Broadway Stars to Shine in Pops Performances at SPAC

Doug LaBrecque & Christiane Noll in A Century of Broadway, Thursday, August 5

Erin Mackey & Julia Murney from Wicked  Perform Thursday, August 19

Saratoga Springs, NY (August 3, 2010) - Stars from some of Broadway’s biggest hits will perform at SPAC during The Philadelphia Orchestra’s summer program, August 4 - 21. On Thursday, August 5, Doug LaBrecque from The Phantom of the Opera and Christiane Noll, 2009 Tony Award nominee for her role in Ragtime, will join celebrated pops conductor Jeff Tyzik for a musical journey of Broadway shows, past and present. Also performing during the season will be Erin Mackey and Julia Murney, stars of Broadway’s Wicked, who will perform on the August 19 program, Wicked Divas, conducted by New York Pops conductor Steven Reineke.  

“For two fun, fabulous evenings, SPAC’s Amphitheatre will come alive with the sounds of Broadway as two of America’s foremost pops conductors are joined by Broadway stars to present A Century of Broadway and Wicked Divas. These programs offer audiences wonderful opportunities to have a Broadway experience right here in Saratoga,” said Marcia J. White, SPAC’s President & Executive Director.

A Century of Broadway on Thursday, August 5showcases the best Broadway hits of the last 100 years. The program begins with selections from earlier shows such as Showboat and My Fair Lady, and gradually moves towards more contemporary productions including West Side Story, Godspell, Chicago, Sweeney Todd and The Phantom of the Opera. Jeff Tyzik, Principal Pops Conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Oregon and Vancouver Symphonies, guest conducts the Orchestra that evening.

Featured on the program are actors/vocalists:

• Doug LaBrecque, best known for his roles as The Phantom and Raoul in the Harold Prince production of The Phantom of the Opera. Mr. LaBrecque also starred on Broadway in the Hal Prince revival of Showboat  and toured nationally with Les Miserables. An active concert performer, Mr. LaBrecque has been a soloist with some of the world’s finest symphony orchestras, including the San Francisco, Israel, Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta, and National Symphony Orchestras.
• Christiane Noll recently won a Helen Hayes Award and was nominated for a Tony Award for her role as 'Mother' in the Broadway production of Ragtime. Other Broadway credits include a starring role in Jekyll & Hyde as well as roles in The Mambo Kings, The Witches of Eastwick and in the national tour of Urinetown.  She has been a frequent guest soloist for symphony orchestras around the world, including the National Symphony, the Cincinnati Pops, the Jerusalem Symphony and the Philadelphia Pops.

On Thursday, August 19, New York Pops Conductor Steven Reineke leads the Orchestra in a program of “diva showstoppers” entitled Wicked Divas and starring Erin Mackey and Julia Murney, actresses who starred as “Glinda” and “Elphaba” in the Broadway production of Wicked. The program will feature favorites from Broadway, opera and pop music and include selections from Wicked, Carmen, Titanic, Gypsy, Ragtimeand more.

Tickets for the Philadelphia Orchestra start at $18 for lawn seating; inside seats range from $31-$72.50. Children 12 and under are entitled to free lawn admission compliments of the GE Kids in Free program. Citizens Bank’s student discount entitles students in middle school, high school, and college to $10 lawn seats or 25% discounted amphitheatre seating. Details and tickets are available at www.spac.org, 518-584-9330,or at the Box Office.