Mullen won the competition with the most votes in the show's history. Now he and his band The Works travel the globe performing their tribute to Queen. This Friday, April 2, the Sunrise will host a one-of-a-kind recreation of one of the greatest live bands of all time. Click here for more information and tickets.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunrise Theatre Presents - One Night Of Queen (Gary Mullen & The Works)
Gary Mullen’s day job was a computer salesman. Then he entered a British talent show where he took on the persona of Freddie Mercury. He was pretty successful.
Mullen won the competition with the most votes in the show's history. Now he and his band The Works travel the globe performing their tribute to Queen. This Friday, April 2, the Sunrise will host a one-of-a-kind recreation of one of the greatest live bands of all time. Click here for more information and tickets.
Mullen won the competition with the most votes in the show's history. Now he and his band The Works travel the globe performing their tribute to Queen. This Friday, April 2, the Sunrise will host a one-of-a-kind recreation of one of the greatest live bands of all time. Click here for more information and tickets.
Sunrise Theatre Presents - The Beach Boys
Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take you
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mamma
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go
Down to Kokomo.
We'll get there fast
And then we'll take it slow.
That's where we want to go
Way down to Kokomo.
A lot of things have changed about The Beach Boys since their 1960’s beginnings, but some things stay the same. "Surfin' USA" and "Kokomo" are still instantly recognizable. Pet Sounds is still No. 2 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. They are still The Beach Boys.
Click here to learn more about the group’s history and order tickets for their show this Thursday. John Stamos of Full House and ER fame will also make a special appearance.
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mamma
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go
Down to Kokomo.
We'll get there fast
And then we'll take it slow.
That's where we want to go
Way down to Kokomo.
A lot of things have changed about The Beach Boys since their 1960’s beginnings, but some things stay the same. "Surfin' USA" and "Kokomo" are still instantly recognizable. Pet Sounds is still No. 2 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. They are still The Beach Boys.
Click here to learn more about the group’s history and order tickets for their show this Thursday. John Stamos of Full House and ER fame will also make a special appearance.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
More Praise From The Richard Marx Concert
Renee,
Hello and thank you for everything you did for us the night of the concert.
My wife and I were two of the people you chose to go meet and have our pictures taken with Richard Marx. It was an unbelievable and unforgettable experience since we have been fans for the past 20 + years. It was our first time coming to the Sunrise Theatre for any event and we now feel that it is the perfect venue for such an outstanding performer like Richard Marx. His acoustical show could not have sounded better than inside the Sunrise Theatre due to the stadium seating and positioning of the sound system. Your experience and professionalism made for an unforgettable experience for the both of us.
Please provide us with the link to see all the photos taken of the concert.
Sincerely,
Sean Nightwine
Hello and thank you for everything you did for us the night of the concert.
My wife and I were two of the people you chose to go meet and have our pictures taken with Richard Marx. It was an unbelievable and unforgettable experience since we have been fans for the past 20 + years. It was our first time coming to the Sunrise Theatre for any event and we now feel that it is the perfect venue for such an outstanding performer like Richard Marx. His acoustical show could not have sounded better than inside the Sunrise Theatre due to the stadium seating and positioning of the sound system. Your experience and professionalism made for an unforgettable experience for the both of us.
Please provide us with the link to see all the photos taken of the concert.
Sincerely,
Sean Nightwine
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sunrise Theatre Presents - La Traviata
Opera and tragedy comes to the Sunrise this Saturday with "La Traviata," a classic tale of forbidden love between a wealthy courtesan and a country squire. The Italian songs, coupled with English surtitles, reveal the emotions of Violetta and Alfredo as they are swept into a sea of class-based power struggles.
The Teatro Lirico D'Europa that will perform "La Traviata" has produced a critically acclaimed version of G. Verdi's classic work. Click here to find a synopsis of the opera and order tickets.
The Teatro Lirico D'Europa that will perform "La Traviata" has produced a critically acclaimed version of G. Verdi's classic work. Click here to find a synopsis of the opera and order tickets.
Groucho's Comedy At The Black Box - John Rathbone
What is Groucho's Comedy At The Black Box? On the second and fourth Saturday of every month, the Sunrise brings in famous and up-and-coming comedians to perform at our intimate Black Box room to the side of the main theatre. At $15 a show, it's also easy for anyone to experience some stand up.This week we have John Rathbone. An experienced comic, Rathbone has appeared on Showtime and The Bob & Tom show and has performed with Tim Allen and Ray Romano. Click here to learn more about Rathbone and upcoming acts as well as order tickets.
Black Box Presents - John Lee Hooker, Jr.
Sitting in my cell for a month I finally receive a letter in
Which we call in jail "medication"
Because it really does ease the pain of loneliness.
