From PBS and Sold Out Shows around the world, Child Prodigy Ethan Bortnick Performs at The Ridgefield Playhouse on 4/8

From singing and playing the piano to songwriting and starring in television specials and feature films, 16-year-old child prodigy Ethan Bortnick does it all - with incredible talent, a captivating personality and a passion for bringing people joy. He'll share those amazing gifts at The Ridgefield Playhouse when he performs on Saturday, April 8th at 8 p.m. This Ridgefield Magazine Broadway and Cabaret Series performance, partially underwritten by Adam Broderick Salon and Spa and Benchmark Senior Living at Ridgefield Crossings, will be packed with energy, excitement and family-friendly entertainment.

He'll perform crowd favorites ranging from The Beatles and Elton John to Motown and Michael Jackson, along with classical and Jazz favorites, recent top hits, Broadway show tunes and his own original songs. Recognized by the Guinness World Records as "The World's Youngest Solo Musician to Head-line His Own Concert Tour," Ethan Bortnick has been performing around the world, raising more than $40,000,000 for charities across the globe! His celebrity fans include Jay Leno and Oprah Winfrey, and he has performed with the likes of Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Celine Dion, and Carlos Santana, just to name a few. He's also performed in the highly successful Kidzbop Tours.

In 2010, Ethan was recognized as the youngest musician to create and host his own award-winning PBS concert special that aired more than 600 times on Public Television stations across the country. Three years later, he starred in Anything is Possible, a full-length feature film for which he also co-wrote all the songs and scored all the background music. Impressed by Ethan's incredible talent, Celine Dion has stated that she is amazed by his song writing. Quincy Jones added, "Ethan's imagination and ability to create music from stories is unbelievable."

When he was just three years old, the Hollywood, Florida native asked his parents for piano lessons and discovered an uncanny ability to hear a song once and play it back note for note - the musical equivalent of a photographic memory. He soaked up the music of such diverse artists and composers as Beethoven, Mozart, jazz pianist Bill Evans, Little Richard, Billy Joel and Elton John, and began creating original compositions at age five. A few years later, Ethan began making television appearances and touring, connecting with audiences in countries such as Japan, Brazil, Canada, South Africa and Australia. Ethan has not only moved audiences throughout the world as a captivating musician, but he is also a driven humanitarian, dedicated to combining his musical pursuits with his charity work. When Ethan was five, his younger brother had three heart surgeries and that emotional time inspired him to use his musical talents to benefit charity.

Performing is only part of what makes Ethan such a special young man. At age five, after his younger brother had gone through three heart surgeries, Ethan was inspired to use his musical talents to benefit charitable endeavors. As a driven humanitarian, Ethan is dedicated to combining his musical pursuits with his charity work. When Ethan was five, his younger brother had three heart surgeries and that emotional time inspired him to use his musical talents to benefit charity. To date, he has raised more $40 million for non-profit organizations around the world, sharing the stage with many legendary artists such as Elton John, Andrea Bocelli, Beyoncé and Josh Groban. He was also the youngest artist to participate in the star-studded line-up that recorded "We Are The World 25 for Haiti" in 2010. As a globally acclaimed headline performer, television and film star, music composer and humanitarian, Ethan boasts a rare -and powerful -combination of talent, maturity and compassion for someone his age. There has never been anyone like him in modern music history.

For tickets ($50), call the box office at 203-438-5795, or visit ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a non-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.

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