The Reed M. Wallace Wilmington Symphony Pops Presents “ARETHA: A TRIBUTE”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   August 29, 2019
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WILMINGTON – The 2019-2020 Reed M. Wallace Symphony Pops Series will feature vocalists Capathia Jenkins and Ryan Shaw in   Aretha: A Tribute  with such classic hits as Respect, Think, Natural Woman and many others. Wilmington Symphony Orchestra Conductor Steven Errante conducts the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra for this Opening Pops Concert on Saturday, October 19, at 7:30 pm at the Wilson Center (703 N. 3rd St.).
 
The Wilmington Symphony Orchestra presents  Aretha: A Tribute  at the Wilson Center (703 N. 3rd St.) on Saturday, October 19, at 7:30 pm. Individual Tickets start at $25 and Pops Series Subscriptions are still available starting at $50. Tickets can be purchased in-person at the Wilson Center Box Office (703 N. 3rd St.), or by phone at 910.362.7999 or online at www.wilmingtonsymphony.org.  
 
Pre-Concert Entertainment – Patrons are invited to come early and experience the  Port City Trio  featuring music by Julia Walker Jewell, Kelly Jewell, Wilson Godwin, and Woody Dobson in the Lobby of the Wilson Center from 6:30 pm to 7:15 pm. 
 
About Wilmington Symphony Orchestra Conductor Steven Errante
Steven Errante has been Conductor of the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra and a member of the UNCW Department of Music faculty since 1986. He is also founding conductor of the Wilmington Symphony Youth Orchestra and the accompanist for the Girls’ Choir of Wilmington. Dr. Errante has degrees from the University of Michigan and the Julliard School and has previously taught at the University of Michigan, Northern Michigan University, and the University of Richmond.
 
About Capathia Jenkins, vocalist
The Brooklyn-born and raised singer/actor, Capathia Jenkins, most recently released the critically acclaimed CD Phenomenal Woman the Maya Angelou Songs with her collaborator Louis Rosen and they Sold Out the world-famous Birdland Theatre in NYC for three nights. She starred as ‘Medda’ in the hit Disney production of Newsies on Broadway. She made her Broadway debut in The Civil War, where she created the role of Harriet Jackson. She then starred in the Off-Broadway 2000 revival of  Godspell, where she wowed audiences with her stirring rendition of ‘Turn Back, O Man’ which can still be heard on the original cast recording. She returned to Broadway in The Look of Love and was critically acclaimed for performances of the Bacharach/David hits. Ms. Jenkins then created the roles of ‘The Washing Machine’ in Caroline, Or Change and ‘Frieda May’ in  Martin Short-Fame Becomes Me where she sang ‘Stop the Show’ and brought the house down every night. In 2007 she went back to Off-Broadway and starred in (mis) Understanding Mammy-The Hattie McDaniel Story  for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. She was also seen in Nora Ephron’s   Love, Loss, and What I Wore.
 
An active concert artist, Ms. Jenkins has appeared with numerous orchestras around the world including the Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony (with Marvin Hamlisch), National Symphony, Cincinnati Pops (with John Morris Russell), Philly Pops, Atlanta Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Utah Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Toronto Symphony, San Diego Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic and many others. She was a soloist with the Festival Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic multiple times. Capathia had the great honor of performing in the ‘Broadway Ambassadors to Cuba’ concert as part of the Festival De Teatro De La Habana. She has appeared several times at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops and also sang in a Tribute to Marvin Hamlisch at the Library of Congress.
 
Her upcoming 2019/2020 engagements include a return to the Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Seattle Symphony, National Symphony at The Kennedy Center and The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall with Steven Reineke.
 
Her television credits include 30 Rock, the Practice, Law & Order SVU, the Sopranos, Law & Order. She can be seen in the film ‘Musical Chairs’ directed by Susan Seidelman. Ms. Jenkins was also seen in The Wiz in a live performance on NBC. She can be heard on the following film soundtracks: Nine, Chicago, Legally Blonde 2.
 
About Ryan Shaw, vocalist
Ryan Shaw is a three-time Grammy nominated artist. He most recently appeared as Judas in the Lyric Opera House’s (Chicago) US debut of the critically acclaimed London’s Regents Park production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which won the Oliver for “Best Musical Revival”. He starred as the original Stevie Wonder in Motown the Musical on Broadway. He has also starred on London’s West End as the Soul of Michael Jackson in Thriller Live. As a Recording artist Ryan has toured the world and shared the stage with such artists as Van Halen, Bonnie Rait, Joss Stone, John Legend, B.B. King, Bruce Hornsby, Jill Scott, to name a few.
 
On Television, Ryan has been guest artist on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Ellen’s Really Big Show, Last Call with Carson Daly, and The Martha Stewart Show. His music has been featured in the films My Blueberry Nights starring Norah Jones, Jude Law, and Natalie Portman; Brides Maids starring Kate Hudson, and Ann Hathaway; and the Sex in the City soundtrack.
 
As a concert soloist, Ryan Shaw made his Radio City Music Hall debut at the Dream Concert benefit to build the Martin Luther King Jr. National Monument in Washington, DC. His Carnegie Hall appearances include an Elton John and Bernie Taupin Tribute, A Celebration of The African American Cultural Legacy, curated by Jessye Norman. Ryan has also been honored to be the second artist in history to be asked to perform a return engagement at the Central Park Summer Stage Gala (second to Stevie Wonder). He has also been a featured artist with the Houston Symphony for their R&B Mixtape concert as well as the soloist for the Houston Symphony’s 4th of July Celebration. Ryan then returned to Carnegie Hall to headline the Nat King Cole Centennial Concert. Upcoming concert engagements include the Cleveland Orchestra, Philly Pops, Houston Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Arkansas Symphony, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Tucson Symphony, Harrisburg Symphony, Springfield (OH) Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, among many others.
 
www.wilmingtonsymphony.org
 
CALENDAR LISTING
Reed M. Wallace Wilmington Symphony Pops presents ARETHA: A TRIBUTE
Saturday, October 19, 7:30 pm
Wilson Center (703 N. 3rd St.) 
The 2019-2020 Reed M Wallace Symphony Pops Series will feature vocalists Capathia Jenkins and Ryan Shaw in Aretha: A Tribute with such classic hits as Respect, Think, Natural Woman and many others. Wilmington Symphony Orchestra Conductor Steven Errante conducts the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra for this Opening Pops Concert on Saturday, October 19, at 7:30 pm at the Wilson Center (703 N. 3rd St.). Individual Tickets start at $25 and Pops Series Subscriptions are still available starting at $50. Tickets can be purchased in-person at the Wilson Center Box Office (703 N. 3rd St.), or by phone at 910.362.7999 or online at www.wilmingtonsymphony.org.
 
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