Randall Craig Fleischer Leads Utah Symphony and Guest Vocalists in JERRY HERMAN: THE BROADWAY LEGACY CONCERT

On February 10 and 11 at 7:30 PM, conductor Randall Craig Fleischer leads guest vocalists Debbie Gravitte, KLea Blackhurst, Ron Raines, Jason Graae, Scott Coulter, and John Boswell in a performance of "Jerry Herman: The Broadway Legacy Concert". Tickets start at $21 ($15 for students), and can be purchased at www.utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 533-6683.

Jerry Herman's songs have lit up Broadway for decades and are sure to dazzle audiences at Abravanel Hall. Music will be featured from the iconic "Hello, Dolly!," "Mame," which is based on the novel "Auntie Mame" by PatRick Dennis', "Mack and Mabel," based on a true story; and "La Cage aux Folles" with a story centered around a drag-show nightclub in St. Tropez.

Randall Craig Fleischer has appeared as a guest conductor with many major orchestras in the United States and internationally including engagements with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Festival Cesky Krumov (Czech Republic). Mr. Fleischer served as assistant conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra from 1986 to 1989, served as chorus master of the IU Opera Theater program from 1983-85, and has studied conducting privately with Otto Werner Mueller and in masterclass with Seiji Ozawa, Ricardo Muti, Gustav Meier, and others.

Debbie Gravitte is one of Broadway's biggest personalities. She won the prestigious Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in "Jerome Robbins' Broadway", has sung with over 100 orchestras around the world, toured with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops, the New York Pops with the legendary Skitch Henderson, and San Diego Symphony among others. Debbie has sung with the New York City Ballet in Peter Martin's "Thou Swell" at Lincoln Center, appeared with Bette Midler in the Universal Feature, "Isn't She Great?", and can be heard as one of the voices in Disney's "The Little Mermaid."

KLea Blackhurst, Salt Lake City native is an actress, singer and comedienne known for her award-winning tribute to Ethel Merman, and "Everything the Traffic Will Allow." Most recently she starred in the highly acclaimed production of "Hello, Dolly!" at the Goodspeed Opera House. She's performed with symphony orchestras and in theatrical productions across the country and abroad. Theatre credits include: New York - "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn," "Bingo," "By Jupiter," "Radio Gals," and "Oil City Symphony;" "Regional - Call Me Madam," "Chicago," "The Great American Trailer Park Musical," "Red Hot and Blue," and "Anything Goes."

Ron Raines is a Tony Award nominee for the acclaimed production of "Follies", and has had an illustrious international career spanning musical theater, opera, concert, and television. He attended Oklahoma City University and The Juilliard School and has appeared on "Elementary" and "Person of Interest" as well as starring on Broadway in "Annie," "Newsies," "Chicago," and "Show Boat." He has soloed with over 50 major American and international orchestras, including the Boston Pops, the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Jerusalem Symphony, and the Israel Philharmonic, and has performed at Carnegie Hall, the London Palladium, and Royal Festival Hall.

Jason Graae made his Metropolitan Opera House debut as the male vocalist in Twyla Tharp's "Everlast" with American Ballet Theatre. Mr. Graae has performed his one man show all over the country from Rainbow and Stars and Birdland in New York City to Feinstein's and the Plush Room in Los Angeles and San Francisco, winning four Bistro Awards and a New York Nightlife Award. His current project is the critically acclaimed show with Faith Prince, "The Prince and the Showboy" played at 54 Below and the pair won a 2nd Nighlife Award for Best Duo. He has played Frosch in "Die Fledermaus" with the Washington National and San Francisco Operas, the Manhattan School of Music, and most recently with Houston Grand Opera.

John Boswell has served as musical director for Judy Collins, Andy Williams, and Bob Newhart, as well as the concert tours of "Cinema Toast", "That's Life: a Toast to Sinatra", "Blockbuster Today", "Three Men and a Baby Grand", "Blockbuster Broadway!", and "The Spy Who Loved Me" starring Sheena Easton. Most recently John composed music for the HBO special "Kathy and Mo: The Dark Side." John has six CDs of original music on Hearts of Space Records: The Painter, Kindred Spirits, Count Me In, Festival of the Heart, Trust, and Love.

