Broadway - Philly Style!

This year Philly's favorite Pops orchestra opens their season with one of their most popular concerts--"Broadway Showstoppers."

This traditional concert brings in a variety of the most talented voices of Broadway and matches them with "the best orchestra in the cosmos", according to long time conductor and pianist Peter Nero, for an evening of music from some of Broadway's top shows.

This year Nero features a talented trio of vocalists. Recently seen in the touring production of The Phantom of the Opera, tenor Gary Mauer was also seen in Les Miserables and regionally performed in Show Boat, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Pirates of Penzance, Sweeney Todd and West Side Story.

Joining Mauer is Liz Callaway, who made her Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, then onto Baby, The Three Musketeers, Miss Saigon and Cats. Callaway also shares the unique feature of having an equally talented sister, Ann Hampton Callaway, and has joined forces in performing together in two shows, "Sibling Revelry" and " Relative Harmony."

Fresh from Broadway comes Lisa Howard, who starred as Rona Lisa Peretti in the Tony Award winning  The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Ms. Howard's musical theater credits include Les Miserables, Crazy For You, and Falsetto.

Mr. Nero decides to bring a slightly musical macabre theme to this Showstoppers event as it falls so close to the Halloween holiday. Selections are featured from a few darker musicals, such as Sweeney Todd, The Phantom of the Opera, Jekyll and Hyde, the whimsical WICKED and Little Shop of Horrors.

Highlight selections are Liz Callaway's "Defying Gravity" from Wicked, "On My Own" from Les Miserables and Little Shop's "Somewhere That's Green". Gary Mauer offers an impressive "This Is The Moment" from Jekyll and Hyde, Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine" and "Maria" from West Side Story. Lisa Howard joins the Halloween mood with a "spirited" " The Wizard and I" from Wicked, and a touching version of " Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd.

Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, who are in top form as always, open with a medley from A Chorus Line in celebration of the return of this record-holding show, which just opened again on Broadway. Mr. Nero treats the audience to an arrangement called " Phantom Phantasy", a unique musical composition that combines a carnival- like sound along with the haunting melodies we so enjoy from the popular musical, The Phantom of the Opera.  Phantom recently claimed its title as the newest longest-running show in history.

Callaway and Howard team up for duets of "In His Eyes" from Jekyll and Hyde and Wicked's " What Is This Feeling", a delightful number sung by the characters Elphaba and Galinda, the two new college roommates who are less than impressed by one another.

The trio join forces for the popular "Do You Hear the People Sing" from Les Miserables, also in previews and scheduled to open for a return engagement, limited run on Broadway in November, as well as a delightful arrangement of Beauty and The Beast from the same titled show. All three share selections from Little Shop of Horrors and finish their presentations by joining together for a reprise of the show's title song.

Of course, no Philly Pops concert is complete without J.P. Sousa's "Liberty Bell March" and clap along and Mr. Nero "devilishly" leads the crowd.

"Broadway Showstoppers" was presented on October 25, 27, 28, 29 & 31 at The Kimmel Center, Philadelphia PA.

For tickets and more information about upcoming events: visit www.kimmelcenter.org and www.phillypops.org or call 1.215.893.1999