And it said: Dear John
Our prayers have finally been answered because
You just got caught.
I hope that when this letter reaches you
It finds that you're all stressed out.
John Lee Hooker, Jr. is the son of blues legend John Lee Hooker and a Grammy nominee and Blues Award winner in his own right. John's travels take him to the Sunrise's Black Box this Friday, an up-close-and-personal setting perfect for his music. Visit his Web site to listen to samples, and click here to order tickets.
Sunrise Theatre Presents - Bryan Adams
Standing on your mama's porch
You told me it would last forever.
Oh when you held my hand
I knew it was now or never.
Those were the best days of my life.
Bryan Adams is coming to the Sunrise this Friday armed with acoustic guitars and his memorable songs "Summer of 69," "Cuts Like A Knife," and many more. This show is already sold out, but check back to find out which stars are coming to our spot in Florida next.
You told me it would last forever.
Oh when you held my hand
I knew it was now or never.
Those were the best days of my life.
Bryan Adams is coming to the Sunrise this Friday armed with acoustic guitars and his memorable songs "Summer of 69," "Cuts Like A Knife," and many more. This show is already sold out, but check back to find out which stars are coming to our spot in Florida next.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunrise Theatre Presents - The Capitol Steps
One day, we’ll all look back at the political divisions in our country and laugh. That date is this Wednesday, March 24, when The Capitol Steps bring their songs and skits to the Sunrise. These Capitol Hill ex-staffers are bipartisan in their targets, and their work has appeared in NPR, PBS and other radio and TV stations. Go to their Web site to experience their brand of comedy, and click here to order tickets.
A Letter From A Richard Marx Fan
A few weeks ago, I received an e-mail from a man in Fort Meyers asking if there were still good seats for Richard Marx. The man needed them for his wife as a present, as he told me she was one of his biggest fans. I told them yes, and assured them they would enjoy the show and that the Sunrise Theatre was worth the drive up.Saturday night, while I was in the lobby, I saw a couple I had never seen before at the Theatre, and I had a feeling that they were in fact the couple I e-mailed a few weeks before. So I grabbed them right as we were about to do the meet and greet with Richard Marx, and they were so excited to come upstairs.
The rest, as they say, is just awesome!
____________________
I wanted to thank you again for a great opportunity to meet with Richard last night. I have been following Richard's career for some time but this was the first time that I have ever got to see him so up close and personal. I had never been to the Sunrise Theater before but I was truly impressed. The acoustics are fabulous. At one point Richard stepped away from the mike for a few lyrics and it was amazing to get to hear Richard's pure unadulturated voice for the first time. This was such an intimate performance that at one point I was moved to tears. I will definitely keep an eye out for upcoming shows at the Sunrise Theater. Even though it is a 3 hour drive from the Cape Coral/Ft. Myers area it is well worth it. If you could please send the link for the photos that were taken last night I would appreciate it very much.
Thanks,
Janet Meyer
____________________
I want to thank the city of Fort Pierce for giving us the opportunity to bring these acts to the Treasure Coast, Richard Marx for taking the time to meet with our patrons and guests, and our wonderful staff for making the Sunrise an amazing place to see shows.
Thank you all!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Wendy Chen and Andres Diaz Bring Chopin and Bach to the Sunrise
The Sunrise has a treat for classical music lovers on Sunday, March 21. In one of the first classical programs at the Theatre, pianist Wendy Chen and cellist Andres Diaz will perform works by Frederic Chopin, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Johann Sebastin Bach, and other famous composers. Chen and Diaz spoke to us on the phone about working together, their music selection, and Don Henley.
An "Instant-magic Meeting"
Chen, a first prize winner of the National Chopin Competition, first played with Diaz 13 years ago.
“We met playing the Rachmaninoff Sonata we’re playing in Florida,” Chen said. “It was an instant-magic meeting. We loved playing together. You can be great musicians, but you don’t always hit it off. Sometimes there will be a little extra magic. Off stage, we get along great, too.”
She said Diaz will open the concert with a solo Bach cello suite.
“I wanted him to open with that,” Chen said. “He made a recording of Bach works five years ago, and it was released last year. It’s been nominated for a Latin Grammy.”
The rest of the program will be the two of them performing together.
“They are pieces we’ve toured with for many years,” she said. “They’re all my favorites. If we don’t love it, we don’t play it.”
In addition to the Rachmaninoff piece, they will play a tango by Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla.
“It’s an incredible tour-de-force,” Chen said. “It’s exciting and sensual, with pyrotechnics (from the instruments.)”
That will be balanced with an elegy by Gabriel Faure and then a polonaise, or Polish slow dance music, by Chopin.
“Chopin helped launch my career,” she said. “It’s my background and I love Chopin. This version has more for the cello. It’s an amazing feat for a cellist.”
