Axelrod Arts Center Brings A Touch Of Broadway To Asbury's Iconic Paramount Theatre

A new partnership between Madison Marquette's historic Paramount Theatre and the Axelrod Performing Arts Center [APAC] is set to bring two professionally-produced musical concerts - featuring Broadway stars - to the Asbury Park Boardwalk this summer.

Hosted at the Paramount Theatre and produced by the Axelrod, Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall is scheduled for June 23 at 7 PM, followed by the Doo Wop Project on June 27 at 8 PM. Tickets can be purchased at The Stone Pony, Blackbird Presents, and Axelrod Theatre box offices and on Ticketmaster.com. For additional information on the upcoming shows, please visit: http://apboardwalk.com/happenings/.

Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall, held on the fiftieth anniversary of Garland's death, is the first recreation of the legendary singer's live, recorded concert at Carnegie Hall in New York on the night of Sunday April 23, 1961, which has been hailed as "the greatest night in show business history".

Hosted by Judy Garland's daughter Lorna Luft, the concert will feature an orchestra conducted by Liza Minnelli's former musical director Michael Berkowitz. The concert is being done in collaboration with the Judy Garland Heirs Trust and Garden State Equality and coincides with Asbury Park's official kickoff for World Pride Week.

Grammy- and Emmy-nominated recording artist and America's most distinguished archivist of the Great American Songbook, Michael Feinstein is thrilled about Asbury Park's tribute to the great Judy Garland: "This is a watershed event in the history of Judy Garland's musical legacy and is the first time the Garland concert will be performed with meticulous research and preparation, giving listeners a true sense of what the orchestra really sounded like in 1961. It's a remarkable achievement, and the presence of Judy Garland's daughter Lorna Luft will add a first-hand family member to help guide the audience through the experience. How wonderful that this ground-breaking event is finally happening!"

In addition to Luft, the concert will feature four Broadway stars: Tony winner Debbie Gravitte (Broadway's Jerome Robbins Broadway, Les Misérables, They're Playing Our Song); Karen Mason (Broadway's Sunset Boulevard, Mamma Mia!); Joan Ellison (national tour The Boy from Oz and a Judy Garland specialist), and Gabrielle Stravelli (Bistro and Broadway World awards winner).

Garland's live performances were a tremendous success, and the double album ultimately became a huge hit, winning a Grammy Award for Album of the Year and making Garland the first woman to win the award.

Next up, the Axelrod brings the wildly popular Doo Wop Project to the Paramount. The Doo Wop Project traces the evolution of doo-wop from the classic sound of five guys singing tight harmonies on a street corner to the biggest hits of today.

In their epic shows, The Doo Wop Project takes audiences on a journey from foundational tunes of groups like the Crests, Belmonts, and Flamingos through the influential sounds of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and The Four Seasons, all the way to songs from modern musicians like Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz and Maroon 5.

Featuring stars from Broadway's Jersey Boys and Motown: The Musical, The Doo Wop Project brings an unparalleled authenticity of sound and vocal excellence to recreate and reimagine some of the greatest music in American pop and rock history.

"Asbury Park is known for its dynamic music and arts scene, and we are thrilled to welcome the Axelrod Performing Arts Center and their Broadway-quality productions to the Paramount Theatre," said Pasqualina DeBoer, Marketing Director, Madison Marquette. "This partnership expands the range of entertainment available to visitors and local residents of Asbury Park just in time for the summer season."

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