Broadway Voices Series Opens with Carly Hughes at Garner Performing Arts Center Tonight

Hugh Panaro, one of the longest tenured Broadway Phantoms; rising star Carly Hughes and Garner fan favorite David Burnham are coming to the Garner Performing Arts Center during Broadway Voices' sixth season.

Panaro has been the Broadway Phantom more than 2,200 times in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera. He most recently played the role in 2014. Panaro also performed the role of Raoul in Phantom another 1,000 times.

"He is one of the most beloved actors on Broadway," said Neal Padgett, one of the executive directors of Broadway Voices. "Anytime you see a list of the most popular Broadway actors, you'll see him on it. Many people believe he is the best Phantom ever."

In addition to his performances in Phantom, Panaro has starred in Les Miserables (as Jean Valjean and Marius), Showboat (Gaylord Ravenal), Oliver (Fagin); Lestat (Lestat); Side Show (Buddy Foster) and others.

Hughes recently left a lead role in Chicago (Velma Kelly) and previously had been The Leading Player in Pippin. She also has had roles in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical; Ragtime; Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas; The Book of Mormon; Ghost; and the 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. In Beautiful, Hughes was the leading Shirelle. BroadwayBox.com said she stopped the show every night with her performance of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow."

Burnham came to Broadway Voices in December of 2012 and left as the talk of the town. He is best known as his role as Fiyero in "Wicked" and as Joseph in "Joseph's Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", but in recent months he has been gaining national acclaim in Las Vegas' Show Stoppers. He also garnered awards for his performance in "The Light in the Piazza."

Broadway Voices is a partnership among the Town of Garner, The Garner Chamber of Commerce and area businesses.

"It is a great model," said J. Mark McVey, a former Valjean in Les Miserables who has performed during two Broadway Voices season. "I tell communities about it. I so admire Garner. At a time when many communities are abandoning the arts, Garner is embracing the arts."

The series has attracted four Tony nominees and performers who have starred in some of Broadway's biggest shows including "Beauty and the Beast," "Edwin Drood," "Wicked", "Mary Poppins," "Phantom," "Les Miserables," "Ragtime," "Jekyll & Hyde," "Thoroughly Modern Millie;" and "Chicago."

"Growing up in Garner, I never would have believed that we would have Broadway stars on our stage," said Garner mayor Ronnie Williams. "It still amazes me."

IF YOU GO:

Broadway Voices concerts are at Garner Performing Arts Center, 742 W. Garner Road, Garner, NC.

Tickets and information: 919.661.4602.

Lineup:

Carly Hughes

Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015

7:30 pm

Hugh Panaro

Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016

7:30 pm

David Burnham

Friday, Apr. 30, 2016

7:30 pm

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