Broadway Records to Release KYLE TAYLOR PARKER and ANNA CHRISTIE

Broadway Records will release two albums tomorrow, August 16, 2019: Kyle Taylor Parker: Broadway Soul, Vol. 1 and the world premiere recording of Anna Christie. Both albums will be available digitally, in stores, and at www.BroadwayRecords.com.

Kyle Taylor Parker: Broadway Soul, Vol. 1

Drawn from and inspired by Kyle Taylor Parker's hit series "The Soul Sessions," his debut solo album "Broadway Soul, Vol. 1" reimagines Broadway classics with an R&B twist. Featuring an eclectic array of songs from musicals as diverse as Anything Goes, The Phantom of the Opera, Next to Normal, The Wiz, Hairspray and more, putting soulful vocals on display while shining a light on his unique experience and perspective as an artist of color.

Of the record, Kyle says, "As a kid I would check out Broadway cast recordings and solo albums from the public library, close my eyes and imagine the performances. I'd escape the sometimes challenging realities of living in the Midwest and imagine myself front row with the greats. Enraptured in the force and presence of Lillias White's voice on the Actor's FundDreamgirls recording, enchanted by the charming coos of Bernadette Peters at Carnegie Hall and inspired by Billy Porter "At the Corner of Broadway and Soul," I was comforted and dreamed of the day when I would move to the big city and make my mark on the great white way. I wanted to make an album that brought Broadway to the listener in a way they'd never thought of it. This album is dedicated to my twelve-year-old self sitting on his bedroom floor eyes shut tight wanting nothing more than to be a part of it all."

"Broadway Soul, Vol 1." Track Listing:

1. Anything
2. I'm Alive
3. Out Tonight
4. Think of Me
5. Ol' Man River
6. I Feel Pretty
7. No Bad News
8. Run and Tell That
9. Do You Hear the People Sing?
10. We Are Young

To celebrate the release, Kyle will appear at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2, 196 Allen Street NYC, on Sunday, September 8 at 8:45pm. Tickets to the release concert can be purchased athttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/kyle-taylor-parker-tickets-63388601012.

Originally cast as an Angel in the Broadway production of Kinky Boots, Kyle Taylor Parker went on to headline the First National Tour of Kinky Boots as Lola and later became the first actor to replace Tony Award-winner Billy Porter in the role on Broadway. Over the last decade Kyle has been seen on Broadway, television, and on some of the most celebrated stages in the country including the Apollo and Radio City Music Hall. Kyle moved on from Kinky Boots to be featured in the original Broadway cast of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Smokey Joe's Café revival Off Broadway, and NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Live! All of this while carving out unique place for himself in the music scene by marrying his love of musical theatre and Soul/R&B. In 2017 Kyle started a series of YouTube videos called "The Soul Sessions" with collaborator Joshua Stephen Kartes. The pair would take popular songs from the Broadway canon and outfit them as bona fide soul standards. This video series quickly became a live concert series and showcases of Kyle's unique powerhouse vocals; described by All About Jazz as "a clarion crisp voice... that lives on freedom rather than any fuel." Connect with Kyle at @ktpway on all social platforms.

ANNA CHRISTIE

ANNA CHRISTIE explores the lost relationship of a woman and her father, and the sailor she falls in love with. Anna suffered a life of hardship and carries a dark secret from her past. An emotionally charged reunion with her father, a captain of a coal barge, intensifies when a merchant sailor is pulled from the cold, dark waters of the Atlantic on a foggy night. When the fog clears, Anna, the sailor and her father are caught in a riveting struggle between love and the sea, changing their lives forever. The sea is a powerful symbol in the play and serves to heal Anna. O'Neill, having lived by the docks in New York City's waterfront, was well acquainted with the sailors, saloons and night life that he wrote about with such passion and authenticity. The play won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1922 having made its Broadway debut at the Vanderbilt Theatre. The play was later adapted into a 1930 Hollywood film starring Greta Garbo in her first talking picture.

ANNA CHRISTIE is a story of survival that explores family, forgiveness and fierce feminism long before its time. This new and vibrant musical interpretation is evocative of old New York, while straddling both the dramatic leitmotifs of opera and the immediacy and forward momentum of musical theatre writing.

Following the successful world premiere stage production by Encompass New Opera Theatre, directed by Nancy Rhodes, music director Julian Wachner, NOVUS NY and the original cast gathered for two days at Bunker Studio in Brooklyn with legendary producer Thomas Z. Shepard (Sondheim, Bernstein) to record this dynamic score.

