Segerstrom Center to Celebrate Leonard Bernstein

Celebrated as one of the most influential musicians and composers of the 20th century, Leonard Bernstein ushered in an era of m ajor cultural transition. He led the way in advocating an open attitude about what constituted " good " music, actively bridging the gap between classical music, B r oadway musicals, jazz and rock, and he seized new media for its potential to reach diverse communities of listeners, young and old. Longtime conductor of the New York Philharmonic, renowned composer of works for the concert hall and Broadway stage, glamoro us television personality, virtuosic pianist and committed educator, Bernstein was an extravagantly gifted musician with a common touch. He maintained a life - long focus on advocating for social justice, notably civil rights at home and peace around the wor ld. To celebrate the maestro's 100th birthday, Segerstrom Center is pleased to present a tribute to the musical theater masterpieces Bernstein created while honoring the scope and reach of his genius.

A cast of five top New York vocalists : Mary Testa, Jes sica Vosk, David Burnham, Joshua Israel and Alex Getlin, will be back ed by a four - piece band in such classic songs as"Tonight,""Somewhere,""Maria, " " New York, New York,""Some Other Time,""Ohio,"and"Make Our Garden Grow."

They will be joined by the C al State Fullerton University Chorus directed by Dr. Robert Istad on several selections to give the evening a sense of the grandeur Bernstein's music demands. The concerts are directed, produced and hosted by Scott Coulter, with musical direction by John Boswell.

Single tickets start at $ 89 and are now available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling ( 714 ) 556 - 2787. For inquiries about group ticket savings for 10 or more, call the Group Services office a t ( 714 ) 755 - 0236. Segerstrom Center for the Arts applauds its corporate partners including Kia Motors America, Official Automotive Partner ; United Airlines, Official Airline ; and Omaha Steaks International, Official Fine Food Retailer.

Leonard Bernstein was born August 25, 1918, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, but his family soon after relocated to Boston. The young Bernstein studied piano and discovered the sheer fun of working in theater. He directed teenage friends in summer productions of The Mikado, H.M.S. Pinafore and Carmen whereby his precocious musicianship, affinity for theater, talent for leadership, and delight in working with young people became apparent. Bernstein graduated from Boston Latin High School, t hen Harvard College ( 1939 ). Two years later, he received a diploma in conducting from the Curti s Institute of Music. Important mentors were Aaron Copland and Marc Blitzstein. Among his remarkable series of theatrical scores, West Side Story stands as a to wering achievement, ranking as one of the most famous works of all time. Bernstein's collaborators included Arthur Laurents ( book ) and Stephen Sondheim ( lyrics ). The show confronted urban gang violence and discrimination against new immigrants while provid ing compelling entertainment. Candide became another of his most beloved works, with its bursts of energy and dazzling virtuosity. On the Town centered around Three Sailors on leave in New York City determined to find romance - and just as importantly - - they are pursued aggressively by self - confident women.

On the Town marked Bernstein's first major collaboration with Betty Comden and Adolph Green. It also established a life - long tension between his devotion to high art and popular culture. An ambitiously ecle ctic work, Mass : A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers, was composed in 1971, with Stephen Schwartz as co - lyricist. The work resounds with Bernstein's pacifist and ecumenical passions, highlighting youth culture and issues of social justice. D ur ing the American Bicentennial, Bernstein opened a brand - new Broadway musical : 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue ( 1976 ), with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner.

The show was written in the wake of Richard Nixon's impeachment and cast a skeptical eye on residents of the White House, portraying a race - based upstairs - downstairs scenario in which the ruling class was white and the servants were black. The critical reception was harsh, and the show closed after only a few nights. " The tunes themselves ... make or break a show score, " Bernstein once acknowledged, and writing memorable tunes - the kind that give singers a thrill and capture an audience's imagination - is a separate skill from composing a symphony. Bernstein's brilliance resulted from a capacity to do both.

