favorite for years.  Winner of 8 Tony Awards, this musical featuring 30 singers, dancers and orchestra musicians is about a young 1950s baseball zealot who sells his soul to the Devil to help his favorite team win the pennant only to realize there's more to life than homeruns.  Filled with hit songs like Whatever Lola Wants and You Gotta have Heart.

     A public pre-performance Stadium Dogs Buffet featuring Omaha Beef dogs and 21 condiments (everything you'd find at a professional ballpark), nacho salad, crabby fries with Old Bay Seasoning, etc, will be in the Crystal Lobby at 5 p.m.; $20 per person.

     • Saturday, March 3 at 7 p.m. Las Cruces Chamber Orchestra ($59 & $56). Under the artistic direction of Maestro Lonnie Klein, the orchestra performs Mozart's Violin Concerto #5 in A Major K 219 with featured soloist Eva León on violin; Mozart's Symphony #35 in D Major "Haffner" K 385 among other grand works.

     • Friday, March 16 at 7 p.m. Marty Stuart & The Fabulous Superlatives ($79 & $76). Barn-burning honky tonk and hillbilly rock is the hallmark country roots sound of Marty Stuart, the four-time Grammy winning star who first became a chart-topper in the 90s. Performing with his rustic The Fabulous Superlatives band on vocals, banjo, steel, upright bass, drums & guitar,  Stuart will share some of his greatest hits like Tempted, Honky Tonker, Arlene, Hillbilly Rock, The Wiskey Ain't Workin' and This One's Gonna Hurt You.

     The same evening, a public pre-performance Fried Chicken Buffet will be provided in the Crystal Lobby at 5 p.m.; $20 per person.

     • Saturday, April 14 at 7 p.m. Country Royalty: Jason Petty & Carolyn Martin Pay Tribute To Hank Williams & Patsy Cline ($69 & $66). Jason Petty, the 2003 Obie Award winning star of Hank Williams: Lost Highway joins forces with Carolyn Martin, the 2008 Western Swing Female Vocalist of the Year in tribute to two of country music's greatest legends. A public pre-performance Short Ribs Buffet will be in the Crystal Lobby at 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person.

     • Saturday, April 21 at 7 p.m. Spencers Theatre of Illusion ($59 & $56) Honored as the International Magicians of the Year and the Performing Arts Entertainers of the Year, the mind-boggling Spencers brings a new twist to magic that infuses amazing illusions with high-technology lighting and music, a magnificent set design and dramatic theatrical elements. A public pre-performance Roast Turkey Buffet will be in the Crystal Lobby at 5 p.m.; $20 per person.

     • Saturday, April 28 at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. Coppélia Ruidoso Dance Ensemble ($28) A true marriage of romance and hilarity, Coppelia is a full-length, heart-warming story about two young lovers and a romantic toy-maker who thinks he has magical powers.  This original adaptation by RDE features gorgeous sets & costumes and outstanding dancers.

     • Saturday, May 5 at 7 p.m. Gary Puckett & The Union Gap ($69 & $66). A major force on the airwaves starting in the 60s, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap forged a series of massive chart-topping ballads with earnestness and melodrama. They garnered six consecutive gold records and 10 top  Billboard hits for Young Girl, Woman Woman, Lady Willpower, Over You and This Girl Is A Woman Now. Expect these songs and other hits at Puckett's gig at the Spencer.

     That same evening, a publicv pre-performance Angus Burger Buffet will be in the Crystal Lobby at 5 p.m.; $20 per person.

     Get your season tickets now! Call the Spencer Theater at 575.336.4800 or go online to www.spencertheater.com.  (The site allows for secure ordering). You may also request a brochure with show descriptions be mailed to your home or business.

 

WAYS TO ORDER/ BUY TICKETS

 

GO TO THE BOX OFFICE: at the theater at108 Spencer Road, 108 Spencer Road, Airport Highway 220, Alto, NM.  Business hours are 9 a.m-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.  For tickets or information call (575) 336-4800 or toll free at 888.818.7872.

ON THE WEB: www.spencertheater.com.  The site offers secure ticket ordering.

BY FAX: series and single tickets can be ordered by fax at (575) 336-0055.

BY E-MAIL: single tickets may be ordered at boxoffice@spencertheater.com.

BY MAIL: Donna Clarke, Box Office Manager, Spencer Theater, 108 Spencer Road, Alto, NM 88312.

 

Winter Season 2011-2012 is sponsored in part by The Hugh Bancroft Jr. Foundation, The Lodge at Sierra Blanca, the Inn of the Mountain Gods, Sierra Blanca Motors, Ruidoso Ford-Lincoln-Mercury, R.D. & Joan Dale Hubbard Foundation, Ventanas, The Enjoyment of Fine Southwestern Living, Rainmakers, New Mexico Magazine, Ruidoso.net, MTD Media radio stations KRUI-1490 AM, KIDX 101.5 FM, KNMB–96.7 FM, KTUM 107.1 FM, KWES 93.5 FM, KBUY 1360 AM and KWES 1450 AM Fox Sports; KEDU 102.3 FM, KOBR Channel 8, Burt Broadcasting in Alamogordo KZZX 105.3 FM, and the publicity support of Ruidoso News, Ruidoso Free Press, Ruidoso.net and Ruidosoattractions.com.

 

Spencer Theater is a world-class performance hall located in the Sacramento Mountain settlement of Alto, about 12 miles north of downtown Ruidoso. Unique architecture, outstanding acoustics, intimate seating, and excellent artistry are the Spencer's celebrated features.  The elegant, award-winning hall, which first raised its curtains in 1997, seats 514, with no seats farther than 67 feet from the 4,770 square-foot stage.  The Spencer also has a 964 square-foot outdoor stage that can seat 1,500. From its Spanish mica-flecked limestone face to the crystal lobby, the building itself is a work of art.  Free public tours are offered at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the year.

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