Chen has performed in programs featuring Art Garfunkel and James Taylor, both of whom she admires.
The Cellist and the Rock Star
Chen suggested that when we talk to Diaz, we ask him about rock musician Don Henley. When we asked him about the singer of “Boys of Summer” and “Dirty Laundry” he laughed.
“Out of nowhere, the phone rang two weeks ago and it was Don Henley,” he said. “His son and my son are in the same class and they got into a tiff about whose father is more famous. I told my son not to go there!”
The two performed at a charity event the following week.
“We performed two songs and it was really fun,” Diaz said. "The guys were so nice. I thought I’d get beat up, but it was fabulous.”
He also has high praise for Chen.
“She is amazing,” he said. “She’s one of my favorite people in the whole world. The main part of the program, the meat, is the Rachmaninoff and she plays it like no one else. It’s a big romantic work. The Piazzolla is lots of fun for the audience and the Faure elegy is one of my favorite short pieces. The Chopin is a piece that not too many pianists can play.”
The program added the Bach suite to honor Diaz’s new recording, but he may have another recording in his future.
“Don asked me to do more stuff and maybe a recording,” Diaz said. “It would be amazing.”
This Sunday two world-class musicians play their favorite works at the Fort Pierce Marina. Visit the Sunrise's Web site for more information and tickets.
An "Instant-magic Meeting"
Chen, a first prize winner of the National Chopin Competition, first played with Diaz 13 years ago.
“We met playing the Rachmaninoff Sonata we’re playing in Florida,” Chen said. “It was an instant-magic meeting. We loved playing together. You can be great musicians, but you don’t always hit it off. Sometimes there will be a little extra magic. Off stage, we get along great, too.”
She said Diaz will open the concert with a solo Bach cello suite.
“I wanted him to open with that,” Chen said. “He made a recording of Bach works five years ago, and it was released last year. It’s been nominated for a Latin Grammy.”
The rest of the program will be the two of them performing together.
“They are pieces we’ve toured with for many years,” she said. “They’re all my favorites. If we don’t love it, we don’t play it.”
In addition to the Rachmaninoff piece, they will play a tango by Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla.
“It’s an incredible tour-de-force,” Chen said. “It’s exciting and sensual, with pyrotechnics (from the instruments.)”
That will be balanced with an elegy by Gabriel Faure and then a polonaise, or Polish slow dance music, by Chopin.
“Chopin helped launch my career,” she said. “It’s my background and I love Chopin. This version has more for the cello. It’s an amazing feat for a cellist.”
Chen has performed in programs featuring Art Garfunkel and James Taylor, both of whom she admires.
The Cellist and the Rock Star
Chen suggested that when we talk to Diaz, we ask him about rock musician Don Henley. When we asked him about the singer of “Boys of Summer” and “Dirty Laundry” he laughed.
“Out of nowhere, the phone rang two weeks ago and it was Don Henley,” he said. “His son and my son are in the same class and they got into a tiff about whose father is more famous. I told my son not to go there!”
The two performed at a charity event the following week.
“We performed two songs and it was really fun,” Diaz said. "The guys were so nice. I thought I’d get beat up, but it was fabulous.”
He also has high praise for Chen.
“She is amazing,” he said. “She’s one of my favorite people in the whole world. The main part of the program, the meat, is the Rachmaninoff and she plays it like no one else. It’s a big romantic work. The Piazzolla is lots of fun for the audience and the Faure elegy is one of my favorite short pieces. The Chopin is a piece that not too many pianists can play.”
The program added the Bach suite to honor Diaz’s new recording, but he may have another recording in his future.
“Don asked me to do more stuff and maybe a recording,” Diaz said. “It would be amazing.”
This Sunday two world-class musicians play their favorite works at the Fort Pierce Marina. Visit the Sunrise's Web site for more information and tickets.
Shelly Koppel
Writer
Writer
Sunrise Theatre Presents - Richard Marx
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you.
Whatever it takes
However my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you.
Richard Marx is a Grammy-winning artist who created hits like "Now and Forever" and "Don't Mean Nothing" that defined a generation. This Saturday, Marx goes unplugged here at the Sunrise. The historic theatre and the open waters of the Fort Pierce Marina are the perfect place to get “Right Here Waiting” stuck in your mind all over again. Learn more and order tickets here.
Gordon Lightfoot Brings Fans and Countrymen to the Sunrise
Whether it’s his hits “Sundown” and “If You Could Read My Mind” or his songwriting credits from Bob Dylan to Jane’s Addiction, Gordon Lightfoot’s music is part of our collective soundtrack. In a return trip to the Sunrise, the laid-back musician played to a sold-out crowd that mixed out-of-towners with area residents, many of whom came to the Theatre for the first time.
