5th Avenue TITANIC Concert to Star Edd Watts, Stanley Bahorek, Greg Stone, More

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's epic voyage, The 5th Avenue Theatre is presenting Titanic: The Concert. With music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and book by Peter Stone, Titanic: The Concert is a unique way to celebrate the centennial of one of the most memorable events of the last century. Actors will sing with the support of a 25-piece orchestra and the 80 voices of the award-winning Pacific Lutheran University Choral Union. The story of the Titanic will come to life through music on The 5th Avenue stage on nights that coincide exactly with the ship's historic journey and tragic end.

The concert features the tremendous voices of Seattle and Broadway musical theater stars including Ed Watts, Stanley Bahorek, Greg Stone, Anne Allgood, Ryah Nixon, Allen Fitzpatrick, Timothy Piggee, David Pichette, Jeff Steitzer, and Carol Swarbrick. The concert will be directed by 5th Avenue Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong, with musical direction by Ian Eisendrath.

Titanic: The Concert plays four performances only – April 13-15, 2012 at The 5th Avenue Theatre (1308 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101). Tickets (starting at $19.00) may be purchased at www.5thavenue.org, by phone at 206-625-1900, or at the Box Office at 1308 5th Avenue in downtown Seattle.

The tragic tale of the April 15, 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic has been retold time and again from thousands of perspectives. In 1997, the story was brought to life in a musical format when Titanic opened on Broadway. With music and lyrics by Maury Yeston (Nine, Grand Hotel, December Songs) and a book by Peter Stone (The Will Rogers Follies, 1776, Curtains), the musical is based on true stories of the Titanic's crew and passengers, and follows members of both the elite and the working class as they journey on the "Ship of Dreams." With its delicately intertwining stories and lush music, Titanic took top awards at the 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Orchestrations, and Best Scenic Design. It also won the 1997 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations.

"Maury Yeston's breathtaking music and lyrics make Titanic: The Musical one of the most beautiful musicals of the modern era," said 5th Avenue Theatre Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong. "Our concert will make this timeless score the star, showcased by some of the finest voices in the country accompanied by a full orchestra."

Titanic stars Broadway's Ed Watts as Barrett, the stoker. Watts returns to The 5th Avenue Theatre where he recently appeared in the world premiere musical Saving Aimee. Watts also starred in The 5th Avenue's acclaimed production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Most recently seen in The Fantasticks Off-Broadway, he has also performed in the Broadway revival of Finian's Rainbow, The Most Happy Fella at The New York City Opera, and the national tour of Les Misérables.

As telegraph operator Harold Bride, Stanley Bahorek returns to The 5th where he starred in Candide as the title character in The 5th's 2010 production. The New York star was most recently seen in Amadeus at the Alley Theatre. He has performed in the national tour of Big River, on Broadway in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Off-Broadway in Rent and See Rock City.

Greg Stone joins the cast as the Titanic's designer, Thomas Andrews. Stone has performed on Broadway as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, as well as in The Pirate Queen, Urban Cowboy, and Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! Other New York credits include Juno, Of Thee I Sing, Under the Bridge, and Summer of '42. In 2009, Stone received a Helen Hayes nomination for Outstanding Lead Performer in the Signature Theatre's critically acclaimed reimagining of Les Misérables. Stone makes his 5th Avenue debut in Titanic: The Concert.

Playing 2nd class passenger Alice Beane is Seattle's Anne Allgood. Allgood's list of performance credits is extensive. Her 5th Avenue productions include Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, A Christmas Story, Candide, Company, Gypsy, and many others. She has toured regionally in Urinetown, Evita and Floyd Collins, and nationally in tours of Parade and Beauty and the Beast. On Broadway, she performed in The Most Happy Fella, Carousel, Beauty and the Beast, The Sound of Music, and Imaginary Friends. Allgood's other Seattle credits include roles at ACT, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Village Theatre, and Seattle Children's Theatre.

Roosevelt High School grad Ryah Nixon returns to The 5th Avenue Theatre as 3rd class passenger Kate McGowan. Nixon last graced The 5th Avenue stage when she performed in the national tour of 9 to 5: The Musical. She will return to play Maureen in Rent this summer. She performed in the ensemble of 9 to 5 and ultimately replaced Diana DeGarmo as Dora Lee for the final leg of the tour. Nixon made her Off-Broadway debut in Another Part of the Forest. She has appeared previously at Village Theater in Aida: The Musical and Meet Me in St. Louis.

Allen Fitzpatrick will play the role of Captain E.J. Smith. Fitzpatrick, who will also be featured in The 5th Avenue production of Damn Yankees in April, returns immediately to The 5th after performing in both Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! and CinderellA. Fitzpatrick has performed on Broadway in Driving Miss Daisy, Memphis, Sweet Smell of Success, and 42nd Street, among others. He has performed in five national tours, including Sunset Boulevard, starring as Max opposite Petula Clark.

Timothy Piggee, who performs the role of 1st Officer William Murdoch, appeared in the pre-Broadway engagement of Catch Me If You Can at The 5th Avenue Theatre, and performed with the original Broadway cast. He has worked on many Seattle stages, including Intiman Theatre, The Group Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, The Empty Space Theatre, Tacoma Actor's Guild, A Contemporary Theatre, and Seattle Repertory Theatre.

David Pichette's Seattle resume shows multiple credits in every major theater in town. His 5th Avenue credits include Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, 1776, My Fair Lady, Wonderful Town, and Candide. He recently performed as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at ACT. Also a playwright, Pichette co-authored an adaptation of Double Indemnity with Bob Wright which completed a run at ACT Theatre.

Joining the cast as The Major is Seattle star Jeff Steitzer. He returns to The 5th where he appeared previously as Senex in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Steitzer has worked at all the major houses in Seattle including Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, ACT Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre. The actor has performed on Broadway in the Tony-nominated revival of Inherit the Wind and the dual roles of Admiral Boom and the Bank Chairman in Mary Poppins. An accomplished singer and stage actor, Steitzer is also a voiceover actor and is best known for lending his voice as the "Voice of God Multiplayer Announcer" on all three Halo games for Microsoft XBox.

Pacific Northwest treasure Carol Swarbrick joins the talent of Titanic: The Concert as Ida Straus, wife of Isidor Straus, owner of Macy's Department Store. The Sequim resident has performed on Broadway in productions of Whoopee and Side by Side by Sondheim, as well as in the 1995 revival of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She has toured nationally and regionally, and she played Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Swarbrick has also performed at The 5th in White Christmas, Into the Woods, Hello Dolly, and many others.

Adding their acting and vocal talents to this concert presentation are Andi Alhadeff, Jared Michael Brown, Molly Davidson, Bob De Dea, Kirsten Delohr Helland, Nick DeSantis, Jim Dries, Mary Jo DuGaw, Anne Eisendrath, Sean Glynn, Hugh Hastings, Eric Jensen, Corinna Lapid Munter, Lindsey Larson, Matthew Lewis, Sonya Meyer, Cheryl Massey Peters, Robert McPherson, Matt Owen, Lindsay Powers, David Quicksall, Heath Saunders, Aaron Shanks, and Jenny Shotwell.

For more information about The 5th Avenue Theatre, its season and its programs, please visit www.5thavenue.org.

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