We've been busy!!

Well let start this blog off with a prompt apology. We have been so busy lately that I haven't had much time to update this blog and keep as fresh as I would like. So, let me get started and get everyone caught up.

We have officially started our season. We have had a couple of shows and a few events. Let me get started with the Spirit Singers. The Spirit Singers Consist of 30 very talent teens from the SC area. Their show consited of tradition Gospel and Southern Gospel hymns and songs. It was great to

see a new generation keeping alive the Gospel tradition and having so much fun doing it.

Next we had Dr. John Wagner, some jazz, and the Starlight Quartet. In "John, Jazz, & The Starlight Quartet. Dr. Wagner's talent seems to be endless. He has been apart of the season opener's here at the Newberry Opera House since it reopened and ever year he always delivers something fresh. This year his show was no different. The first half of his show he showed off his classical chops by playing with the Starlight Quartet and the second half of the show consisted of his jazz chops on display with his jazz combo. Each half of the show was a great treat for us and our audience.

We next played host to Steve Tyrell . Who, in certain circles, is a legend in his own right. I'll put it this way. Before he flew from Los Angles to Newberry to do his show, he was busy producing the legendary Rod Stewert's new album. His and his band's performance was a show for the stars. Everyone on stage that night was full of talent. The show consisted of 90 minutes of stellar arrangements of standards, followed by a meet in great. Mr. Tyrell stayed until every fan had a chance to meet him and every autograph was signed. What a treat that was for our audience by a such a professional entertainer. I wish I had a picture from that day but in all of the excitement I forgot to snap one.

Last but not least we had the Republican Gubernatorial Debates hosted by the SCGOP. That was amazing. It was broadcasted or should I say web-casted live over the internet, thanks to WIS10 out of Columbia, SC. This was an event that we been very excited about and planning for quite some time. We, along with the city, had our internet up graded to a capacity of bandwidth that was acceptable for WIS's webcasts. So, a big thanks to you City of Newberry . To have such high profile state politicians gracing our stage was a real honor. The debate was very civil and informative, each candidate handled their responses with professional courtesy towards the panel, the host Judi Gatson , and toward each other. If you missed the Debate don't worry, it has been archived and has been made available to watch. You can get the full story and find links to the debate here.

That about does it. Are you all caught up? I will try and work harder to keep our info more current. However, it looks to be a busy season, so we will see. Thanks for reading. ~JAG

photos and content updated by: JAG

Steve Tyrell – opens Newberry Opera House season

Steve Tyrell – opens Newberry Opera House season

September 18 at 8 pm

Kick off for an exciting Season of Stars!

August 17, 2009

NEWBERRY, SC—Steve Tyrell is everywhere these days—when he kicks off the 2009-10 season at the Newberry Opera House, Tyrell will be coming straight from the Blue Note in New York but his reach is actually much farther. Recently the crew of the Space Station was awakened by the song "On the Sunny Side of the Street," performed by Steve Tyrell. The song was up-linked especially for Commander Mark Polansky.

The talented and charming Steve Tyrell lends his suave approach to reinventing classic pop standards. This Renaissance man has collaborated as a music producer, arranger, recording supervisor, songwriter, and performer with legendary artists from Burt Bacharach to Rod Stewart. Tyrell is a true romantic. Ever since his breakthrough performance in Father of the Bride, audiences all over have fallen in love with this guy!

Tyrell reinvented and re-popularized classic pop standards for a modern-day audience. With the grit and soul of a lifetime, producing hits for artists ranging from Dionne Warwick to Rod Stewart, Steve himself has sold hundreds of thousands of albums and gained a passionate following all over the world. His hits include "The Way You Look Tonight", "A Kiss To Build A Dream On", and "The Sunny Side of The Street".

Every recording artist has one album that they are destined to make - an album so singularly in-sync with their sensibility and history that its’ making smacks of pure destiny. For Steve Tyrell - the distinguished Grammy winner and Emmy nominated purveyor of pop standards, as well as a behind the scenes impresario- that album is Back to Bacharach, a deeply personal collection of songs from the piano of Burt Bacharach and the pen of Hal David and he will be highlighting these Bacharach masterpieces in Newberry.

For music lovers the world over, songs like "The Look of Love," "Walk On By," "Close to You," "A House Is Not a Home" and "Alfie" are indelibly bound to our DNA, haunting strands of melodious memories that bring forth a flood of emotions and associations. For Steve Tyrell, they represent milestones in a distinguished career and the joys and pains of his own personal life and the writings of a close personal friend.

The Newberry Opera House will present Tyrell on Friday evening Sept. 18 at 8 pm.

Box Office Hours: Weekdays 9am-6pm, Saturday 11am-4pm, Sunday 2pm-4pm

Address:1201 McKibben St. Newberry, Sc 29108.

Phone: 803-276-6264

post updated by: JAG

JOHN, JAZZ AND THE STARLIGHT QUARTET

The Newberry Opera House to host

JOHN, JAZZ AND THE STARLIGHT QUARTET

September 13, 2009

NEWBERRY, SC

The John, Jazz and Starlight Quartet concert is scheduled for 3 PM, Sunday, September 13, at the Newberry Opera House. The program is a continuation of the John, Janet and Jazz programs, which were begun in 2002. Dr. John W. Wagner, clarinetist and flutist, and Professor of Music Emeritus at Newberry College, presents the concert.

The first half of the program will include the final movement of Three Pieces for Clarinet Solo, by the twentieth-century composer Igor Stravinsky, and Mozart’s Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet in A Major. Assisting Dr. Wagner on the Mozart selection will be the Starlight String Quartet, comprised of Paula Harshaw, first violin; Tina Pulley, second violin; Charis Burger, viola; and Bruce McLean, ‘cello. The group was founded in 1990 and all of the members have performed with orchestras throughout the upstate and midlands of South Carolina.

Jazz dominates the second half of the program, with a selection of popular songs played in a jazz style by Wagner on the clarinet and flute, assisted by Shawn Hair, piano; Katie Justice, bass; and Martin Giles, percussion. Vocalist Millie Keefe Black will also be featured in several of these pieces. Compositions on this half of the program will include I Want to Be Happy, Dream, and Bye-Bye Blackbird. Ms. Black and Justice and Messrs. Hair and Giles all have ties to Newberry College.

The program is free and open to the public. Tickets are available at the Newberry Opera House box office. For reservations, call 803-276-6264 or visit our website www.newberryoperahouse.com

Box Office Hours: Weekdays 9am-6pm, Saturday 11am-4pm, Sunday 2pm-4pm Address:1201 McKibben St. Newberry, Sc 29108. Phone: 803-276-6264

post updated by: JAG

Kris Kristofferson's January 28, 2010 performance is SOLD OUT!!!

Congratulations!! Are in order.

The Newberry Opera House would like

to congratulate all of the people who

purchased Kris Kristofferson tickets.

The response has been enthusiastic and overwhelming!

We here at the Newberry Opera House could not

be happier to announce that

his January 28, 2010 performance

sold out a month after being made

available for purchase and before

the final season brochure was even made

public. So thank you people of Newberry

and everyone who purchased tickets.

We would to give a very special congratulations to the

lucky few who were able to purchase

meet and greet tickets. These tickets

were very limited and first come first serve.

Thank you again everyone.

Just a friendly reminder, we are gearing up for a very exciting season.

A full list of our shows is available for view at our

website, www.newberryoperahouse.com. You can also

pick up a 2009/10 season brochure from our box office

located on 1201 McKibben St. Newberry, Sc 29108.