The creative team for Anna Christie includes Edward Thomas (Composer, GRAMMY Nominee), Joseph Masteroff (Librettist, TONY Winner), Julian Wachner (Conductor, GRAMMY Nominee), NOVUS NY (Orchestra), Thomas Z. Shepard (Producer, 12-time GRAMMY Winner), Nancy Rhodes (Artistic Director, Encompass New Opera Theatre) and features Melanie Long (Prototype Festival, New York City Opera) as Anna Christie, Frank Basile (Metropolitan Opera) as Chris Christopherson, Jonathan Estabrooks (Carnegie Hall, Seattle Symphony) as Mat Burke, Joy Hermalyn (Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music Live!) as Marthy Owens and Mike Pirozzi (All About Walken, The Boychick Affair!) as Larry the Bartender.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

MELANIE LONG (Anna Christie) is an American mezzo-soprano whose unique vocal prowess has been described as "easily switch-hitting from high coloratura to Broadway belt" (New York Post) and whose powerfully interpretive stagecraft is in high demand. Ms. Long has been featured in several premieres, including the East Coast premiere of Stewart Wallace's Hopper's Wife with New York City Opera, and productions such as Michael Gordon's Acquanetta and Julian Wachner's Rev 23, both with the renowned Prototype Festival. Ms. Long began her career with Des Moines Metro Opera as Papagena in The Magic Flute, Oscar in Un Ballo in Maschera and Ännchen in Der Freischütz. She has performed with the English National Opera, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the New York International Fringe Festival, the Oslo Opera House, and throughout the United Kingdom and United States.

Frank Basile (Chris Christopherson) graduated from Indiana University and immediately made his European debut in Turandot in Augsburg, Germany, and his American debut with The Washington Opera in The Saint of Bleecker Street, directed by Gian Carlo Menotti. Following four years as a musical ambassador with The Air Force Singing Sergeants in Washington, DC, he has performed with such companies and concert halls as the Metropolitan Opera, Baltimore Opera, Sarasota Opera, Nevada Opera, Utah Opera, Shreveport Opera, Carnage Hall, Constitution Hall, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Kennedy Center, National Cathedral, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, St. John's Cathedral, and the White House. With Encompass, Mr. Basile created the role of Peccavit in the world premiere of The Astronaut's Tale, performed Capital Four in the American premiere of Gertrude Stein's opera Capital Capitals, and now dedicates his performance as Chris Christopherson to his late wife Celeste Holm who performed Anna Christie on Broadway in 1953.

Hailed by The New York Times as "a robust baritone," JONATHAN ESTABROOKS (Mat Burke) is a Canadian baritone, producer, and Juilliard graduate. Mr. Estabrooks' credits include Carnegie Hall-Stern, Vancouver Symphony, Alice Tully Hall, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Seattle Symphony, The Israeli Chamber Orchestra, Kennedy Center, NACO, OSNY, and Toronto Symphony. He has been featured in Billboard, The New York Times, CBC, CNN, and NBC, and has performed for the Prime Minister of Canada, the US, Irish, and Italian Ambassadors to Canada, and President Clinton. Recorded works include his debut album, These Miles with the Macedonia Radio Orchestra and four-time Grammy-winning producer Dave Reitzas, Songs By Me for composer Thomas Savoy, and collaborations with YouTube stars Peter Hollens, The Piano Gal, and more. As producer, he founded Artists for the Arts with Broadway Records and was associate producer of the Leonard Bernstein Centennial with the NSO at Wolf Trap.

Joy Hermalyn (Marthy Owen) has made a successful career as a crossover artist in opera, operetta, and musical theatre. Her operatic debut (Minnie in Fanciulla del West, Utah Festival Opera) alternated with performing Abigail Adams in 1776 during the same season. Joy's US credits include Butterfly, Faust, Tannhauser, Trittico, Fledermaus, Hansel and Gretel, Postman Always Rings Twice, Trouble in Tahiti, Crucible, and G&S's Pirates, Mikado, and Pinafore. Her European debut was as the Countess/Page in Rigoletto (Spoleto) and she has performed at the Festival d'Avignon. Carnegie Hall performances include Dello Joio's Christmas Oratorio, The Sound of Music, and Kristina by ABBA. Broadway/Off-Broadway credits:Fiddler, Cyrano, Candide, Christmas Carol, La Boheme, Encores. Recent favorites: Sweeney Todd (NY Philharmonic/PBS); Sound of Music Live! NBC; 7 Deadly Sins-NYCB; Into the Woods (Witch); Gypsy (Rose); Hamlet (Gertrude); Beauty & the Beast (Wardrobe); Baby (Arlene) - BroadwayWorld Best Actress; Oliver! (Widow Corney). Joy teaches voice at Yale University and Kean University and is in demand around the country for her solo concert/master classes entitled "Recipe for Crossover."

MIKE PIROZZI (Larry the Bartender) was named best supporting actor for "Lakeshore Diner" at the Washington International Festival. Along with dozens of TV credits, Mike has had roles in the feature films Listen to Your Heart opposite Ernie Sabella and That's What She Said. He can also be seen starring in the indie comedy hit movie The Frappinos. Numerous stage credits include "A Christmas Carol," the lead in "Conversation With a Kleagle" at the 13th Street Repertory Company, and the Off-Broadway interactive hit "The Boychick Affair." Mike majored in music in college, singing in the College Chorus in performances including Carmina Burana and Handel's Messiah. After a career in finance, he began doing voice commercials in 2005. He then studied on-camera and theater thereafter. He has studied at Atlantic Acting School, Stella Adler, the UCB, and Wynn Handman studios. Mike's love of theater was instilled at an early age from his father.