Shows include Audra McDonald, South Pacific, and more!
Powerhouse vocalist and actor Audra McDonald returns to the Van Wezel in 2021! Musician, vocalist and composer Damien Sneed brings A Tribute to Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul to the Hall for its Sarasota debut, and single tickets for South Pacific will be available for purchase this week.
Single tickets for the following performances go on sale Friday, August 14, 2020 at 10 a.m.
Audra McDonald returns to Sarasota for an unforgettable evening of music! The superstar is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her artistry as both a singer and an actor. The winner of a record-breaking six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards and an Emmy Award, she received a 2015 National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama and was also named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people that year. Tony-winning performances include Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess and Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill - which served as the vehicle for her Olivier-nominated 2017 West End debut. She can currently be seen as Liz Lawrence on CBS All Access's The Good Fight. The Juilliard-trained soprano's latest solo album, Sing Happy, was recorded live with the New York Philharmonic for Decca Gold.
Musician, vocalist and composer Damien Sneed toured with Aretha Franklin, developing a strong mentee relationship with the soul legend. In the Sarasota premiere of A Tribute to Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul, Sneed pays homage to the icon with fresh renditions of the beloved hits including "Respect," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Think," "Until You Come Back To Me," "Daydreaming," "Natural Woman" and more. Featuring an all-star cast of jazz, gospel and soul musicians and vocalists, Sneed's multi-media tribute will honor the life of an iconic industry titan. Four-time Grammy-winner, gospel music legend and multiple Stellar and GMA Dove Award winner Karen Clark Sheard joins the tour with her signature, multi-octave vocal range.
Love transcends the harsh realities of war and prejudice in South Pacific, the sweeping Pulitzer Prize-winning tale centered around two unlikely love affairs. Set on a tropical island during World War II, this timeless Rodgers & Hammerstein classic features some of the most beautiful music ever composed woven into an inspiring story cherished around the world. Winner of ten Tony Awards, the beloved score's songs include "Some Enchanted Evening," "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair," and "There is Nothin' Like a Dame" amidst big, Broadway performances and a chorus of American sailors and Navy nurses ready to take you to Bali Ha'i.
Additional single ticket shows ON SALE NOW include:
Subscription packages and many single ticket shows are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at www.VanWezel.org, by calling the box office at 941-263-6799 or by visiting the box office Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
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