Inaugural Lyric Spotlight Concert Presented One Night Only, July 8

The Lyric Repertory Company's inaugural Spotlight Concert is July 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Morgan Theatre on the Utah State University campus. The concert is a one-night-only, family-friendly fundraiser supporting the Lyric Endowment.

"Every year we perform at Noon Music at the Tabernacle, and patrons love seeing the talent of all of the company members," Richie Call, artistic director of the Lyric, said. "This gave birth to the idea of the Spotlight Concert. We get to highlight more of the company members than our patrons would normally be able to hear sing, while also raising funds to continue bringing in top guest professionals as company members."

Call noted that it is a part of the Lyric's mission to bring in the very best of the industry to work with top student actors and designers to help them get a "leg up" as they transition into the industry.

"We are not a company that exists just for our students, nor are we a company that exists just for the professional artists we bring in," Call said. "If we were just one or the other, Lyric would be a less expensive venture. But this company was created by Vosco Call to bridge the gap between educational and professional theater and it's essential to bring in top talent to fulfill that mission."

Jason Spelbring, associate artistic director of the Lyric, said this year's Spotlight Concert is themed On Broadway.

"The numbers being performed by actors in our company are from musicals currently being performed in New York City," Spelbring said. "This is a 'thank you' to our patrons in real time. One hundred percent of ticket sales go directly to the endowment, and audience members will help us create future Lyric companies."

Guest artist Melinda Pfundstein, known to Utah audiences from her involvement with the Utah Shakespeare Festival, will perform with company members at the Spotlight Concert. Pfundstein is a director, actor, administrator, advocate for women in the arts, and mother of three young women. She holds an MA in arts administration from Southern Utah University (SUU), where she also completed her undergraduate degree in theatre and dance performance. Pfundstein is the executive director and co-founder of StateraArts, a non-profit organization that uplifts, amplifies and advances women into full and equal participation in the arts.

"The Spotlight Concert also features short documentaries from A Raisin in the Sun, Mamma Mia!, Clybourne Park and Murder for Two," Spelbring said. "We will be sharing some exciting announcements about the 2020 summer season, and this concert features current company members Eric Van Tielen (Broadway and National Tours of: Les Miserables, A Tale of Two Cities, Fiddler on the Roof and Prince of Broadway) and Eric Shorey (National and International Tours of: Chitty Bang Bang, Guys & Dolls, West Side Story and Cats) along with additional company members who will appear throughout the evening."

The Spotlight Concert will be co-hosted by Richie Call and Jason Spelbring.

The Lyric 2019 season includes A Raisin in the Sun, Mamma Mia!, Clybourne Park, Murder for Two, The Great Society (Staged Reading) and Size Matters. The season runs June 14-August 3.

For more information or to purchase tickets for the inaugural Spotlight Concert or 2019 season, go online to lyricrep.org. Visit the Caine Lyric Theatre Box Office at 28 W. Center Street on Mon.-Sat. from 10 a.m.-5 p.m until August 3 (435-797-8022) or the Spectrum Box Office at 7600 Old Main Hill on Mon.-Fri. from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (435-797-0305).