At times, his tunes fuse popular song with operatic flourishes, and their distinctive beauty often emanates from unconventional harmonies and melodic intervals. Some of his songs have entered the pantheon of America's all - time greatest hits. Bernstein wrote wi th great joy for the Broadway stage, and his delicious sense of humor sparkled all over the place. Yet he also had the courage to tackle the most profound questions of the human experience.

Mary Testa has received two Tony nominations, two Lucille Lortel nominations, five Drama Desk nomination s, two Drama League nominations and an Obie Award for her performances in From Above and On the Town. Broadway : Wicked, Guys and Dolls, Xanadu, Chicago, 42nd St, Marie Christine, On the Town, The Rink, Marilyn, Barnum. Opera : Anna Nicole / BAM. Off - Broadway includes The Portuguese Kid, The Government Inspector, Orange Julius, First Daughter Suite, Caucasian Chalk Circle, Queen of the Mist, Regrets Only, See What I Wanna See, First Lady Suite, String of Pearls, A New Brai n, Tartuffe, On the Town, In Trousers. Films include : Big Stone Gap, The Mother, Eat Pray Love, The Bounty Hunter, The Out - of - Towners, Sleepers. Television includes : recurring roles on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Whoopi ; and guest spots on Bull, Difficul t People, Two Broke Girls, White Collar and Nurse Jackie.

Jessica Vosk starred as Anita in the Grammy - nominated San Francisco Symphony recording of West Side Story and just finished playin g Elphaba for the past year in the National Tour of Wicked. She re - created the role of Fruma Sarah in Broadway's Fiddler on the Roof and starred in Finding Neverland and The Bridges of Madison County. For NYC's En cores ! : Merrily We Roll Along and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ; Roundabout ' s Death Takes a Holiday and She Loves Me.

David Burnham was last seen on Broadway in the mega - hit musical, Wicked, playing Fiyero, a role that he originated in the developmental workshops of the show. He is an original Broadway cast member of the musical The Light In The Piazza, performing bo th on the Tony Awards and the PBS telecast"Live From Lincoln Center."He is the recipient of the prestigious Helen Hayes Award for Best Actor as well as th e Best Actor Garland Award for his portrayal of Fa brizio in the national tour of The Light In The Piazza. David first gained critical acclaim when he was chosen to replace Donny Osmond as Joseph in the national tour of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat ( Dramalogue Award ). He toured nationally in another Andrew Lloyd Webbe r blockbuster playing Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar. In NYC, he starred in the new Off - Broadway show The Best Is Yet to Come - The Music Of C. Coleman. Regionally he was seen at South Coast Rep ertory in Ordinary Days and The Light In The Piazza.

Alex Getlin was most recentl y seen Off - Broadway in the company of Anything Can Happen in the Thea tre - The Songs of Maury Yeston after being hand - picked by Yeston to interpret his music. A recent graduate of Northwestern University, she made her symphonic debut in June 2017 with the Pasadena Pops under the baton of Michael Feinstein in " Broadway : The Golden Age " where she starred alongside Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey.

Joshua Israel is a singer, dancer, actor, teacher and choreographer who was chosen as one of Broadway's Rising Stars of 2015. Since then he has gone on to star in numerous regional theatre productions and symphonic concert events including Bernstein tributes wit h the Phoenix Symphony and the Cleveland Pops !, which he also choreographed. His theatre credited include Annie and Mary Poppins at Paper Mill Playhouse ; We The People at TheatreWorks USA. John Boswell ( musical director ) has worked with Judy Collins, And y Williams, Bob Newhart, Scott Coulter, Maude Maggart, Faith Prince, Carmen Cusack, Babbie Green, Jason Graae and a host of other fine talents. John played the role of " Moose " in the national tour of Crazy For You and has appeared on The Tonight Show, Toda y Show, CBS This Morning, Regis And Kathie Lee, and General Hospital. Recent concerts with symphonies have included Jerry Herman : The Broadway Legacy Concert, BLOCKBUSTER BROADWAY !, Sheena Easton and Scott Coulter : The Spy Who Loved Me and MUSIC OF THE KN IGHTS. Broadway / Off Broadway credits include Crazy For You, The Secret Garden, LIZA ! Steppin ' Out At Radio City Music Hall, Back To Bacharach And David and The Kathy And Mo Show : Parallel Lives.

