CAPA Presents BENISE: THE SPANISH GUITAR 11/17

Coinciding with a PBS special and following a critically acclaimed performance on "Dancing with the Stars," Benise brings his live stage production of The Spanish Guitar to the Palace Theatre. A celebration of culture, love, music, and life, The Spanish Guitar transports audiences to such exotic locales as Havana, Venice, Spain, Paris, the Arabian Desert, India, and more with video, songs, and an ever-changing, multi-media stage set. Benise holds his audiences captive as exotic drums, Gypsy violins, Flamenco dancers, Brazilian Samba dancers and percussionists, African tribal drummers, and Havana horns work together to create an unforgettable experience.

CAPA presents Benise: The Spanish Guitar at the Palace Theatre (34 W. Broad St.) on Wednesday, November 17, at 8 pm. Tickets are $22.50-$52.50 at the Ohio Theatre Ticket Office (39 E. State St.), all Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase tickets by phone, please call (614) 469-0939 or (800) 745-3000. The Palace Theatre Ticket Office will open two hours prior to the performance. Students between the ages of 13-19 may purchase $5 High Five tickets while available. This Caliente Series performance is made possible through the generous support of series sponsors David and Mo Meuse.

The Spanish Guitar is a story of lost love and the gypsy guitar-maker whose mysterious workings create a guitar that can transport Benise through time to the far ends of the world on his quest. The enchanted guitar becomes a treasure chest of inspiration that propels him into the role of troubadour for the ages. Brilliantly choreographed dance numbers and orchestral pieces accompany the stories sealed inside this magical instrument.

The Spanish Guitar is directed by Raj Kapoor (Josh Groban, "American Idol," "Dancing with the Stars," Britney Spears) and choreographed by Alex Magno (Madonna, Yanni, Pussycat Dolls, Ballet Hispanico) with lighting design by Bud Horowitz (Bette Midler, Natalie Cole, Yanni). It integrates actual footage of Benise on his voyage across the globe with audiences following his journey through the cobblestone streets of Old Havana, an Arabian Desert, the romantic canals of Venice, the oldest bull ring in Spain, a Paris café, and a 2,000-year-old sacred Buddhist temple in India.

The band consists of world-class musicians such as Karen Briggs (Yanni) and Walter Rodrigez (Stomp, Yanni).

The Gitanas, Benise's female dancers, were carefully hand-picked from a global pool of some of the most brilliantly diverse talent to be found, including traditional Flamenco dancers, Broadway dancers, and featured dance soloists of Madonna, Celine Dion, and Ricky Martin. Breathtaking couture fashion and the unparalleled beauty of the dancers themselves complement the beautiful Spanish dancing.

About Benise
Just as his fiery melodies and high-energy rhythms weave a stunning tapestry of emotions, Benise has always charted his own distinctive path. Receiving his first guitar at age eleven, he is completely self-taught and has mastered a variety of styles, eventually weaving them into his own unique sound.

After moving to Los Angeles, Benise was turned down by almost every club, so he began performing on the streets where word of mouth started to spread. From there, his music took on a life of its own, attracting musicians, dancers, and cirque performers, many of which have become part of the extended family of Benise.

Benise began composing original works with powerfully emotional arrangements as edgy and exotic as they are romantic and sensual. He redefined the ordinary and began to promote his own concerts, eventually selling out 2,000-seat theaters with shows that have become inspiring experiences. The Spanish Guitar is Benise's eighth CD, third DVD, and second PBS special. His first PBS special, Nights of Fire, earned an Emmy Award.

www.benise.com

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