Bob and Shiela Douglass of Fort Pierce have been Lightfoot fans for years.
“I grew up on Gordon Lightfoot,” Bob Douglass said.
His wife echoed the feeling.
“I’d have come if he didn’t want to,” she said.
“I like to patronize the theater. We come down and have dinner and it’s an event. The theater is great.”
Mark Oler came from Cocoa for the concert. He saw Lightfoot at the Sunrise two years ago and has traveled to venues throughout the state.
“I’m a big, big, big fan,” he said.
Lightfoot is not only a great singer, but a Canadian icon. The Ontario native is a Companion to the Order of Canada, one of the highest honors in the country. Fans swayed maple-leaf flags during the concert, creating a stream of pride near the waters of the Indian River Lagoon.
Bob and Shiela Douglass of Fort Pierce have been Lightfoot fans for years.
“I grew up on Gordon Lightfoot,” Bob Douglass said.
His wife echoed the feeling.
“I’d have come if he didn’t want to,” she said.
“I like to patronize the theater. We come down and have dinner and it’s an event. The theater is great.”
Mark Oler came from Cocoa for the concert. He saw Lightfoot at the Sunrise two years ago and has traveled to venues throughout the state.
“I’m a big, big, big fan,” he said.
Lightfoot is not only a great singer, but a Canadian icon. The Ontario native is a Companion to the Order of Canada, one of the highest honors in the country. Fans swayed maple-leaf flags during the concert, creating a stream of pride near the waters of the Indian River Lagoon.
Shelly Koppel
Writer
Writer
Sunrise Theatre Presents - Memories of Elvis
Get the
Friday, March 12, 2010
The Best of Musical Theater Shines in "101 Years of Broadway."
Broadway takes us from the South Pacific to the Austrian Alps, and from an opera house in Paris to King Arthur’s Court. If you live in South Florida, “Neil Berg’s 101 Years of Broadway” brought that experience to the Sunrise last Sunday. The musical revue, created by composer/lyricist Neil Berg, featured hits from Broadway's past and present and had some singers reprise the roles they inhabited in New York City.
We had the chance to go backstage as the musicians made last-minute changes and sound checks. Each theater is different, and the house technicians worked with the company’s to make sure the sound quality met their standards.
Grant Norman, whose Broadway credits include the title role of “The Phantom of the Opera” and The Beast in “Beauty and the Beast,” explained how it all works.
“We go through a few songs to see how it sounds,” he said. “We may not want the same levels. Each singer sings parts of a loud and quiet song to get a feel for the sound.”
Norman said the group makes a conscious effort to sing a different set of songs each year so that audiences get a new experience each time. He loves the revue format, which is less formal than a regular play.
“There’s the 4th wall in the theater,” he said. “That’s where the audience doesn’t exist and you are the character you play. In a revue, the 4th wall doesn’t have to exist. You’re more free to communicate with the audience more directly. You can be singing to the audience and talking to them. It’s a more personal feel.”
The show included a salute to Rodgers and Hammerstein, the duo behind the songs of “The Sound of Music” and “South Pacific.” Other selections came from “Cats,” “Les Miserables,” “Jersey Boys,” “Rent,” and “Chicago.”
Sandi Hellstrom, a Port St. Lucie resident and former member of the Sunrise Theatre board, was in the audience with her husband Dick, who serves on the Sunrise Theatre Foundation board, and their daughter Lauren, a singer.
“We wanted her to see a performance like this, to get some ideas," Sandi Hellstrom said.
“They’re all great,” Lauren added.
Fern Mikus, a volunteer usher from St. Lucie West, was also looking forward to the chance to see the show. A Broadway fan, she’s gotten to see “Cabaret” and “Camelot” this season as well.
“I can meet people, and it’s a great way to see shows,” she said.
Check back with the Sunrise Theatre for more national tours as 101 years of Broadway continues to go on.
Shelly Koppel
Writer
The Sunrise Theatre Presents: Gordon Lightfoot
I never thought I could act this wayand I've got to say that I just don't get it.
I don't know where we went wrong
but the feeling's gone and I just can't get it back.
Gordon Lightfoot is best known for his songs "If You Could Read My Mind" and "Sundown", and his songwriting credits includes music for Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, and Barbara Streisand. Click on the link below to learn more about Gordon's life on the road, Johnny Cash, and how to order tickets when he visits this Saturday.
Sunrise Theatre Presents Gordon Lightfoot
Welcome to the Sunrise Theatre!
Welcome to the new Sunrise Theatre blog! This is the place to check out the acts, shows, and events that make their way to the Treasure Coast. We'll be updating regularly, so check back to see what's coming to the Sunrise next.
Sunrise Theatre Fort Pierce, Florida
Sunrise Theatre Fort Pierce, Florida
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