In celebration of 91 years of Theatre By The Sea (TBTS), owner and producer Bill Hanney is proud to announce the 2024 summer schedule for the Monday Evening Concert Series, which will be held on select Mondays throughout the season.
“I’m very excited about this season’s Monday Evening Concert Series,” said Bill Hanney. “Not only will Billy Gilman be joining us, but we’re also welcoming American A Cappella featuring the Narragansett Bay Chorus and two of their quartets, Steven Brinberg and his amazing show Simply Barbra, and the audience favorite, A Broadway Celebration, which will feature three Broadway stars! It’s really a spectacular lineup!
The series begins on June 17 with the always popular A Broadway Celebration. New York casting director and producer Stephen DeAngelis returns with an all-new concert created especially for TBTS. Three of Broadway's finest vocalists will recreate some of their most memorable and favorite musical moments as they celebrate the spectrum from classic to contemporary Broadway.
The concert will allow the performers to display their great talents and versatility, share backstage behind-the-scenes anecdotes and conduct an enlightening and entertaining question and answer session with the audience.
Scheduled performers are Drama Desk Award recipient Lisa Howard (Rona Lisa Peretti in The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee; Tammy in Escape to Margaritaville; Jenny Steinberg in It Shoulda Been You; South Pacific; 9 to 5; Priscilla Queen of the Desert), Brennyn Lark (Catherine Parr in Six The Musical; Eponine in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables; Deena Jones in the West End revival of Dreamgirls), and Julius Thomas III (Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton; Berry Gordy in Motown the Musical; The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess; The Scottsboro Boys). Musical Director/Accompanist will be Asher Denburg. The evening will include musical selections from Hamilton; Six the Musical; The Wiz; The Sound of Music; Les Misérables; Grease; Motown: The Musical; Carousel; Beautiful: The Carole King Musical; Smokey Joe's Cafe; Five Guys Named Moe and more!!
The series continues on July 8 with Simply Barbra, starring Steven Brinberg. For over 25 years, Steven Brinberg has performed Simply Barbra on stages across America, Australia, and the U.K. Simply Barbra is a love letter to, and a comical look at, one of the greatest stars of our generation. You'll hear classics including “People,” “Evergreen,” and “Second Hand Rose,” sung so beautifully that if you close your eyes, you'll swear you are listening to the diva herself. Don't miss this one night only event that critics have called a scintillatingly funny, unnervingly accurate and touchingly true tribute that is in touch with Streisand's very soul, spirit, voice and above all, ego!
On August 5, American A Cappella, featuring the Narragansett Bay Chorus, with special appearances by the quartets Second Nature and Street Corner, will make their debuts at Theatre By The Sea. The Narragansett Bay Chorus is the performing unit of the Providence Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the largest male singing organization in the world. They represent the Society in both competition and promotional performances and have an impressive list of musical achievements, having won the Society's District Championship on 15 separate occasions. They have received standing ovations in performances from Nova Scotia to California, Florida to Montreal, Salt Lake City to London, and dozens of other locations. Based in the Greater Providence area since 1949, they continue their goal of bringing a cappella music in the barbershop style to audiences of all ages. Over recent years they have helped raise more than a half million dollars for local charities and non-profits.
Rounding out the series on September 9, is Rhode Island’s own Billy Gilman featuring the Ragged Impresarios. Gilman burst onto the national stage in 2000 releasing the hit single “One Voice.” His debut album was certified double platinum in the U.S., and he was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the youngest singer to ever reach #1 on the Billboard Top Country Album charts. He has sold ten million albums worldwide and garnered awards and nods from The Grammys, the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association, Billboard Magazine, and the American Music Association. Now, Gilman is eager to share his new music and his new sound with his fans after soaring to the finale of NBC's The Voice.
Performances for the Monday Evening Concert Series will take place on June 17, July 8, August 5, and September 9 at 7:30 pm. The theatre is located at 364 Cards Pond Road, Wakefield. Tickets are $39 - $59 (additional fees may apply). Discount rates are available for groups of 10 or more by calling (401) 782-3800 x112. Tickets are on sale at the box office Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm and performance days from 11:00 am until curtain, (performance Sundays 12 noon until curtain), online 24-hours-a-day at www.theatrebythesea.com and via telephone during normal box office hours by calling (401) 782-TKTS
Located on Rhode Island’s South Shore, Theatre By The Sea celebrates 91 years of summer theatre at its best!
Theatre By The Sea has had many incarnations since opening on August 7, 1933. Tommy Brent saved the theatre from demolition in 1967 and ran it successfully until FourQuest Entertainment took over the lease in 1988. Following extensive renovations, FourQuest reopened the theatre in the spring of 1989 and continued producing high quality entertainment at the seaside playhouse until the fall of 2003. Bill Hanney purchased the property in 2007 and, with producing partners, successfully mounted a production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, just six weeks later, reopening the historic theatre on August 8, 2007. Since then, Theatre By The Sea has continued to produce a four-musical subscription season, a late-night cabaret series, a children’s theatre festival, and a children’s summer theatre camp.
