Ben Crawford, Christina Bianco and More to Join Baltimore Symphony for BROADWAY STANDING OVATIONS Next Month

By: Sep. 04, 2014
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Jack Everly will lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in its first SuperPops concert of the 2014-2015 season on Thursday, October 9 at 8 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore, and Friday, October 10 at 8 p.m., Saturday, October 11 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, October 12 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

Broadway Standing Ovations will feature Broadway veterans Ben Crawford and "Phantom" Ted Keegan with Ron Remke and actress, singer and impressionist Christina Bianco, who recently became a YouTube sensation after her diva impression videos went viral. The four soloists will perform selections from The Phantom of the Opera, Once, LES MISERABLES, Wicked and more.

Jack Everly, conductor - Jack Everly is the principal pops conductor of the Indianapolis and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras, Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa). He has conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and appears regularly with The Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center. This season, Maestro Everly will conduct over 90 performances in more than 20 North American cities.

As music director of the National Memorial Day Concert and A Capitol Fourth on PBS, Everly proudly leads the National Symphony Orchestra in these patriotic celebrations on the National Mall. These concerts attract hundreds of thousands attendees on the lawn and the broadcasts reach millions of viewers and are some of the very highest rated programming on PBS television.

Originally appointed by Mikhail Baryshnikov, Mr. Everly was music director of the American Ballet Theatre for 14 years. In addition to his ABT tenure, he teamed with Marvin Hamlisch on Broadway shows that Mr. Hamlisch scored. He conducted Carol Channing hundreds of times in Hello, Dolly! in two separate Broadway productions.

Maestro Everly, a graduate of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, holds an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Franklin College in his home state of Indiana. He is a proud resident of the Indianapolis community for over 12 years and when not on the podium you can find Maestro Everly at home with his family which includes Max the wonder dog.

Ben Crawford, vocalist - Ben Crawford hails from Tucson, Arizona, where he earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in musical theater from the University of Arizona. Broadway credits include Shrek the Musical (Shrek) and LES MISERABLES (Javert & Val Jean understudy). Tours include Guys and Dolls (Sky Masterson), Next to Normal (Dr. Madden), Titanic (Barrett), Oliver! (Bill Sykes), South Pacific (Billis) and Oklahoma! (Jud Frye).

Crawford has performed with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic, Naples (FL) Philharmonic and the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa. He can be seen in the documentary The Standbys, which documents the careers of three New York actors serving as standbys in Broadway productions. This fall, Crawford will play Don Price on Broadway in Big Fish.

Ted Keegan, vocalist - Ted Keegan has been seen as the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, the National Tour and Phantom, The Las Vegas Spectacular. He has performed the role in more than 24 states and has had the great pleasure of appearing as The Phantom on the "Today" show on NBC and singing the role in front of the largest audience ever during the half-time show of the NBA All-Star Game. He performed unpublished Gershwin at the opening of the George and Ira Gershwin Room at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and has sung Gershwin with Audra McDonald and with Marin Mazzie. He appeared as a soloist at Avery Fisher Hall, singing Unheard Bernstein.

Keegan has hosted the Duke Energy Yuletide Celebration with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and performed with many orchestras across North America, including the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center. He made his Broadway debut in Sweeney Todd as Anthony. Other Broadway and National tour credits include Cyrano: The Musical, Camelot with Robert Goulet, Herman in The Most Happy Fella and Kander and Ebb's The World Goes 'Round. He is very excited about his latest venture called The Phat Pack. Visit phatpackshow.com for more information.

Christina Bianco, vocalist - Drama Desk and MAC Award nominated actress, singer and impressionist Christina Bianco has become a worldwide YouTube sensation with her diva impression videos going viral. Christina's rendition of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" got the attention of millions, which immediately led to an appearance performing on "The Ellen Degeneres Show." Christina also just sold out a critically acclaimed extended run headlining at London's famed Hippodrome.

In New York, Christina recently starred Off-Broadway in Newsical the Musical and Forbidden Broadway Goes to Rehab (Drama Desk Award Nomination). She can be heard on both original cast recordings. Christina originated the role of Dora in the long-running National Tour of Dora the Explorer Live, including a sold-out run at Radio City Music Hall. Other New York credits include: Raffi on Broadway (Gershwin Theatre), Forbidden Broadway Dances with the Stars and Tony and Tina's Wedding (Tina).

As a MAC Award-nominated Cabaret Artist, Christina performed weekly in an unprecedented eight-month run of 11 O'Clock Numbers at Feinstein's at Loews Regency. She has performed her acclaimed solo show, Diva Moments, to sold-out crowds in NYC at Birdland, regionally in Chicago and Baltimore, abroad in London (Hippodrome) and on various international cruise ships.

Christina frequently performs in concert as a soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. She has sung with R&B star Deborah Cox, guest starred on "The Jerry Lewis Telethon" and performed on NBC's "Today" show. Christina has recently been interviewed by and performed for the following entertainment news media outlets: HuffPost Live, ABC, NPR, VH1 and Pix 11.

Ron Remke, vocalist - Ron Remke was a featured soloist with the renowned 12 Irish Tenors and is a guest artist with symphonies throughout the United States. He has had the privilege of visiting over 70 countries while performing on board the Silver Spirit and the Regent Voyager as a production singer. Credits include Lead Tenor in The Producers (Westchester Broadway Theater, Pioneer Theater), Hugo in Aspects of Love, Captain Tarnitz in The Student Prince (Media Theater), Dance Captain of Kiss Me, Kate (U.S. National Tour) and appearances at The Fulton Opera House, Marriott Lincolnshire, The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Struther's Library Theater and Cortland Repertory. He has also worked with "Sesame Street" and Nickelodeon as a voice-over artist and is the voice of Juan in Sonia Monzano's "No Dog Allowed!" His full symphonic CD entitled Broadway Classics is available on iTunes and RonRemke.com.

COMPLETE PROGRAM DETAILS:

Broadway Standing Ovations
Thursday, October 9, 2014 at 8 p.m. - The Music Center at Strathmore
Friday, October 10, 2014 at 8 p.m. - Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (JMSH)
Saturday, October 11, 2014 at 8 p.m. - JMSH
Sunday, October 12, 2014 at 3 p.m. - JMSH

Jack Everly, conductor
Ben Crawford, vocalist
Ted Keegan, vocalist
Christina Bianco, vocalist
Ron Remke, vocalist

Tickets start at $40 and are available through the BSO Ticket Office, 410.783.8000 or BSOmusic.org.



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