Philadelphia Performers Celebrate Broadway in Manayunk

Some of Philadelphia's biggest musical theater stars are teaming up for a one-night only salute to the Great White Way. The Summer Club Salutes Broadway will feature a 17-piece live big band performing hits from Jersey Boys, The Music Man, Guys and Dolls, Cabaret, and more at the Venice Island Performing Arts Center (7 Lock Street, Philadelphia) at 8PM on May 1.

Barrymore winners Jeff Coon and Michael Philip O'Brien join JP Dunphy, Fran Prisco, and Rachel Brennan for a musical theater extravaganza, featuring original orchestrations by Music Director and Conductor Larry Lees, who leads a 17-piece live big band. In addition to Broadway's favorite hits, audience members can expect to hear The Summer Club's signature swinging sounds that only a big band can produce.

Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at summerclubshows.com.

DETAILS:

The Summer Club Salutes Broadway

Monday, May 1

8PM

Venice Island Performing Arts Center

7 Lock Street, Philadelphia, PA 19127

Tickets $35 at summerclubshows.com

Jeff Coon has been a professional actor and singer based in the Philadelphia area since 1993. Called by Philadelphia Weekly "one of Philadelphia's most talented and vocally gifted musical performers," Jeff has appeared in over 100 professional productions, and been nominated for 10 Barrymore Awards (Philadelphia's theatre awards), winning once. He appears frequently at Walnut Street Theatre and Arden Theatre Company in Philadelphia, and has performed nationally with Philadelphia Theatre Company, The Kennedy Center, The Prince Music Theatre, Houston's Theatre Under the Stars and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, among others. He has performed as Jean Valjean (LES MISERABLES), Harold Hill (THE MUSIC MAN), Che (EVITA), and Gaston (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST), in addition to numerous other notable roles. Mr. Coon has also worked as a producer for Zakarak Productions of Wallingford, PA and produced live corporate events. www.jeffreycoon.com

JP Dunphy is proud to be a member of this extraordinary show with such amazingly talented colleagues! A Villanova, Pa resident, recently seen in Media Theatre's production of SUNSET BOULEVARD as Manfred, Favorite roles include Frankie in FOREVER PLAID and Corny Collins in HAIRSPRAY. Other regional works include MAME, ANNIE, RENT, JEKYLL & HYDE, The Who's TOMMY, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT and SPAMALOT. Proud member of SAG/AFTRA/AEA.

Fran Prisco: A Philadelphia native and resident, he has developed a reputation as one of his hometown's favorite performers! His resume boasts over 20 productions at the Walnut Street Theatre that include two Barrymore Nominations. He also has performed for most of Philly's excellent theatre companies including The Arden, The Wilma, Philadelphia Theater Company, 1812 Productions, 11th Hour, and Delaware Theatre Company, among others. Last summer had had the honor of returning to his college campus to portray Ali Hakim in OKLAHOMA! for the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. His performing career has taken him all over the country, including two National Tours of FOREVER PLAID, and a six month gig in Denver, CO for a production of MY WAY! A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO Frank Sinatra. He is also a respected cabaret artist, Cabarets he's created and performed include TRIBUTE TO JOHNNIE RAY and AN EVENING OF BREAK UP SONGS FOR STUPID VALENTINE'S DAY.

Michael Philip O'BRIEN is a native Philadelphian and graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. He is a four-time Barrymore Award Nominee, winning the award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical in 2009. New York Credits: The York Theatre, Greenwich Street Theatre and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Regional Credits: Walnut Street Theatre, Theatre Under The Stars, NJPAC, Milwaukee Rep., The Arden, Prince Music Theatre, Bristol Riverside, and many more. Michael is also the Co-founder and Producing Artistic Director of 11th Hour Theatre Company, Philadelphia's Boutique Musical Theatre Company. Now celebrating it's 11th Anniversary Season, 11th Hour has received over 30 Barrymore Award Nominations and produced 16 musicals, including 9 Philadelphia Premieres. www.11thhourtheatrecompany.org

Rachel Brennan has performed all over the country, even at the White House, but she will always be partial to the Philadelphia area and its natives, especially having grown up just down the street in Jeffersonville. Rachel holds a degree in music from The Catholic University of America, where she studied musical theatre. Aside from being a performer, she is a mom to a three-year-old son, a theatre teaching artist, certified yoga instructor and also runs a small reclaimed-wood business with her husband. Credits include: THE THREE MARIES (Little Marie)- The Prince Theatre; BECKY SHAW (Suzanna Slater)- Montgomery Theatre; FACTORY GIRLS (Abigail), LIZZIE (Bridget Sulivan) and BLOODY BLOODY Andrew Jackson (Rachel Jackson) - 11th Hour Theatre Co., TREASURE ISLAND (Jamie Hawkins), THE THREE MUSTKETEERS (Henrietta) and SNOW WHITE (Frannie) - Peoples's Light and Theatre, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Lana Sherwood) - The Prince Musical Theatre, WILLY WONKA (Charlie's Mother) and (Cindy)- The Kennedy Center and National Tours.

Larry Lees is a composer, lyricist, arranger, orchestrator, and conductor, working primarily in the Philadelphia and New York City areas. Major works include the original musicals: Jonestown, 16 Days, and the forthcoming Wonder Pig; as well as the operatic work, Obesa Cantavit: The True Tale of a Music Legend and the Sandwich Who Loved Her. Additionally, he has written incidental music for several plays, including The Magic of Mrs. Crowling (2007 Innovative Theatre Award nomination), The Colonel's Holiday, The Blood Brothers Present..., and The Birth, Adoption and Death of Dorothy Dutchess. Apart from his theatrical works, Larry's compositions and arrangements have been featured in some of NYC's most renowned music venues -including 54 Below, Birdland, Joe's Pub, and The Metropolitan Room. In recent years, Larry has had the pleasure to be welcomed into the world of the circus, having created original scores for several seasons with the world-famous Circus Vargas, contributing original songs to the acclaimed clown duo Steve and Ryan, and now serving as the resident composer for Venardos Circus Productions. Among other things, he was the conductor and orchestrator for We Tell The Story: The Songs of Ahrens and Flaherty (Lucille Lortel Theatre), and recently completed a return NY engagement of Carole Bufford's cabaret hit, Speak Easy, which he co-created, orchestrated, and conducted - and which featured the talents of the legendary Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. Visit www.larrylees.com for more information.

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