Posted October 4, 2019
DAYTON, OH (October 3, 2019) – On Friday, November 1, 2019 and Saturday, November 2, 2019 at 8 p.m. in the Mead Theatre of the Schuster Center, Artistic Director and Conductor Neal Gittleman and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will present the first concert of the 2019–2020 Kettering Health Network SuperPops Series, Something Wonderful: The Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The DPO is pleased to welcome to the stage guest vocalists Rob Gallagher, Teri Hansen, and Sean MacLaughlin and host Oscar “Andy” Hammerstein III, grandson of the composer Oscar Hammerstein, for this performance. DPAA’s Innovation Partner for the 2019-2020 Titans Season is the DP&L Foundation: Powering Innovation in the Performing Arts.
Composer Richard Rodgers and librettist and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein together represent what is considered to be the most successful partnership ever in the history of American musical theatre. Rodgers and Hammerstein first came together in 1943 to create one of the most well-known and widely performed musicals of the 20th century, Oklahoma! The collaboration joined Rodgers’ musical comedy with Hammerstein’s operatic background, the successful combination of talent leading thereafter to more than 40 shows and film scores over the next several years of musical collaboration.
After the success of Oklahoma!, the duo created a string of Broadway smashes during what is considered to be the “golden age” of musical theatre, captivating audiences worldwide with shows like Carousel, South Pacific, and The King and I. Arguably, the duo’s most successful project by far was the 1965 production of The Sound of Music, which won the 1965 Oscar for Best Picture and remains one of the most popular musical films of all time.
All told, the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein earned them 34 Tony Awards, 15 Academy Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, and two Grammy Awards. No creative duo since then has come close to this incredible level of achievement.
The Dayton Philharmonic pays tribute to these two prolific artists with songs from five of their smash Broadway hits. The night includes a visit to Oklahoma! with “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,” “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” “People Will Say We’re in Love,” and, of course, the title theme song “Oklahoma!” Next, it’s a ride on the Carousel with “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over,” “If I Loved You,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” and “Soliloquy,” plus the beautiful “Carousel Waltz” which opens the evening and raises the curtain on the 2019–2020 SuperPops Season of Titans.
After intermission, the DPO takes the audience on a trip to South Pacific, including three delightful and unmistakable numbers: “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught,” “A Wonderful Guy,” and “Some Enchanted Evening.” A majestic tribute to The King and I follows with “Hello Young Lovers” and the beloved “Shall We Dance.”
The performance draws to a conclusion with a familiar stroll through the mountains of Austria, where one can almost hear Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music with the serene “Edelweiss,” everyone’s favorite “My Favorite Things,” a fun slide up the musical scale with “Do-Re-Mi,” and the inspirational “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” to close the show.
The Dayton Philharmonic brings to the stage three guest vocalists and an emcee for the evening, each with ties to these Broadway staples. Rob Gallagher is a native of St. Louis, Missouri, where he first discovered his love for singing and the theater. He has appeared on Broadway in countless productions, including the Tony Award-winning revival of South Pacific. Teri Hansen has received international recognition for her crossover abilities as a singing actor. She recently starred as the Baroness Elsa Schraeder in the North American tour of Jack O’Brien’s critically acclaimed production of The Sound of Music. Sean MacLaughlin boasts an extensive Broadway resume, earning acclaim in the role of Juan Perón in the successful revival of Evita and as Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera. He had the pleasure over a decade ago to perform in South Pacific: In Concert at Carnegie Hall alongside Reba McEntire and Alec Baldwin.The host for this exciting production is Oscar “Andy” Hammerstein III, the grandson of the legendary composer, who, with Richard Rodgers, brought us these musicals that have stood the test of time and inspired generations.
With these four guest artists taking the stage with the incredible Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, it will most certainly be “Some Enchanted Evening,” indeed!
Tickets for Something Wonderful: The Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein begin at $24 and are available at Ticket Center Stage (937) 228-3630 or online at www.daytonperformingarts.org. Senior, teacher and student discounts are available at the box office. For more information or to order subscriptions, including flexible subscription types that include performances by Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Opera and Dayton Ballet, visit www.daytonperformingarts.org.
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About the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance
The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance was formed in July 2012 as the result of a groundbreaking and innovative merger between the Dayton Ballet, the Dayton Opera, and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Together, they are the largest performing arts organization in the community, offering a tremendous variety of performance and education programs and setting a new standard for artistic excellence. Dayton Performing Arts Alliance performances are made possible in part by Montgomery County and Culture Works, the single largest source of community funds for the arts and culture in the Miami Valley. The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance also receives partial funding from the Ohio Arts Council, a state agency created to foster and encourage the development of the arts and to preserve Ohio’s cultural heritage. Funding from the Ohio Arts Council is an investment of state tax dollars that promotes economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohio residents. In 2013, The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance was thrilled to be one of five performing arts organizations in the country selected to receive a three-year “Music Alive” grant from New Music USA and the League of American Orchestras. The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance is the proud recipient of a 2017-2018 Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.