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Broadway Veterans in Concert at The Carnegie – 2/18

On Thursday, February 18 a unique trio of Broadway performers will take the stage to perform a “romantic, cabaret-style” evening of musical theatre at The Carnegie’s famous Otto M. Budig Theatre.

The performance begins at 7:30pm and will feature Teresa De Zarn, Mark Hardy, and Jessica Hendy on stage at the same time in a truly unique and rare performance. Between the three of the veteran Broadway performers they have taken curtain calls in premeir Broadway productions such as “CATS,” “Aida,” Titanic,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “A New Brain,” “The Secret Garden” and “Les Miserables.”

“Teresa, Jessica, and I are thrilled to be coming together to sing this music we love in such a warm performance space,” said Hardy. “Though we all spent years in New York working in the theatre, we all had to move to Cincinnati to get to work together.”

The show itself will feature romantic golden age selections from composers Cole Porter and George Gershwin, and will also include songs from several productions currently on Broadway. According to production coordinators, the three performers are also going to be playing off of each other with frequent duets and trios, offering up humorous stories from their audition experiences, and share rare music from shows that never got past the developmental stage.

It’s a pleasure for me to get to work with them – as well as pianist Mark Femia – and rehearsals have been so much fun that it certainly doesn’t feel like work. “It will be an evening of diverse songs and stories with classics as well as newer material. The thing about great Broadway songs is that they never age; some of the older songs feel like the freshest.”

Broadway Veterans in Concert is a one night only performance, so be sure to get your tickets ($15 to $18) early by visiting The Carnegie Box Office (map) Tuesday through Friday from 12pm to 5pm, calling (859) 957-1940, or by ordering online.

Interior photo from The Carnegie taken by elycefeliz.

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SCPA to feature young talent tomorrow at the Carnegie

The Carnegie Visual & Performing Arts Center hosts an evening to showcase budding local talent tomorrow, Thursday, January 21 at 7:30pm in the acoustically superb Otto M. Budig Theatre. The event will feature Cincinnati’s School of Creative & Performing Arts (SCPA) instrumental Jazz Combo, Meridian 8 vocal ensemble, and young composer and pianist Jonathan Carlisle. The event is the third in a series of six performances as part of the 2009-10 Carnegie in Concert series.

Meridian 8 is a vocal jazz octet featuring students in grades 9-12. Directed by SCPA music department chair Rick Hand, the ensemble features arrangements written for groups including Manhattan Transfer, and allows students opportunities to learn and practice improvisation and scat singing. The Jazz Combo is a similarly select ensemble of the school’s top instrumentalists, who cut their teeth on the masterpieces of the repertoire under director and respected local musician Erwin Stuckey.

SCPA pianist and composer Jonathan Carlisle will perform a number of original compositions. “It’s the type of music you hear in movies,” said Carlisle. “Strong melodies that you can really latch onto.” One piece Carlisle is particularly excited to perform at The Carnegie is entitled Metamorphosis. “It’s a dramatic piece about one thing evolving into another.”

Tickets to Carnegie in Concert performances are available for $18 at The Carnegie Box Office (Tuesday through Friday 12pm to 5pm), online, or by phone at (859) 957-1940. Students, holders of the Cincinnati Public Ratio Perks Card, members of the Carnegie, and members of Enjoy the Arts each receive a $3 discount.

Carnegie photo from CityBeat.

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Arts & Entertainment News

Jake Speed and the Freddies at Arnold’s 1/16

This Saturday, January 16 Cincinnati’s oldest bar, Arnold’s Bar & Grill, will welcome Jake Speed and the Freddies for a live performance brought to you by Christian Moerlein.

There will be beer specials on Christian Moerlein/Hudepohl Schoenling’s wide variety of Cincinnati beers, and Moerlein representatives will even be there all night handing out free Christian Moerlein gear. Arnold’s will be serving a special menu that night as consisting of different foods made with each of the Moerlein beers.

Jake Speed and the Freddies will start at 8pm and play throughout the night. Arnold’s Bar & Grill offers one of Cincinnati’s most unique and comfortable bar scenes, and is easily accessible located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati (map). There is no cover charge for this event.

Arnold's Bar & Grill on Urbanspoon

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Over-the-Rhine: A Holiday Tradition

Usually when we talk about Over-the-Rhine here it is about how the neighborhood is turning around, or events going on in the neighborhood. This time though, I thought it appropriate to take a moment and talk about the group of musicians known by the same name and specifically their show tonight at the Taft Theater. The show this year, and many years in the past, has been sponsored by local radio treasure 89.7 WNKU.

The heart of Over-the-Rhine, the band, is Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist who have been married and making music together for quite some time. Last year their two night stand at The Taft celebrated the 20th year of the band as they worked through music from their entire career. This year the show should be back to its more traditional mix of original tunes, both of the holiday variety and those enjoyed on a year round basis.

Their annual homecoming show around the Christmas holiday has become a longstanding tradition in Cincinnati which started back in the mid 1990s at the Emery Theatre. As the band’s fan base grew and the Emery closed down of course (only to be remodeled) the next logical place was the Taft where they have been playing for a while now.

This show has become a part of how many Cincinnatians celebrate the holiday season, and if you have not checked it out it comes highly recommended. Karin, Linford, and company put on a very thoughtful and elegant show on a stage that is usually candlelit and has numerous flowers on it which are purchased by fans of the band. Couple it with a dinner at one of the many establishments around town and a trip to the Fountain Square Ice Skating Rink for the perfect Saturday night.

Get in the mood by checking out “Darlin (Christmas is Coming)” from last year’s show and then buy your tickets for the show here.

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New Orleans Jazz & Food festival at Washington Platform – 11/8

Washington Platform is hosting the Second Sunday New Orleans Jazz & Food Festival this Sunday, November 8. There will be live jazz music by the Mike Sharfe Trio in addition to the authentic Louisiana buffet. Washington Platform owner, Jon Diebold says that the event will run from 2pm to 5pm and that he encourages reservations to ensure space for your group.

Washington Platform Saloon & Restaurant (map) has been in operation since 1875 and is famous for their oysters and annual oyster festival. Reservations can be made by calling (513) 421-0110. Also be sure to visit the restaurant during their newly expanded hours: Monday from 11am to 3pm, Tuesday through Thursday from 11am to 9pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 10pm, and Sunday from 4pm to 9pm.

There is plenty of free on-street parking nearby. Washington Platform is also well-served by more than a dozen Metro bus routes within one block of the restaurant. To see which route is most convenient for you, and to plan your trip now, use Metro’s Trip Planner.

Photo from Rrrrrd’s photostream on Flickr.