On Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 8 PM, the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra (A2SO) will conclude its 2023-24 Pops Season at the Michigan Theater, showcasing a program inspired by the Broadway stage and Hollywood set. Acclaimed Broadway vocalists Chelsea Packard (Wicked; Promises, Promises) and Matt Bogart (Paradise Square; Jersey Boys) will take the stage to perform, and the orchestra will be joined by members of the University of Michigan’s Musical Theatre department for several numbers.
Guest conductor and Toronto native Lucas Waldin will join the orchestra to conduct the concert. An innovative collaborator with high-profile artists including Carly Rae Jepsen, Ben Folds, the Canadian Brass, and Buffy Sainte-Marie, Waldin has led numerous orchestras including The Cleveland Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra plus conducted the groundbreaking Red Bull Music Festival symphonic debut of R&B duo Dvsn, signed by Drake through his label OVO Sound.
As part of the program, Waldin will unveil a number of self-authored arrangements of popular show tunes for full orchestra, including Stephen Schwartz’s “Defying Gravity” from Wicked, and Jonathan Larson’s “Seasons of Love” from RENT. The concert will also feature music from Chicago, Oklahoma!, La La Land, West Side Story, Les Misérables, and other notable musicals.
Prior to the performance, Michigan Theater Foundation CEO and Executive Director Russ Collins will host a pre-concert discussion on stage with celebrated musical theater icons Joan Morris and Judy Dow Rumelhart. A decorated mezzo-soprano, Joan Morris taught a cabaret class at the University of Michigan from 1981-2009 and has regularly concertized with her husband, composer William Bolcom. A Distinguished Alumni Award recipient from the University of Michigan, Judy Dow Rumelhart starred in legendary musicals including Gypsy, South Pacific, The Mikado and Hello Dolly. Rumelhart earned a Tony Award and Drama Critic Award for her role as Associate Producer in Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, and has played critical roles in a number of charitable causes throughout the Southeast Michigan region.
The March 23 concert closes the A2SO’s 2023-24 Pops season that included the 12th Annual Holiday Pops concert in December—a concert that saw the orchestra welcome its largest post-pandemic audience to Ann Arbor’s Hill Auditorium. Past Pops season finales have featured partnerships with acclaimed institutions and individuals, with the 2023 edition showcasing viral TikTok star and GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Cody Fry.
Tickets to the March 23 concert can be booked at a2so.org/broadway-to-hollywood and discounts are available for students, kids, and groups of 10 or more.
