JULY 21-28, 2018
Proud Partner
The Great American Songbook Foundation Michael Feinstein, Founder
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ALL-STARS Ian Berlin, 17 Chevy Chase, Maryland Maret School Future Plans: to major in Musical Theatre and Science at a college and be a person who is out in the world creating art, whether that be performing, directing or contributing creatively through some other means. Logan Branch, 18 East Greenwich, Rhode Island East Greenwich High School Future Plans: to sing the Great American Songbook and be an entrepreneur. Lucy Breedlove, 16 Vienna, Virginia James Madison High School Future Plans: to pursue musical theater in college and continue to keep music in her life, whether it be through performing on Broadway or becoming a music teacher. Olivia Broadwater, 16 Zionsville, Indiana Zionsville Community High School Future Plans: to either be an orthodontist, own a frozen yogurt company or perform on Broadway. She wants to use her talents and ideas to spread joy!
Zach Connolly, 17 Greentown, Indiana Eastern High School Future Plans: to become a performer or study history and become a teacher.
Morgan Demetre, 16 Portland, Oregon Cleveland High School Future Plans: to be on Broadway, perform in musicals or do anything in the entertainment industry. She would love to be a film actress, and inspire other kids to have any type of art in their lives. Elena Flauto, 15 Akron, Ohio Hathaway Brown School Future Plans: to be a professional singer and songwriter.
Sadie Fridley, 15 Fayetteville, New York Fayetteville Manlius High School Future Plans: to have a career in music with the ultimate goal of being a performer on Broadway, while staying true to herself. Peter Fulton, 16 Fishers, Indiana Colonial Christian High School Future Plans: to enter a field related to art, music and computer informatics. He would love to spend his days creating things for others to enjoy. Reed Gnepper, 17 Cincinnati, Ohio The School for Creative and Performing Arts Future Plans: to make a living as a vocal performer and travel the world entertaining.
Emma Hackworth, 17 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania North Allegheny Senior High School Future Plans: to have a career in music or in the arts whether it’s performing on Broadway, teaching music at a high school or performing for Disney. Aisley Wallace Harper, 17 Napa, California Napa High School Future Plans: to work on Broadway and be a part of a community that is passionate about social issues and change. She would love to be a vocal activist advocating for what she believes in and performing to make others - as well as herself - happy. Sean Hodges, 16 Sterling Heights, Michigan Troy High School Future Plans: to win a Tony Award for his performance in a Broadway production, become an outstanding jazz performer and influence people like the great performers before him did. Kai Koren, 15 Lake Worth, Florida Park Vista High School Future Plans: to create a legacy in the entertainment industry by being true to herself and inspiring others! Tara Lacy, 18 Carmel, Indiana Carmel High School Future Plans: to have a career in the entertainment business and bring joy to people through her love for singing. Brooke Lambert, 14 Seattle, Washington Roosevelt High School Future Plans: to continue to share jazz with everyone as a performer, a teacher and the owner of her own jazz club.
Ella Marcus, 16 New York, New York Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School Future Plans: to be an actor and singer on the stage or in film. She wants to be a part of a collaborative community where people share their art and passions. Abigail Marotta, 16 Ocoee, Florida West Orange High School Future Plans: to perform on Broadway one day or work in music therapy. Alec Melosini, 18 Trabuco Canyon, California Santa Margarita Catholic High School Future Plans: to obtain a promising job as a financier where he can progress as a successful businessman through hard work and dedication, while continuing to be an advocate for the arts by supporting underfunded local performing arts programs. Sophie Miller, 18 Carmel, Indiana Carmel High School Future Plans: to use her love for the performing arts to bring optimism to others. Grace Mozitis, 16 Linwood, New Jersey Mainland Regional High School Future Plans: to be on the Broadway stage and one day perform alongside Michael Feinstein, as it would be a “dream come true to share the stage with such a gentleman and legend.� Ryan Peter Murphy, 18 Hamden, Connecticut Aces Educational Center for the Arts and Hamden High School Future Plans: to be an international musician and performing artist/singer.
