The Brownville Concert Series has announced show changes in August. The performances by Talya Groves & Her Boyfriends scheduled for August 4-6, 2023, have been rescheduled to April 5-7, 2024, and performances by Amra-Faye Wright have been added to the schedule.
Amra-Faye Wright will perform “Broadway to Brownville.” The show will be in cabaret on Friday and Saturday, August 18 and 19, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, August 20, at 2:00 p.m. Sponsors are Lowell Fey, Jim and Cathy Donahoe, and George Kleine & Tom Knox.
“Broadway to Brownville” will present a fun evening of favorite show tunes of Amra-Faye Wright (Broadway star of Chicago) and Mark Hummel (Broadway musical director/conductor/arranger). It will have belters such as “The Man That Got Away,” and “The World Goes Round,” as well as a nod to Piaf and Coward. Act 2 is a celebration of Kander and Ebb, composers of the hit shows “Cabaret,” “Chicago,” “The Act,” “New York New York,” and many more!
Amra-Faye Wright is an award-winning actress, cabaret singer, and artist. For 20 years, she played the role of Velma Kelly in the hit musical “Chicago,” on Broadway and worldwide, including London’s West End, UK Tour, European Tour, USA Tour, New Zealand, Japan, and in her native South Africa for which she was awarded the prestigious Naledi & Fleur du Cap awards.
She received several Vita Awards for her one-woman revues and cabarets in South Africa and has performed regularly at venues in London and New York. A summer season dancing at the exclusive Sporting Club in Monaco led to three years as star of the Cabaret du Casino de Monte Carlo, and numerous musical revues around Europe and the Far East, performing in French, Italian, German, Korean and Japanese. She continues to be in demand for big event productions worldwide. Some concert highlights include performances at The Royal Albert Hall, Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall.
She trained extensively as a classical and jazz dancer, beginning her professional career dancing in the multi-million-dollar extravaganzas at Sun City in Southern Africa, and later taking over as star turn. During this time, she studied for a fine arts degree and began serious vocal training in various genres.
Other theatre roles include: Vi Moore, “Footloose” (UK); Mrs. Darling, “Peter Pan” (UK); Sandy, “Grease” (South Africa); Sheila, “A Chorus Line” (SA); Mother Superior, “Nunsense” (SA); female lead, “Elvis Las Vegas Extravaganza” (SA); Solange, “Follies” (USA); and Carol, “Butterflies” (USA).
Mark Hummel is thrilled to continue his longstanding professional relationship with Alan Menken and David Zippel and has written dance music for Public Works’ “Hercules” at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. He was the music director/conductor/dance music arranger for Disney’s “Newsies,” and wrote arrangements for Hugh Jackman; “Back on Broadway,” and dance music for “Sister Act “(Broadway and worldwide). As Music Director for the Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular, Mr. Hummel composed three songs for their 75th celebration in 2007. A three-time Emmy Award nominee, he has conducted and/or composed dance music for 16 other musicals on Broadway. Highlights include the Jerry Zaks’ 1992 revival of “Guys & Dolls,” “The Boy From Oz,” and “Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life.” Mr. Hummel has also played the White House twice with Karen Akers and written arrangements for two Academy Award telecasts and three Tony Award telecasts. Mr. Hummel also enjoys creating music with Tommy Tune, Bernadette Peters, Liza Minnelli, Shirley MacLaine, Donna Murphy, Debby Boone, Rufus Wainwright, Barbara Cook, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Tom Wopat, and Amra-Faye Wright.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.brownvilleconcertseries.com, on Facebook, or call 402-825-3331. 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.
