“An Evening of Oscar-Winning Songs”

17 Feb “An Evening of Oscar-Winning Songs”

Tickets for American Concert Songbook’s “An Evening of Oscar-Winning Songs, Chapter Two,” $25 for adults and $15 for youth under 18 here. 

Cary Tedder

When was the last time you heard songs like “Moon River,” “All the Way,” “It Might As Well Be Spring,” “Cheek to Cheek,”  “The Way We Were,” “Swinging on a Star,” and “Lullaby of Broadway” performed by professional singers in Telluride?

Michael Estwanik, founder, Telluride American Songbook Concerts (TASC), announced the first concerts of their 2016 season: “An Evening of Oscar-Winning Songs, Chapter Two,” to be held on Monday and Tuesday, February 22 and 23, 7 p.m.., at the Sheridan Opera House.

“We are calling it Chapter Two because we did two performances of a similar show last August in the Plaza Lounge in Mountain Village, but on a small stage. Both sold-out shows were huge hits so we are moving to a larger stage where our new, triple-threat Broadway performers can sing and dance – Fred and Ginger style – to several of the new songs we’ve added. The following Sunday, February 28, is the night of the Oscars. We invite our audience to compare this year’s winning numbers and nominees with those that won in past years.”

Mary Michael Patterson

American Songbook invited a star-studded cast to town for the show.

Cary Tedder recently starred in Broadway’s tap-dancing gem of a show, Dames at Sea, plus four other Broadway shows: Honeymoon in Vegas with Tony Danza, Big Fish, Memphis, and The Times They Are A-Changin’. Joining him will be (his fiancée) Mary Michael Patterson, who recently starred on Broadway in the lead role of Christine Daae in Phantom of the Opera, and in Anything Goes opposite Tony Award-Winner Sutton Foster. Patterson’s regional credits include starring as Peggy Sawyer in 42^nd Street, The Sound of Music, White Christmas, Singin’ in the Rain, and Beauty and the Beast.  The third cast member is Telluride’s favorite tenor, Dennis McNeil, who recently performed his seventh annual benefit for St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Dennis was the National Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, invited to sing at the 2001 Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C. for 7,500 guests. He is Broadway World’s   two-time award winner for Best Male Cabaret Artist.

Dennis McNell

And there will be a special appearance, in honor of Gay Ski Week, by two-time Oscar-winner Barbra Streisand (or a reasonable facsimile).  Some of the Oscar-Winning Songs to be performed include: “All the Way,” “Gigi,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “The Way We Were,” “Swinging on a Star,” and “Over the Rainbow.”

Steve Brinberg

Estwanik also announced that he has recently begun hosting a radio show on KOTO, 91.7FM called “The American Songbook Show” every other Saturday from 12:45 – 3:00 p.m. Coming up on Saturday, February 27 will be “Songs by Gay and Lesbian Songwriters” in honor of Telluride Gay Ski Week.

For further info, contact Michael Estwanik at michaelsongbook@gmail.com