WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN: CARPENTERS REMEMBERED Arrives at Downey Theatre on August 13

Starring Singer Michelle Berting Brett, Show Celebrates the Music of the Top-Selling Band of the 1970's As City of Downey Marks 60th Anniversary We've Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered, the definitive celebration of the seminal brother and sister duo the Carpenters in words and music, is set for a one-night-only performance at The Downey Theatre in Downey, CA on Saturday night, August 13 at 8:00PM. Led by singer Michelle Berting Brett and accompanied by a live, seven-piece Nashville band directed by Harry Sharpe, the show re-creates the Carpenters' original sound, presenting an intimate behind-the-scenes portrait of one of the most successful recording acts of all time.

Singer Michelle Berting Brett We've Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered has played all over the U.S in theatres and showrooms. It grew out of an idea Berting Brett, a farm girl from a musical family in Saskatchewan, conceived after being told repeatedly that she sounded like Karen Carpenter. Berting Brett, who studied opera and musical theatre and then toured the world in show bands and performed in cabaret shows in Toronto, was encouraged by her now-husband, producer Mark Brett, to create a one-woman show based around the Carpenters' music. The show played a small club in Toronto with Berting Brett accompanied only by a pianist. That was 2009, and now with this husband and wife team at the helm, the little SRO cabaret show has evolved into a touring production that has played major venues in the U.S. since 2013, including four sold-out engagements in Las Vegas. The special holiday version, Merry Christmas Darling: Carpenters' Christmas, based around the Carpenters' iconic Christmas albums, tours during the winter months.
It is no coincidence that We've Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered will make its Southern California debut at the newly-renovated Downey Theatre in conjunction with the 60th Anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Downey as an independent city. The Carpenters, who have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, have long been associated with the town near Los Angeles. The Carpenter family, including then 16-year-old Richard and 13-year-old Karen, moved to Downey from New Haven, Connecticut in 1963. Both siblings attended Downey High School where Richard, already an accomplished pianist, came to the attention of the school band's director, and Karen played glockenspiel in the marching band to get out of gym class. She later switched to the drums and began singing with a jazz trio formed with her brother and a school friend. By 1969, the Carpenters were signed as a duo to A&M Records and would become one of the most successful acts of the 1970's.

The 8:00PM performance of We've Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered on August 13 will be preceded by an Open House from 5:30-6:30PM for the public to tour the renovated theatre, which has upgraded its sound and projection systems and refurbished its lobby and restrooms. Additionally, there will be live music, refreshments and an art exhibit celebrating Downey's history before the show starts. We've Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered, an intimate behind-the-scenes portrait of the pop music phenomenon that defined an era, includes performances of the Carpenters' most memorable songs, among them "Close to You," "Yesterday Once More," "Rainy Days & Mondays," "A Song for You" and, of course, "We've Only Just Begun." A CD of the show, recorded in Nashville last year, is available at shows, as well as from CD Baby, iTunes and Amazon.

Michelle Berting Brett with7-piece backing band led by musical director Harry Sharpe The Downey Theatre is located at 8435 Firestone Boulevard, Downey, California 90241. For ticket information, call (562) 861-8211 or visit: http://www.downeytheatre.com

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