Shawn Naumann, 17 Pleasant Grove, Utah Pleasant Grove High School Future Plans: to voice a major video game character. Voice acting has been a long time interest of Shawn’s, and he would love to do it professionally. Eevie Perez, 16 San Diego, California Canyon Crest Academy Future Plans: to be a theatre actress and spend her life following her passions.
Ariana Prappas, 17 San Marino, California San Marino High School Future Plans: to be a working performer on the Broadway stage and to be well respected and valued in the community. Johnny Rabe, 18 Naperville, Illinois The Chicago Academy for the Arts Future Plans: to have a diverse and fulfilling life helping his generation to appreciate the music of the Great American Songbook and the Golden Age of Broadway through singing, acting, directing and writing. Lily Rasmussen, 18 Lexington, Kentucky Lafayette Senior High School Future Plans: to be a working actress on Broadway and be a performer that young girls, like herself, can look up to. AnaĂŻs Reno, 14 New York, New York Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School Future Plans: to sing in shows, share her passion with others and surround herself with incredibly talented people.
Jennie Rupp, 17 Ann Arbor, Michigan Skyline High School Future Plans: to move to New York City after college to pursue a musical theatre career. Gabriel Schonman, 18 River Forest, Illinois Oak Park & River Forest High School Future Plans: to always keep music in his life.
Griffin Scott, 16 Carmel, Indiana Carmel High School Future Plans: to go to college for music and pursue a career in music education.
Amia Shavaun, 16 Wayne, Pennsylvania Home Schooled Future Plans: to establish herself as a dynamic songwriter, vocalist and performing artist. Valentina Shelton, 18 Los Angeles, California Windward School Future Plans: to perform on Broadway, record and perform Great American Songbook selections and to interpret jazz standards in her own way. Isabella Shiff, 16 Glendale, California LycĂŠe International of Los Angeles Future Plans: to reach a certain level of recognition in the arts, particularly in music as a vocalist. She hopes to have the honor to collaborate with great musicians and vocalists.
Lili Shires, 15 Florence, Kentucky The School for Creative and Performing Arts Future Plans: to be happy and content, and to continue doing what she loves all throughout her life. She is excited to explore the many different paths life has in store for her!
Emily Song, 16 Sunnyvale, California Homestead High School Future Plans: to fulfill her lifelong dream by making it on Broadway. Her greatest goal in life would be to inspire as many people as she can with her performances. Coen Sosa, 16 Burbank, California John Burroughs High School Future Plans: to continue growing as a performer every day in order to gain more opportunities to do what he loves most. Zoë Stewart, 17 Mendon, Massachussetts Home Schooled Future Plans: to sustain a career doing what she loves and sharing it with the world.
Marissa Tappy, 18 Noblesville, Indiana Noblesville High School Future Plans: to be known as a strong female musical theatre performer and to revive “Golden Age” musicals on Broadway. Aggie Williams, 16 Overland Park, Kansas Shawnee Mission East High School Future Plans: to be kind no matter what and have the ability to find a silver lining in every situation. “I want to be happy and I want to be me because everyone else is already taken.”
