ARTSBEAT

Broadway Baby And Salute To Sondheim

J.W. Arnold

Bernadette Peters In Concert At The Kravis Center

Throughout her illustrious career, Bernadette Peters has dazzled audiences with her distinct vocals and captivating stage presence. One of Broadway’s most critically acclaimed performers, she’s earned three Tony Awards, a Golden Globe and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The 75-year-old icon will return to South Florida for an intimate evening of her favorite songs on March 15 at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach.

“I’m there to entertain,” she said. “That’s what I do, but it can happen in so many different ways – it’s fun, it’s dramatic, it’s connecting with people.”

She’ll sing selections from “Hello, Dolly” and several Rodgers and Hammerstein shows, and, of course, there will be plenty of Sondheim on the program.

“I miss him greatly,” Peters said of the legendary composer and lyricist who passed away at 92 just

15 months ago. “He was a really dear friend, a smart person, funny, very precious to me. It’s hard to lose him, but he left us so many great songs and great shows.”

And like Sondheim before her, Peters isn’t slowing down. Following the West Palm Beach gig, she has plans to headline gala concerts of Sondheim’s music on the West Coast, London, and even The Villages (where her nephew’s in-laws live).

And of course, she will continue to champion the animals she holds so dear. This summer, she’ll once again host Broadway Barks, the pet adoption event in Shubert Alley she founded with Mary Tyler Moore 24 years ago. (“Celebrities love it,” she added.)

Then what’s next? Peters pondered: “I’ve done most of the great musical roles … maybe there’s something that’s not written yet, or maybe a play to do.”

Tickets start at $29 at Kravis.org.

Symphony Of The Americas Salutes Stephen Sondheim

The Symphony of the Americas and Music Director Pablo Mielgo welcome Emmy Award-winner Liz Callaway for a special tribute on March 14 to the late composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim.

The program at the Broward Center’s Amaturo Theater includes popular songs from Sondheim’s greatest Broadway productions, including “Company,” “Follies,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Merrily We Roll Along” and “Into the Woods.”

“I fell in love with Sondheim’s music when I was 10 years old, when my parents took me to see my first Broadway show, ‘Company.’ I brought home the cast album and memorized every song. Little did I know that his music would become part of my DNA. I’ll always be grateful to Steve for taking a chance on me, for his guidance, and for giving me ‘so much stuff to sing,’” said Callaway in a 2021 interview with Playbill Magazine.

Ten years after that life-changing experience, Callaway made her Broadway debut in Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along.” She received a Tony Award nomination for her performance in “Baby,” and for five years, she starred as Grizabella in “Cats.” Callaway also performed in the original casts of “Miss Saigon,” “The Three Musketeers” and “The Look of Love.”

Tickets start at $10 at SOTA.org.