The Warren Festival of the Arts presents "Warren's Got Talent" at the Library Theatre on Friday, Aug. 3, at 7:30 p.m.
Based on the popular TV show "America's Got Talent," Roz Hupp, Artistic Director, promises to have a diverse group of participants including not only singing, dancing and instrumentalists, but comedy and magic as well. Added to this list will be a master of ceremonies, Rev. David Blank, as well as three Judges: Paula Roney, Carla Kayes, and Will Hayes.
The show opens with "Anything You Can Do" (Annie Get Your Gun) performed by the Koebley Kids (Abigail, Emily, Allison, and Elizabeth), choreographed by Jennifer Koebley. Next comes Ashley McLaughlin playing "The Last Rose of Summer" on the euphonium. The young Sarah Marino sings "Just Around the Riverbend" from Pocohantas and Rose Servidio, Paul Leofsky, Mary and Fred Highhouse polka to :"Hammer Hank's Polka". Stacey Ludwig keeps the audience laughing with her comedy routine, while Elizabeth Fetters plays "Solo de Concert" by Gabriel Pierne, accompanied by her husband, Joseph Fetters.
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Polka Boosters
The beautiful aria "Beloved Don't Delay" from Marriage of Figaro by Mozart will be sung by Carolyn Worley, soprano, then Alex Burdette will thrill you with his "Concertino for Flute and Piano" by Cecile Chaminade. Matthew Scott, tenor, melts your heart with "If With All Your Hearts" from Mendelssohn's Elijah. Then some magic is performed by John Beard and the Linda Dies Dance Express ends the first act with "99 Red Balloons".
The second act opens with the lovely voice of April Landin singing "Je suis Titania" from Mignon by Thomas, accompanied' by her husband, Matthew Landin. You will applaud Cody Hiller's violin magic of Tartini's "Devil's Trill", accompanied by Jack Hemink, and tap your toes to "Wepa", a Cuban dance by Abby and Jillian Funari, sisters. The youngsters will laugh at Sarah Roney's bird-like appearance as "Amayzing Mayzie" from the Broadway show, Seussical. The beautiful Liebeslied (Widmung) by Robert Schumann (transcribed for solo piano by Franz Lizst) will be played by Amber Shay Nicholson, pianist and Matthew Scott, tenor, will show off his operatic abilities with his rendition of "En fermant des yeux" from Manon by Massenet, accompanied by Julie Baughman. Next we have Will.Hayes playing a 'cello duet with himself - "Concerto for Two 'Cellos" by Vivaldi. Devon Meddock, soprano, shows off her singing and acting talents with "The Girl in 14G", and the Linda Dies Dance Express ends the show with "La Tarantella".
Tickets are available at the Library Theatre office or one hour before the show at the box office. Adults: $12 - Seniors and children younger than 12 - $10
Our M.C. is Pastor David Blank, senior pastor at First Lutheran Church. He received a BA from Thiel College and an M.Div. from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, PA. David was active in theatre in high school and college, performing in "Our Town", "Enter Laughing", "Once Upon a Mattress", "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", and "Look Homeward, Angel". He served as News Director and disc jockey for WTGP-FM and an announcer for WGFT AM & FM, Gettysburg.
The Koebley girls will take the stage in this year's Festival of the Arts for the second time. The girls will perform "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" from Annie Get Your Gun. They are very familiar with theater. All of the girls have performed in many Warren Players productions, all-county musical's, and participate in the ARTE program at Struthers Library Theater. Abigail-13, Emily-12, Allison-10, and Elizabeth-8 are the daughters of Todd and Jennifer Koebley, and granddaughters of John and Charmaine Check and Don and Velma Koebley.
Cody Hiller will be a sophomore at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory this fall, majoring in violin performance. He studied violin at SUNY Fredonia, five years with Janet Sung, and one year with James Kontrabecki. He twice received the Chautauqua County Music Teacher's Association scholarship, and in 2011 was the recipient of the Mozart Club's Josephine Fenton Gifford Scholarship Award. In Cody's spare time he enjoys composing music, recording with various artists, and competitive mountain biking. He will play Tartini's "Sonata in G m", accompanied by Jack Hemink.
John Beard will perform magic. During this baseball season, we're reminded of the "utility player" the guy not good enough to be an expert in any position but versatile enough to be asked to fill in anywhere. John says he is that kind of individual. A frequent visitor on the stage in musicals and dramas, an outdoor cook with Women in the Outdoors, a fill in swimmer/biker/runner for the Tango event, a fixture at the burger and ribsfest and tonight, a magician with stories to tell. Keep an eye on him and see if the hand really is quicker than the eye!
Stacey Ludwig, a teacher at Eisenhower Middle Senior, is honing her comedy chops. She is married to Robert and they have three grown children, one crazy dog, and a sweet/crazy kitten. She has opened for a comedy act at Junior's Comedy Club in Erie, and they did not throw her out after the first show. Her mother keeps telling her she's funny and that she should do stand up to enable her to have the lifestyle she envisions.