The Songbook Academy® Finals Saturday, July 28 at 7PM | THE PALLADIUM Performance Sponsors: Salon 01 & Aquage Funded in part by a grant from the Efroymson Family Fund
WELCOME
Jeff McDermott President/CEO The Center for the Performing Arts & the Great American Songbook Foundation Chris Lewis Executive Director, Great American Songbook Foundation
PERFORMANCE
“It’s Today” - Jerry Herman “Tonight” - Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim The Songbook All-Stars Solo performances by Top 10 finalists “A Lot of Livin’ to Do” - Charles Strouse and Lee Adams Michael Feinstein & the Songbook All-Stars
INTERMISSION
Special Performance by Songbook Academy Mentor Nat Zegree Solo performances by Top 10 finalists “You’re Gonna Hear from Me” - André Previn and Dory Previn The Songbook All-Stars
REMARKS Carolyn Anker Chairperson, Great American Songbook Academy Finn Sagal 2017 Songbook Youth Ambassador
AWARDS PRESENTATION AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF 2018 SONGBOOK YOUTH AMBASSADOR
THANK YOU
n a ti o n a l s p o n s o r
PR I N T ME D I A SPONSOR
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showcase sponsor
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SON G BOOK ACA DEMY FINA L S PAR T OF T HE CEN T ER PRESEN T S 2018 -19 SEASON SPONSORED BY:
A DDI T IONA L SUPPOR T PROV IDED BY: Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation Hamilton County Tourism, Inc. The Voice Clinic of Indiana Peggy Lee Foundation
SPEC I A L T H ANK S
Screeners: Dr. Kathleen Hacker, Scott Hines Beckie Menzie, Elaine Moebius, Lynne Rothrock, Catherine Walker
Intern: Liza Christie Becca Hummel
Meet The Mentors
Michael Feinstein, Master of Ceremonies Five-time Grammy Award nominee Michael Feinstein is Artistic Director at the Center for the Performing Arts and Founder of the Great American Songbook Foundation and the Songbook Academy®. More than an acclaimed singer and pianist, he is recognized internationally for his commitment to the Great American Songbook, both celebrating its art and preserving its legacy for future generations. His television work has included the PBS series Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook, the primetime special Michael Feinstein at the Rainbow Room, and the Emmy-nominated special Michael Feinstein – The Sinatra Legacy, which was recorded live at the Palladium and aired across the country. Marc Cherry was Creator and Showrunner of ABC’s Desperate Housewives, a groundbreaking series that instantly became a ratings powerhouse and developed a worldwide fan base, continuing for eight seasons. The show claimed over 100 award nominations, winning seven Emmy’s, three Golden Globes, and numerous other honors. Cherry’s writing and producing credits include another television classic, The Golden Girls, and its sequel, The Golden Palace. He also created and was Showrunner for Lifetime’s Devious Maids, and is currently developing for Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine TV Studios. Alexander Gemignani is an actor, composer/lyricist, musical director, orchestrator, educator and Artistic Director. His Broadway appearances earned numerous Tony, Drama Desk, Theatre World and Outer Critics Circle nominations and awards: Currently Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel (Enoch Snow), Violet (Father), Chicago (Billy), Les Misérables (Valjean), Sweeney Todd (Beadle), Assassins (Hinckley), The People In The Picture (Moishe), Sunday in the Park With George (Boatman/Dennis). A few of many Off-Broadway and Regional credits include Avenue Q (Brian) and Hamilton in Chicago (King George III, original cast), and his concert appearances range from The N.Y. Pops at Carnegie Hall to the American Songbook Series at Lincoln Center. His solo show, All At Once, premiered at the Kennedy Center as a part of Barbara Cook’s Spotlight Series. Mary Lane Haskell was raised in Los Angeles, CA where she began singing and dancing at the age of three. After graduating with honors from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Mary Lane worked as a resident singer in venues around NYC including Feinstein’s/54 Below and The Town Hall on Broadway. A few highlight achievements include her solo debut at Carnegie Hall at only 18 years old alongside mentor Michael Feinstein and Elaine Stritch, and being named one of 2011’s “Broadway’s Rising Stars”. Theater credits include: The King and I (Anna), Hello, Dolly! (Irene Malloy), The Marvelous Wonderettes (Cindy Lou), Hamlet (Ophelia), Twelfth Night (Olivia). Television credits include: Law and Order: SVU, Scandal, and playing Dolly Parton’s school teacher Miss Moody in NBC’s Coat of Many Colors and the Emmy Nominated sequel Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love.
