Special Meet The Band Event for AMERICANO! To Be Held at The Phoenix Theatre Company

Americano! - a groundbreaking new musical - has set a state box office record for an original musical production and is getting rave reviews for its uplifting message of a DREAMer.

Compelling original music, presented live, is a major strength of the show fostering Americano!'s unprecedented success for an original production in Arizona. The show's composer is award winning singer, songwriter Carrie Rodriguez from Austin, Texas. Americano!'s arranger is, Sergio Mendoza, from the border town of Nogales and a member of the Grammy nominated band 'Calexico.

A 9-member band has played an integral role in the production and its inspiring music, since the run began on January 29th.

The Meet The Band event will be held immediately after the show on Wednesday, February 19th to honor the musicians' talents and hard work. The event will also give fans seeing the show at The Phoenix Theatre Company a chance to meet and chat with the notable musicians who have helped bring Americano!'s story to life.

"We are so proud of the music and message this show is bringing to highlight DREAMers and what they mean to our community and our country," said Sergio Mendoza.

The Phoenix Theatre Company has also announced the addition of a special Sunday night show on February 23 that will culminate Americano!'s record-setting run. The new 7:30 p.m. show was added after Americano! broke the state box office record for a musical production on February 13th and demand for tickets has continued to increase.

Members of Americano!'s band include:

· Jonathan Ivie - Musical Director, Conductor and Keyboard

Jonathan Ivie is a New York-based musician and conductor. He has worked on Broadway and other musicals include A Wall Apart, Lost in Love, Sweet Dreams and Rock of Ages. He has performed at the NYMF festival (Crude: the Musical - 2016), off-Broadway (50 Shades: the Musical; Ha! the Musical; "Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812), and is currently the music director for the national tours of Rock the Presidents (Childsplay) and Odd Squad LIVE! (Mills Entertainment), as well as the touring music director for LA-based vocal sensations The Company Men. He is the author of "Rob Ford: Rock Star", a musical comedy about the late mayor of Toronto, and his debut album "Pisces" is currently in the final stages of production.

· Sergio Mendoza - Musical Arranger, Keyboard, Guitar, Vibs, Accordion

Sergio Mendoza is a singer, guitarist and Latin music pioneer. Mendoza was born in the Arizona border town of Nogales. He was raised in Nogales, Sonora and now lives in Tucson. He is the founder of Orkesta Mendoza, a band in Tucson that melds Indie Rock with Latin music. Mendoza is also a member of the Grammy nominated band Calexico. Calexico was nominated for two 2020 Grammy's with Iron & Wine.

· Marco Rosano - Musical Arranger, Reeds

Marco Rosano is an accomplished clarinet and saxophone player as well as a versatile multi-instrumentalist, arranger and composer. He has performed and recorded with a variety of artists including Sergio Mendoza, Calexico, Depedro, Mexican Institute of Sound, WildcatJazz and KT Tunstall. He has played woodwinds for theater productions including Anything Goes, Westside Story, Woodie Guthrie's American Song and Chicago. He has played with the Gene Krupa and Tommy Dorsey Orchestras. Marco also currently plays baritone sax, clarinet and accordion with the mambo and cumbia band Orkesta Mendoza and plays traditional and original tango music with his own band, Rosano Tango.

· James Peters - Drums

James Anthony Peters has been a percussionist and drummer for Orkestra Mendoza, Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, The Jons and The Resonars. He is from Nogales, Arizona.

· Sean Rogers - Bass

Sean Rogers plays double / upright bass for Orkestra Mendoza. He also plays electric bass. Rogers has also played with Calexico, Golden Boots, Naïm Amor and the Silver Thread Trio.

· Brian Lopez - Guitar

Brian Lopez is a classically trained guitarist who is a member of Orkestra Mendoza. The Tucson native also played with the psychedelic rock band Mostly Bears. Lopez has also performed with Calexico and Giant Sand.

· Quetzal Guerrero - Percussions, Violin

Quetzal Guerrero studied violin at the famous International Academy of the Suzuki Method, in Matsumoto, Japan, and the Conservatorio Pernambucano de Musica in Recife, Brazil. He has played with Orkestra Mendoza. He has also performed and collaborated with Tito Puente, Lalo Guerrero, Cristian Castro, Jorge Santana and Acoustic Alchemy.

· Saul Millan - Trombone

Saul Millan has been part of the Tucson Jazz Institute. At age 18, Millan performed at the Fullerton Jazz Festival, Next Generation Jazz Festival and the prestigious Essentially Ellington in New York City. He is currently studying jazz studies at the University of Arizona. Millan has performed with various groups including Ozomatli, La Santa Cecilia, Mexiressey, and The Big Band Express. Currently Millan is a member of Orkesta Mendoza and Vox Urbana.

· Kevin Tangey - Trumpet

Kevin Tangey has played with Bad Cactus Brass Band, The Young Sounds of Arizona, Sugar Thieves and Lymbyc Systym. He has been active in Tucson and Phoenix music scenes.

· Beth Goodfellow - Special Drummer

Beth Goodfellow plays drums for singer songwriter Sam Beam's 'Iron & Wine'. She also performed with the Americano! band during a recent performance.

Americano! is an original production of The Phoenix Theatre Company. Tony Award-winning producer Ken Davenport is the show's Executive Producer. Americano!'s director is Phoenix Theatre Producing Artistic Director Michael Barnard, who also co-wrote the piece with Jonathan Rosenberg.

The show is running through February 23 and we will have a '29 Hour Read' performance in New York in April. Americano! is a centerpiece of The Phoenix Theatre Company's 100th Anniversary.

Americano! has set a new state box office record for a musical production. That record was set after the February 13 show. The production has also exceeded its ambitious sales goals, according to The Phoenix Theatre Company.

A concept album featuring 9 of Americano!'s original songs was released on January 24. A portion of proceeds from that album go to the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund. Music included in Americano! is now available on CD and on digital platforms.

Tickets for Americano! are on sale at www.phoenixtheatre.com. Shows take place in the Company's Mainstage Theatre, Also visit AmericanoTheMusical.com for more information.

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