Broadway Composer Stephen Schwartz to Take Part in PRiMA Theatre Concert in May

Award-winning Broadway composer Stephen Schwartz joins Lancaster's finest talent to highlight his expansive library of hit shows in a concert on Sunday, May 22. Defying Gravity will not only feature Schwartz' beloved music, but the composer himself, onstage presenting stories and songs. Presented by PRiMA Theatre, the concert event is open to the public, with tickets from $26.00. The 7 pm concert will be held at Willow Valley Communities Cultural Center Theater, 900 Willow Valley Lakes Drive in Lancaster. Tickets can be purchased at www.primatheatre.org or by phone at 717.327.5124. Concert tickets including a Meet & Greet Reception with the artist are also for $98.

Stephen Schwartz is the composer behind Wicked, Pippin, Godspell, Working, Rags, and Children of Eden. He collaborated on the songs for Disney's Enchanted, Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, as well as the writer of songs for DreamWorks' The Prince of Egypt, currently being adapted for the Broadway stage. He is the current president of the Dramatists Guild and has been inducted into the Theatre, Hollywood and Songwriters Halls of Fame. Mr. Schwartz holds three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards and four Drama Desk Awards.

"Defying Gravity will fundamentally deepen your love for the power of songs and lyrics," says PRiMA's Executive Producer Mitch Nugent. "Stephen and his team have been gracious partners in creating this experience together. It's an honor for PRiMA, a big win for Lancaster, and a rare opportunity for audiences."
Master Class | 1pm, May 22

In addition to the concert, Schwartz will also offer a Master Class at the Willow Valley Communities Cultural Center, which is open to all who are interested in getting a behind-the-scenes experience of what it takes to take a performance to the next level. In addition to students of musical theatre, the general public is welcomed to attend and observe. Tickets are $25.00, also available online and by phone. Schwartz will work with five to seven local singers on performance technique and storytelling through song. To apply for the one on-one opportunity, performers 18 and older should send their resume, headshot and video reel (if available) to admin@primatheatre.org by April 15. The one-on-one fee is $175.00, paid upon being chosen.

During the past several years, PRiMA Theatre, a non-profit organization that produces theatrical experiences at a variety of venues in the region, has brought some of musical theatre's top actors and vocalists to the area. This upcoming season boasts a bevy of Broadway's biggest stars.

In addition to local professionals, previous PRiMA productions have featured Broadway's best talent including Josefina Scaglione (Broadway's Maria in West Side Story, Jason Robert Brown (composer of Parade, The Last Five Years) and Shoshana Bean (Broadway's Elphaba in Wicked). In December, Broadway's monumental rock tenor Adam Pascal (Rent, Aida, Chess) will join the PRiMA stage for a solo concert and master class. For more information, please visit primatheatre.org.

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