Sylvia McNair is a two-time Grammy Award winner and boasts a stellar three-decade career in opera, oratorio, cabaret and musical theater. Her journey has taken her from the Metropolitan Opera to the Salzburg Festival, from the New York Philharmonic to the Rainbow Room, from the Ravinia Festival to The Plaza, from the pages of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal to The Times of London and the cover of Cabaret Scenes. Having appeared as a soloist with nearly every major opera company and symphony orchestra in the world, McNair has focused more recently on cabaret performing and the music of Gershwin, Porter, Sondheim and Bernstein. Broadway producers and ALL are welcome to visit SylviaMcNair.com.
Becca Petersen is thrilled to be returning home to Carmel, Indiana as a mentor with The Songbook Academy®. After graduating from Carmel High School in 2010, Becca moved out west to earn a BFA in musical theatre from Brigham Young University. After graduating, she followed her lifelong dream of moving to New York City. Since then, Becca has toured the country with the first national tour of Newsies, originated a track in the Broadway-bound musical The Prom, made her Broadway debut as Laura Osnes’ understudy in the Tony Award winning-musical Bandstand, and is currently a swing, assistant dance captain and understudy of Regina George and Cady Heron in the new Broadway hit Mean Girls.
Fergie L. Philippe currently runs with the Sons of Liberty as Hercules Mulligan and James Madison in Hamilton: An American Musical. He attended Elon University. Other credits include Jesus Christ Superstar at The MUNY, Orsino in Twelfth Night at Arkansas Shakespeare Festival, Flick in Violet at Heritage Theatre Festival and Jim Conley in Parade at Merry Go Round Playhouse. “Ecstatic to be joining the staff at the Songbook Academy!”
Nat Zegree has been playing piano since he was three years old. Originally classically trained, he was raised in the world of the classic American Songbook and Jazz. Nat has composed three original musicals, with more in development, released an album and travels the country performing an award-winning portrayal of Jerry Lee Lewis in the hit musical Million Dollar Quartet. He also worked and recorded for the Tony Award-winning smash hit, “Dear Evan Hansen”. He music directs and performs for such New York City venues as Feinstein’s/54 Below, Joes Pub, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, and Green Room 42. His musical Fly More Than You Fall, the same name as his album, was just produced at Syracuse University this past spring.
Vocal Coaches
Kathleen Hacker made her New York City debut as soloist with the American Symphony Orchestra at Alice Tully Hall and has sung with major symphony orchestras across the country from Baltimore to Kansas City. She has been a regular cover for Sandi Patty in the Indianapolis Yuletide Celebration CD. She can also be heard as soprano soloist on the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir 75th-anniversary release of Mendelssohn’s Elijah. As a chamber musician, where she is most at home, highlights include appearances at the Marlboro, Bard and Aspen Music Festivals. Kathleen is professor of Music and Director of Vocal Studies at the University of Indianapolis. She has served as mentor and judge for the Songbook Academy® since its inception. Elaine Moebius is a graduate of Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. She is recently retired after 35 years of teaching choral music at all levels in Ohio and Indiana. For 20 years, she was head of the choral department at Mooresville High School in Mooresville, Indiana. At Mooresville, Mrs. Moebius expanded the choral department to include eight choirs, three of which were competitive show groups. The Spotlighters of Mooresville High School won awards throughout the Midwest for excellence in vocals and choreography. Mrs. Moebius is currently teaching private voice lessons and is in demand as a choral clinician for schools in the Indianapolis area. She is an adjudicator for the Indiana State School Music Association and for the North American Music Festivals. She has been a vocal solo, choral and show choir adjudicator in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Kentucky. Lynne Rothrock is a vocalist/entertainer as well as an active arts educator. Among others, she has served on the voice faculty of Austin Peay State University, Western Michigan University, Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of the Performing Arts, and Coe College, where she currently teaches. She has served as clinician at the Manhattan Vocal Jazz Festival at Lincoln Center, Brightleaf Music Workshop, Showchoir Camps of America and has served as an adjudicator for Heritage Music Festivals for more than 20 years – adjudicating choral ensembles from New York to Los Angeles. Lynne has performed as a solo artist at venues across the U.S. including Birdland (NYC) and the Nashville Opera. She has also released three CD’s, and was chosen as one of 30 vocalists to attend the prestigious International Cabaret Conference at Yale University in 2011. Catherine Walker received a Bachelor of Music Education from Capital University Conservatory of Music, and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Western Michigan University School of Music. Walker has worked extensively as a musical director, on productions including, but not limited to, Next To Normal, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Parade, Blood Brothers, Urinetown, The Light in the Piazza, An Evening with Lauren Kennedy, An Evening with Scott Coulter and Shenandoah, starring Robert Newman, formerly of T.V.’s Guiding Light. Walker’s work as a choral conductor has been recognized by the Michigan School Vocal Music Association and the American Choral Directors Association.
