Brownville Concert Series presents “A Christmas Spectacular”

The Brownville Concert Series will bring the 2025 season to a close with its beloved tradition of the annual Christmas Gala. The concerts feature Carole J. Bufford and Friends as they sing songs of the season in “A Christmas Spectacular.” Carole will be joined by Kellie Rabke, Campbell Walker Fields, and John Fischer. They will be in cabaret on Friday and Saturday, December 12 and 13, at 7:30 p.m., and in concert on Sunday, December 14, at 2:00 p.m. Sponsors are Auburn State Bank, Laura French, Ruth Keene, and F&M Bank of Falls City.

Carole J. Bufford is one of the most sought after performers on the American vintage pop and cabaret scene. Her shows, including “Speak Easy” (featuring the Grammy Award winning Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks), “Come Together,” and “You Don’t Own Me,” earned her rave reviews from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Times (UK). She currently tours with her solo shows as well as with symphonies all over the country. Carole is also the recipient of BroadwayWorld’s Vocalist of the Year and the recent gold medal winner of the American Traditions Vocal Competition.

Kelli Rabke was handpicked by Andrew Lloyd Webber to make her Broadway debut as the narrator in the revival of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” followed by Eponine in the Broadway company of “Les Misérables.” She has performed in regional theatres throughout the country, most notably as Yonah in the American Premiere of Stephen Schwartz’s “Children of Eden” at the Paper Mill Playhouse, the theatre where she had also gotten her “big break” as Dorothy in their landmark production of “The Wizard of Oz.”

After leaving the bright lights of the stage to start a family, Kelli is now a staple in the NYC cabaret world. Her first solo show debuted to a sold-out crowd at Feinstein’s/54 Below and since then, she has been featured in everything from Sondheim to Streisand to Bernstein, in addition to creating her own shows.

Campbell Walker Fields is a versatile singer and keyboardist with equal comfort on concert, musical theatre and arena stages. His professional career began when cast at the age of nine as Artful Dodger in Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma’s 2011 production of “Oliver.” Soon after he played JoJo in “Seussical the Musical” at the University of Oklahoma, and Foo (Lost Boy) in the seven week run of the world premiere Dallas Theatre Center production of the musical “Fly.”

In the summer of 2016, he was seen competing on Season 11 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, making it to the middle judge cuts round, and he took part in Grammy Camp Nashville, a music industry program for young artists interested in the music business. He has performed as soloist with symphony orchestras including Abilene Philharmonic, The Signature Symphony and the OKC Philharmonic, where he was featured artist in “The Christmas Show” and its Independence Day concerts “Red White & Boom” and he has performed at Cast Party/Birdland in NYC.

John Fischer has been a music director and pianist in NYC for over 20 years. He has decades of experience working with top Broadway and cabaret artists. He music directed Broadway’s Rising Stars at The Town Hall for 14 seasons, where he also worked on numerous Broadway Originals concerts.

In recent years, John has joined the symphony world as a guest artist, debuting a new Bacharach show with the Plymouth Symphony, Blockbuster Broadway for the Omaha Symphony, a Bernstein/Robbins celebration with the Signature Symphony, and Music of the Knights with the Santa Ana Symphony Orchestra. In NYC, he is a regular fixture at 54 Below, music directing everything from Sinatra to Streisand and as the MD for the longrunning series, “Sondheim Unplugged.” Recent highlights include Ali Stroker’s sold-out “American Songbook” concert at Lincoln Center, Alice & Emily’s “Unattached” at 54 Below, and the 25th Anniversary Concert of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” part of the award winning 54 Sings series for which he also music directed “Applause,” “Mack & Mabel,” and “Kiss Of The Spiderwoman.”

Tickets can be purchased online at www.brownvilleconcertseries.org, on Facebook or call 402-825-3331.

The Nebraska Arts Council supports this program through a matching grant funded by the Nebraska Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.