Scott Coulter is the director of "Jerry Herman: The Broadway Legacy Concert" and one of New York's most honored vocalists. Receiving five Bistro Awards, two Nightlife Awards, and five MAC Awards it is no wonder why Tony and Grammy Award winners want to perform with him. He has performed with symphonies around the world and is now the resident director of programming at 54 Below in New York City.

RELATED EVENTS

Renowned guest Broadway vocalist Scott Coulter will lead the "Jerry Herman: The Broadway Legacy" Masterclass on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 from 12:30-2 PM in the Performing Arts Building (PAB) room #115. Two university students from the masterclass will be selected to perform with the cast of Jerry Herman: The Broadway Legacy Concert and Utah Symphony in three concerts in Ogden and Salt Lake City. Please contact Denny Berry at 914-263-8284 or dennyberry@me.com for more information.

PROGRAM

The Utah Symphony presents
Jerry Herman: The Broadway Legacy Concert

February 10 & 11 | 7:30 PM
Abravanel Hall, 123 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah

Randall Craig Fleischer, Conductor
Debbie Gravitte, Vocalist
KLea Blackhurst, Vocalist
Ron Raines, Vocalist
Jason Graae, Vocalist
Scott Coulter, Vocalist
John Boswell, Vocalist
Utah Symphony

Jerry Herman Overture (Orchestra)
It's Today! (Mame) (Company)
Wherever He Ain't (Mack and Mabel) Debbie Gravitte
Look What Happened to Mabel (Mack and Mabel) KLea Blackhurst
Let's Not Waste a Moment (Milk and Honey) Ron Raines
You I Like (The Grand Tour) Jason Graae
Shalom! (Milk and Honey) (Company)
It Only Takes a Moment (Hello, Dolly!) Scott Coulter
Love Look in My Window (Hello, Dolly!) KLea Blackhurst
If He Walked Into My Life (Mame) Debbie Gravitte
Mame (Mame) (Company)

INTERMISSION

Movies Were Movies (Mack and Mabel) Josh Boswell
The Best of Times (La Cage aux Folles) (Company)
With You on My Arm (La Cage aux Folles) (Guest Artists)
Song on the Sand (La Cage aux Folles) Jason Graae
Kiss Her Now (Dear, World) Scott Coulter
World Take Me Back (Hello, Dolly!) KLea Blackhurst
I Won't Send Roses (Mack and Mabel) Ron Raines
Time Heals Everything (Mack and Mabel) Debbie Gravitte
I Am What I Am (La Cage aux Folles) Jason Graae
Before the Paradise Passes (Hello, Dolly!) (Company)

SPONSORS:
Symphony Season Sponsor: George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation
Concert Sponsor: LDS Foundation
Conductor Sponsor: Ruth's Chris

Tickets, priced from $21-$79 ($15 for students), are available for purchase through www.utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 533-6683. Tickets increase $5 on the day of the performance.

About the Utah Symphony
Founded in 1940, the Utah Symphony performs more than 175 concerts each season and offers all Utahns easy access to world class live musical performances of the world's greatest music in the state's top venues. Since being named the orchestra's seventh music director in 2009, Thierry Fischer has attracted leading musicians and top soloists, refreshed programming, drawn increased audiences, and galvanized community support. In addition to numerous regional and domestic tours, including the Mighty 5® Tour of Utah's National Parks, the Utah Symphony has embarked on seven international tours and performed at Carnegie Hall in 2016 coinciding with the orchestra's 75th anniversary celebrations. The Utah Symphony has released more than 100 recordings, including, most recently, two albums for Reference Recordings: Mahler's Symphony No. 1 and Dawn to Dust, which features three Utah Symphony commissioned works by Nico Muhly, Andrew Norman, and Augusta Read Thomas. With its many subscription, education, and outreach concerts and tours, the Utah Symphony is one of the most engaged orchestras in the nation. For more information visit www.utahsymphony.org.

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