Music Directors
Tex Arnold began his professional career in the late 1960s as a staff arranger for the United States Military Academy Band at West Point. He has accompanied Broadway stars Melissa Errico at the Café Carlyle in New York City and Barbara Cook in concerts throughout the country, including performances at the Los Angeles Music Center and Carnegie Hall. He has written orchestrations for the Lincoln Center American Songbook series and for Carnegie Hall tributes to the song-writing teams of Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Comden and Green and was music director for a concert at Zankel Hall honoring the songwriters Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen hosted by Michael Feinstein. This is Tex’s fifth year playing for and mentoring our young artists entrusted with keeping the Great American Songbook alive and relevant in a very busy world. Russ Kassoff is an accomplished jazz pianist, conductor, music director, composer, orchestrator, and arranger, whose varied talents are much valued and on display in the music world. Russ toured as pianist to Frank Sinatra by request from '80-'91 including "The Ultimate Event Tour" ('88-'89) featuring Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin, and Liza Minnelli touring for 18 years ('82-'01). He is currently music director with Rita Moreno - since 2003, and MD for Eddie Brigati: After The Rascals. Russ has accompanied and/or recorded with Perry Como, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Vic Damone, Carly Simon, Debbie Gravitte, Luciano Pavarotti, Tierney Sutton, Marilyn Maye, Tony Danza, Rebecca Luker, Red Norvo, Chris Connor, Mimi Hines, Carly Simon, Rod Stewart and Sylvia Syms - a wonderfully eclectic career. “You are the best.” - Frank Sinatra, ‘87 Beckie Menzie was featured in Michael Feinstein’s Now & Then Series for her Carnegie Hall debut. Hailed by Chicago’s WGN Radio as “indispensible to Chicago cabaret,” she has been featured at many Mabel Mercer Cabaret Conventions in New York, The Hamptons, and in Chicago, as well as performances for the Chicago Humanities Festival, where she has served as a performer, director and musical director. She performs regularly with Tom Michael, and as a duo, they have toured their many concerts across the country, including Carnegie Hall’s 100th-birthday celebration for Cole Porter. They’ve performed with the Rich Daniel’s City Light’s Orchestra and headlined with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra and others including the Racine Symphony and the Danville Symphony. Beckie is one-third of the GIRLS LIKE US group that includes Laura Freeman and Marianne Murphy Orland, and is an award-winning songwriter who coaches Chicago’s young musical talent. Melanie Shore has performed with an array of artists, including Chuck Berry, Il Divo, Lea Salonga, David Archuleta, Collin Raye, Debby Boone, Restless Heart and Teddy Gentry from the Grammy Award-winning group Alabama among many others. Melanie most recently completed her stay as associate music director/conductor for the first U.S. national tour of Roald Dahl’s and Tim Minchin’s Matilda The Musical. She was awarded composer-in-residence by the Utah Arts Festival, and is also the arranger for the Homecoming Spectacular series, where she has written for renowned artists Gladys Knight, Kristin Chenoweth, Peter Hollens, Lexi Walker and Colbie Caillat. Melanie regularly arranges for the world’s largest choral-orchestral organization, Millennial Choirs and Orchestras, as well as for the “Downbeat Award” winner, The Crescent Super Band.
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