SPONSORED BY:
PATRON FRIENDS
JERRY CARDEN & MARY RILEY
JIM & CAROL BISHOP
KELLEY BAKER
JOHN & DEE CUMMINS
MAR 14, 2024
ABOUT MICHAEL LONDRA
Michael Londra is an Emmy®-nominated, internationally acclaimed Irish singer, producer, and TV host from the opera capital of Ireland, a small town on the Southeast coast called Wexford. His big break came when he was cast as the lead tenor in Riverdance on Broadway and subsequently on the U.S. National tour of the same show, which he toured for 2 years.
Michael’s first solo album “Celt” was produced by acclaimed producer, Steve Skinner, who co-produced the Grammy-nominated soundtrack of RENT. Released in 15 countries worldwide, it reached Number 1 in the World Music Charts. In 2011 Michael produced a concert special for PBS called Beyond Celtic, which earned him two Emmy® nominations.
Over the past 9 years, Michael built an annual hosted tour of Ireland for fans, which has led to the current television series Ireland with Michael. Season #1 first aired on Public Television in 2021. The show follows the singer on his travels around the Emerald Isle showing off the country he loves the only way he knows how, through music. The first 3 seasons of Ireland with Michael have been a breakaway success, airing over 27,000 times on Public Television stations across the country into 97% of all U.S. households. Season #4 is scheduled to air in January 2024.
A live music concert based off the TV show, called Ireland with Michael LIVE, visits theatres and performing arts centers across the United States annually in March and December. As a concert performer Michael is highly acclaimed. Over the past few years alone he has toured his shows in 20 countries, as both producer and lead singer. He has been a featured guest singer with Irish supergroups De Dannan and Téada. In 2013 he performed with Judy Collins for the Kennedy family at the JFK 50 celebrations to honor President John F. Kennedy’s trip to Ireland in 1963. His version of Danny Boy has been viewed 11 million times on YouTube. His company VenuWorks Theatricals formed with Steve Peters produced the US tour of NOËL the Musical in 2018 and their current production of the MGM movie musical, Summer Stock, for the stage debuted at Goodspeed Opera House in summer 2023, to huge critical acclaim.
Michael is a proud advocate of the charity Concern Worldwide, which through several CD releases and his high-profile visits to Haiti, Michael has raised considerable awareness for and helped bring the issue of poverty and hunger to the attention of the public. He, along with authors Colm Toibin, Eoin Colfer and TV presenter Dermot O Leary is an official ambassador of his home county, Wexford.
ABOUT BAND & DANCERS
MELLAD ABEID - MUSICAL DIRECTOR, GUITAR
Mellad is from Spokane, Washington, teaching guitar in Gonzaga and Eastern Washington University. He has been Michael’s MD for 20 years.
DAVID SCHULZ - UILLEANN PIPES, LOW WHISTLE, PENNY WHISTLE (AND ALL SORTS OF GADGETS).
David hails from Colville, Washington and is acknowledged as a leader in Irish music in the Northwest.
CLAIRE SHIREY– FIDDLE
Claire studied Irish music at the Atlanta Irish Music School and University of Georgia. She is a well-known fiddle player nationally for her innovative work in the Irish Dance world. She featured as a guest artist with Celtic Illusion.
DANIEL COX – DRUMS
Daniel comes from a jazz background and adds an innovative sound to our jigs and reels. Dan teaches in Spokane, WA.
JAMIE REYNOLDS – PIANO
Jamie is from Toronto but has been based in New York for several years. He has released several albums as a jazz artist but has become more and more involved as an accompanist of Irish singers over the past few years.
TRENT KOWALIK – DANCE
Trent won a Tony® award as the original Billy Elliott on Broadway. He has featured as a dancer with the Darragh Carr company in New York and as a guest with the Celtic Fyre show.
JESSIE MILLAR – DANCE
Jess has danced all over the world with multiple Irish dance shows including Irish Celtic and Celtic Legends. She will next perform in Miami with Celtic Illusion at Casino Miami.