Submitted by John Lauber

The Brownville Concert Series is thrilled to present Tony Yazbeck. Tony is a Brownville newcomer and a compelling triple threat as an actor, singer, and dancer. He will perform his show, “The Floor Above Me” in cabaret on Friday and Saturday, April 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m. and in concert Sunday, April 30 at 2 p.m. We give special thanks to Jan Wright and The Holland Foundation for helping to sponsor these concerts.
Tony Yazbeck, born in Riverside, CA, moved to Bethlehem, PA at age 4, when he first saw Fred Astaire dance on a black and white TV screen.  Tony danced around the living room, pretending he was Mr. Astaire, so his mom and dad put him in dance class right away. At age 11, he auditioned to be a replacement “Newsboy” in the “Tyne Daly Gypsy,” directed by Arthur Laurents.  For the next two years, his mother drove him two hours in each direction, six days a week, from Bethlehem, PA to the stage door of The St. James Theater. He moved to Orlando at age 16, where he studied at Dr. Phillips Performing Arts High School.
He attended Point Park University in Pittsburgh for two years, working at Disney his first summer and in the ensemble at the PCLO his second.  He then transferred to Cincinnati Conservatory of Music for his third year of college.  In April of 2000, he was cast in the national tour of “Annie Get Your Gun.”
In 2001, Tony made the dream of being a true New Yorker a reality, and he officially moved to the city. There he has performed in various Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional Theatre, Television, and National Tours. Most recently he received a Tony Award Nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his turn as “Gabey” in the Broadway revival of “On The Town.”
Tony is exceedingly passionate about directing, choreographing, and writing in new and creative ways for stage and TV.  The first incarnation of these efforts is his solo show, “The Floor Above Me.”  Tony is also a devoted teacher, most frequently at the National Young Arts Foundation, where he is a master teacher, panelist and assistant director to the legendary Bill T. Jones.
The most important achievement of his life-to-date, however, happened in October 2014, when, right after opening in the aforementioned revival of “On The Town,” Tony married the love of his life, actress, dancer, singer, choreographer and budding director Katie Huff.
2017 season passes are $160, cabaret tickets are $25, and concert tickets are $20 ($16 for students). To purchase tickets online go to www.brownvilleconcertseries.com or call 402-825-3331. Stay overnight at the River Inn Resort and get a 10% discount on tickets. The Nebraska Arts Council (www.nebraskaartscouncil.org), a state agency, supports this program through a matching grant funded by the Nebraska Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.