Scott Coulter ( d irector, producer, host ) is one of New Yor k's most honored vocalists. For his work in cabaret, Scott has recei ved five MAC Awards ( Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs ), five Bistro Awards and two Nightlife Awards for Outstanding Vocalist and has performed at most of NYC's top rooms including Birdland, 54 Below, The Oak Room at the Algonquin, and Feinstein's at The Regency where he spent a record - setting eight months performing the revue 11 O'CLOCK NUMBERS AT 11 O'CLOCK which he also co - created, directed and musically arranged. As a director, Scott's credits include many shows for The Town Hall in NY ( BROADWAY BY THE YEAR, BROADWAY'S RISING STARS, BROADWAY ORIGINALS, BROADWAY UNPLUGGED ) and BBTY for The Berkshire Theatre Festival and Broadway by the Bay. Along with Michael Kerker and ASCAP, h e's produced and directed several installments of Michael Feinstein's STANDARD TIME at Carnegie Hall. He is creator, arranger and director of several touring shows including MUSIC OF THE KNIGHTS, THE WONDERFUL MUSIC OF OZ, CINEMA TOAST, SOUTHERN COMFORT, B ROADWAY'S ELITE, THAT'S LIFE : A TOAST TO SINATRA, YOU'VE GO T A FRIEND : Carole King, Neil Sedaka AND THE MUSIC OF THE BRILL BUILDING, BLOCKBUSTER BROADWAY ! and his critically acclaimed solo show, THE FELLA SINGS ELLA, which honors the life of the legendary Ella Fitzgerald. ONE HAND,

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is an acclaimed arts institution as well as a beautiful multi - disciplinary cultural campus. It is committed to supporting artistic excellence, offering unsurpassed experiences and to engaging the entire community in new and exciting ways through the unique power of live performance and a diverse array of inspiring arts - based education and community engagement programs.

Previously called the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Segerstrom Center is Orange County's largest non - profit arts organization. In addition to its s ix performance venues, Segerstrom Center is also home to the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School. The Center presents a broad range of programming for audiences of all ages, including international ballet and dance, national tours of top Br oadway shows, jazz and cabaret, contemporary artists, classical music performed by renowned chamber orchestras and ensembles, family - friendly programming, free performances open to the public from outdoor movie screenings to dancing on the plaza and many other special events.

Segerstrom Center is a leader among the nation's performing arts centers for providing education programs designed to inspire young people through the arts. The Center's programs reach hundreds of thousands of students each year in five Southern California counties. Community engagement programs developed through the Center for Dance and Innovation and Center Without Boundaries also connect the Center more comprehensively with Orange County's many diverse communities.

The CDI supports f lagship artistic programming and a wide range of projects that celebrate innovation, nurture creativity and engage audiences of the future. It is home to the ABT Gillespie School and the School of Dance and Music for Children with Disabilities. The Center Without Boundaries develops partnerships with non - cultural organizations to help them in their own efforts to respond the ever - changing needs of the community. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is also proud to serve as the artistic home to three of the regio n's major performing arts organizations : Pacific Symphony, Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Pacific Chorale, who contribute greatly to the artistic life of the region with annual seasons performed at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

In addition to Segerstrom Center for the Arts as a presenting and producing institution, it also identifies the beautiful 14 - acre campus that embraces the Center's own facilities as well as two independently acclaimed organizations : Tony Award - winning South Coast Repert ory and a site designated as the future home of the Orange County Museum of Art.

ONE HAND, ONE HEART : ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF BERNSTEIN Segerstrom Center for the Arts - Samueli Theater Thursday - Saturday, January 18 - 20, 2018 at 7 : 30 p.m. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA Tickets - Start at $ 89 In person - The Box Office 600 Town Center Drive Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily Online - SCFTA.org Phone - ( 714 ) 556 - 2787 Open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily Group Sales - ( 714 ) 755 - 0236 Information provided is accurate at the time of printing, but is subject to change. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is a private, non - profit organization. " Segerstrom Center for the Arts " is a registered trademark.

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