Ocean Grove Presents the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea, Conducted by Father Alphonse

Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association (OGCMA) will close its 2017 season of Great Family Entertainment on Saturday, September 2nd with "Red, White and Broadway," featuring The Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea conducted by New Jersey's beloved Father Alphonse Stephens, with special guest vocalist Ken Waaser.

Ticket prices are $30 reserved and $25 general admission and can be ordered online at www.oceangrove.org or by phone at 800-590-4064. The Great Auditorium is located at 54 Pilgrim Pathway in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. All facilities are handicapped accessible.

In the spirit of the Labor Day holiday, the program will feature selections from the Great White Way, including works by Marvin Hamlisch (A Chorus Line), Rodgers and Hammerstein ("The Sound of Music," "Oklahoma" "South Pacific," Irvin Berlin, and the Gershwins; as well as marches by John Phillip Sousa.

Father Alphonse Stephenson or "Father Alphonse" as he's affectionately known to his many fans, is the founder of The Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea. He formed his first orchestra in New York City's theatre district while serving at St. Malachy's, the Actors' Chapel. In 1980, the late Broadway director / choreographer Michael Bennett engaged him as conductor and musical director for his smash hit, A Chorus Lin" and Father Alphonse conducted nearly 3,000 performances of the record-breaking musical. A student of George Schick and Robert Abramson, Father Alphonse has been guest conductor of The Fresno Philharmonic, The Delaware Valley Philharmonic, Metro Lyric Opera, The Great Palm Beach Symphony Orchestra, The Palm Beach Opera Orchestra and The Key West Pops. He was ordained a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Paterson, NJ, in 1975, and was awarded a Doctorate of Music (honoris causa) from Monmouth University, and a Doctorate of Letters from Georgian Court University. He is also a former National Guard / U.S. Air Force Chaplain and Brigadier General, retired from military service last year. Father Alphonse now devotes his time to The Cecelia Foundation, a non-profit organization he founded with the purpose of donating new musical instruments and awarding scholarships to deserving students.

Ken Waaser (Baritone Guest Vocalist) began his musical career performing in The Sound of Music on Broadway with Mary Martin. Since graduating from Rutgers with a B.A. in vocal music, he has enjoyed a variety of male roles throughout Monmouth & Middlesex counties. Some of his favorites include Joe Boyd in Damn Yankees, Isadore Straus in Titanic, Emile de Becque in South Pacific, Cervantes/Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha (2010 NJ ACT PERRY award winner for outstanding lead actor in a musical), Tateh in Ragtime, Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden, Benjamen Stone in Follies and John Jaspar in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Ken has also performed leading roles in Sondheim on Sondheim, The Magic Flute, The Most Happy Fella, New Moon, Oklahoma!, Carousel, The Merry Widow, Brigadoon and Kismet, as well as many of the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Ken is a long-standing member of The Monmouth Civic Chorus, a featured vocalist for over 20 years with The Garden State Symphonic Band and an active participant in Cabaret For Life fundraisers. In his spare time, he provides entertainment for various organizations with his one-man show, The Three Baritones.

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