Elizabeth Rusch Fetters is a 1996 graduate of Warren Area High School. She holds degrees in music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Kent State University (Ohio) and a library science degree from the University of Maryland. Elizabeth teaches music for Harford County Public Schools in Maryland. She also maintains a large private bassoon studio, can be seen performing throughout the area and has numerous articles published on bassoon pedagogy
Dr. Amber Shay Nicholson was a member of the keyboard faculty of the Univ. of Southern Mississippi from 2004-2009. She received her BA, MM and DMA degrees in piano from Eastman School of Music, where she studied extensively with Nelita True. Amber has performed many solo recitals and joint recitals with colleagues from Eastman School of Music, both here and abroad. She resides in Youngsville with her husband and daughters.
Carolyn Worley, soprano, will sing Mozart's "Beloved, Don't Delay" from The Marriage of Figaro. She is a member of the Chautauqua Chamber Singers and a performing member of the Philomel Club. Carolyn facilitates three Prayer Shawl groups where she teaches contemplative knitting.
Age doesn't matter for polka dancers! Rose Servidio, Paul Leofsky, Fred and Mary Highhouse are proof of that, dancing to "Hammer Hank's Polka." They are with a group called the North Central Pa. Slovenian Polka Boosters which meets every Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m.
Alex Burdette has acquired many honors as a flutist, among them the Penn State President's Freshman Award, John Phillip Sousa Award, Youngsville Silver Eagle Award, and National Honor Society Member for three years. He has participated in Penn State ensembles: Symphonic Concert Band, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Wind Quintet, Flute Ensemble, and many more. Alex also sings and had the lead (Ren McCormack) in the musical "Footloose" in the Library Theatre, and Jester and pit orchestra in the high school musical, "Once Upon a Mattress." This young man does all of this while maintaining a 3.98 GPA at college.
Ashley McLaughlin will play "The Last Rose of Summer" on the euphonium. She is a sophomore at Robert Morris University and has been studying the euphonium for the past seven years. Ashley was the first runner-up in the 2011 Warren County Fair Queen contest and is an intern at the Warren County Summer Music School.
April Sarah Landin, lyric coloratura soprano, received her B.M. in voice from Grove City College, graduating Summa Cum Laude with Highest Honors in 2011. She participated in Eisenhower Middle/Senior High School Choir, Madrigals, soloist, District, Regional, State and All-East Honors Chorus 2004-2007. While at Grove City College April was Chapel Choir soloist, Chamber Singers soloist and co-director, and sang in the Opera Workshop, performing such roles as Lucy in "The Telephone" by Menotti; Fanny in Painting Churches by Howe; and Geneva Lee Browne in 1940's Radio Hour by Walton Jones. April also performed in scenes from Rigoletto, Lakme, Die Fledermaus, Magic Flute, and many more.
Sarah Marino is a ninth grader at Youngsville HS and has won the past three school talent shows and participated in 3 PMEA district choirs. She also sings in the high school choir and has been in three previous WFA shows at the Library Theatre.
The Reverend Matthew Scott is an Episcopal priest serving God at Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church in Warren, Pennsylvania. Before being ordained to the priesthood, he was a public school music teacher and private vocal coach in Connecticut. He studied operatic voice under Virginia Pyle at the University of Connecticut, graduating in 1993. His performance career includes solo work in major choral performances of Handel's Messiah and Mozart's Requiem, along with the roles of Luiz in the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Gondoliers and the Song Vendor in Giacomo Puccini's Il Tabarro. Father Matthew wants to especially thank his lovely and musically talented wife, Nancy, and his two children Naomi and Benjamin for making the melody of his life so sweet.
Sarah Roney has performed in "Groundhog in a Peartree", "Most Wonderful Christmas Pageant Ever", and was "Jackie" in "Velveteen Rabbit", all with the Jack-in-the-Box Players. She has done two shows for ARTE and in Feb. 2012 was Mushu in "Mulan", the All-County Musical. Sarah loves to sing the National Anthem at local sporting events.
Devon Meddock, soprano, will sing "The Girl in 14G." This song was originally composed by Jeanine Tesori for Kristen Chenoweth. Devon has sung the role of Olive Ostrovsky in the Broadway musical "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at the Beck Center in Lakewood, Ohio. She also performed in many shows for Warren Players, including Belle in "Beauty and the Beast", Millie in "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and Amelia Earhart i "Flight of the Lawn Chair Man." She is a senior music major focusing on vocal performance at Mercyhurst University. She has been cast as a lead in Gian Carlo Menotti's opera "The Medium" to be held in Erie this Fall.
Sisters Jillian and Abby Funari will perform "Wepa," a Cuban dance.