Live At the Orinda - Melissa Manchester "50 Threads: An Artist's Journey" at Orinda Theatre

We're honored to open our Live At the Orinda 2025 -2026 concert season with Grammy winning singer/songwriter legend Melissa Manchester. In her brand new multi-media show, 50 Threads: An Artist's Journey, Melissa offers a heartfelt look back at her remarkable 50 years in music. With 25 albums in her name, including her latest, "RE:VIEW", which features duets with her friends Dolly Parton and Kenny Loggins, Melissa offers fresh perspectives and insight on some of her biggest hits, including "Don't Cry Out Loud", "Whenever I Call You Friend, "Midnight Blue", and "Come In From The Rain." In this very special evening, Melissa weaves together unforgettable songs and personal stories, tracing the milestones of a storied career that began in her hometown of New York City.

A Grammy nominee in 1980 for her powerful rendition of “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” Melissa took home the award for Best Female Vocalist in 1982 with the hit “You Should Hear How She Talks About You.”

As an actress, Melissa co-starred with Bette Midler in the Oscar nominated film For The Boys. Melissa Manchester also holds a unique place in Oscar history — the first artist ever nominated for two Academy Awards in a single year and the first to perform them both during a single telecast: “Through the Eyes of Love” from Ice Castles and “I’ll Never Say Goodbye” from The Promise.

Most recently, Melissa appeared as Mrs. Brice in the national touring production of Funny Girl, adding to an impressive theatrical resume that includes roles in the touring versions of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song and Dance and Music of the Night. On TV, Melissa created the role of Maddy, mother of the lead character, on NBC’s popular series, Blossom. 

In November 2021, Melissa Manchester was inducted into the Great American Songbook Foundation’s Hall of Fame.

"...the evening was a fascinating musical stroll through Melissa Manchester’s five-decade career. Can it get any better than this? An electrifying vocalist, a proficient pianist, an award-winning composer, and wonderful actress, with a creative output that has been so enormously consequential, telling you about it in story, and song, with a voice that sends chills down your spine."  - Stephen Sorokoff, Broadway World