Karen Ziemba and Klea Blackhurst headline THE 32nd ANNUAL ALEC WILDER TRIBUTE CONCERT presented by The Friends of Alec Wilder at Feinstein’s/54 Below on Saturday, April 8 at 9:30pm.
The swingin’ salute to fabled composer Alec Wilder will be hosted by Klea Blackhurst who created the title role in the World Premiere of HAZEL at Drury Lane, Chicago, starred in the World Premiere of THE NUTTY PROFESSOR directed by Jerry Lewis, and in the title role in Goodspeed’s 50th Anniversary production of HELLO, DOLLY! The stellar cast also features multiple MAC, Bistro and NY Nightlife Award winners Eric Comstock, Natalie Douglas and Barbara Fasano, Alexa Green (WICKED in LA and San Francisco), Andrew Keltz (THE GOLDEN LAND Off-Broadway), The Playbillies (THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM), Andrea Prestinario (Eliza in Frank Galati’s MY FAIR LADY at Asolo Rep), MAC Lifetime Achievement Award winner Steve Ross (PRESENT LAUGHTER), Adam Shapiro (Off-Broadway in THE GOLDEN BRIDE, THE CHOSEN), Brian Wilson (CATS Canadian and US tours), TONY Award, Drama Desk Award and Obie Award winner Karen Ziemba (CONTACT, CURTAINS, NEVER GONNA DANCE, STEEL PIER) most recently seen Off-Broadway in KID VICTORY, and TONY nominee and Theatre World Award winner Walter Willison (GRAND HOTEL, TWO BY TWO, PIPPIN).
THE 32nd ANNUAL ALEC WILDER TRIBUTE CONCERT will be produced by Aaron Gandy, (Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Roundabout’s JUST JIM DALE), written by Aaron Gandy and Walter Willison, music directed by Evan Zavada (Off-Broadway’s FIORELLO), and directed by Walter Willison.
Alec Wilder (1907-1980) was an American composer whose unique blend of American musical traditions – among them jazz and the American popular song – and classical European forms defied categorization. With lyricists including Marshall Barer, Fran Landesman, Johnny Mercer and Arnold Sundgaard, his most frequent collaborator, he wrote popular songs for such legendary vocalists as Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Mildred Bailey, Mabel Mercer, Judy Garland and Tony Bennett. His greatest hits include “I’ll Be Around”, “While We’re Young”, “Where Do You Go”, “It’s So Peaceful in the Country”, and the holiday standards “A Child Is Born” and “How Lovely Is Christmas”. Wilder also composed musical theatre scores for stage and TV as well as concert music of remarkable originality in many forms: sonatas, suites, concertos, operas, ballets, art songs, woodwind quintets, brass quintets, and jazz suites, which inspired Frank Sinatra to record his classic instrumental album, “Sinatra Conducts Wilder”.
Founded shortly after Wilder’s death in 1980, The Friends of Alec Wilder (aka FOAW) is an organization dedicated to perpetuating the composer’s legacy. FOAW presents the annual New York City concert, publishes a twice-yearly FOAW Newsletter, encourages scholarship on Wilder and his contemporaries, maintains the Wilder preservation website and fosters efforts in preserving Wilder’s works. Members may join at no cost and receive the newsletter by contacting Rob Geller at: AlecWilderNews@gmail.com. For additional info, visit www.alecwildermusicandlife.com.
THE 32nd ANNUAL ALEC WILDER TRIBUTE CONCERT will be presented at Feinstein’s/54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on April 8 at 9:30pm. Doors open at 8:45pm. There is a $25-$65 cover charge and $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com/Feinsteins. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00 are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.