Over the years, the Arvada Center has showcased some of the most famous musicals in the Broadway canon --; everything from "Camelot" and "Les Mis rables" to "Tarzan" and "Death Takes A Holiday."
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, and the transition from a city-run department to a full-fledged nonprofit, the center is hosting a concert in its outdoor amphitheater with the Colorado Symphony featuring songs from its most popular musical productions.
The concert will be at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 9, at the Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd.
"This is a way for us to celebrate our past and look ahead to what's next," said Philip Sneed, the center's executive director. "Attendees are going to hear some of the greatest musical theater, with a far bigger orchestra than we normally have."
In addition to the symphony, the evening will feature performances from local musical theater actors and members of the center's Musical Theatre Teen Intensive summer camp.
With its three stages --; the Main Stage Theatre, Black Box Theatre and Amphitheatre --; the Arvada Center has produced more than 170 musicals, which provided plenty of choices when it came to picking songs. "Anything Goes" was the first musical production held at the venue, so that will kick off the evening.
"It was a fun challenge to find the flow of the music for the program," said Keith Ewer, coordinator of the concert. "Doing this brought up so many memories, because my life has been so intertwined with the musicals we do."
The actors performing at the concert are Lauren Shealy ("White Christmas," "Curtains"), Megan Van De Hey (seen in "Death Takes a Holiday," "Chess"), Daniel Langhoff ("Man of La Mancha," "Ragtime") and Stephen Day ("Les Mis rables," "She Loves Me").
"The Arvada Center is one of my favorite places --; it's just an incredibly positive environment," Shealy said. "What a momentous occasion, and I'm excited and honored to be a part of it."
For Ewer, Shealy and Sneed, the center has a rich personal history. Sneed had some of his first professional acting jobs there. Ewer achieved his dream of becoming a professional drumme there. And it gave Shealy an entree to the Colorado theater scene.
"I love the can-do attitude here at the Arvada Center," Ewer said. "We really live the show-must-go-on approach."
During the evening, local officials will mark the transition to a self-governing body. Five individuals who have volunteered at the center since its opening in 1976 will also be honored.
"We wanted to let the public know we support this transition," Sneed said. "It's exciting to move into this phase where we're sustaining ourselves."
The blending of music and business will make for an emotional and invigorating evening for performers and audiences alike.
"Any time I get to spend at the center makes me so excited," Shealy said. "I'm looking forward to singing outside on a summer night with some truly amazing people."
from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.comhttp://arvadapress.com/stories/Celebrating-40-years-of-musical-theater,221936?branding=15
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