Broadway veteran performer Adam Jacobs knows the power of music to whisk people away from life’s struggles — almost as if on a magic carpet ride.
Fitting, it seems, for the former star of “Aladdin.”
“It can be a way to alleviate some of the stress,” Jacobs said, speaking by phone from his home in Chicago. “That’s what I’ve spent my whole life doing.”
Jacobs and four of his Broadway peers, celebrated performers in their own right, will help present the one-time-only presentation of Broadway Memories June 23 at Judson Erne Auditorium in Columbus. The mixed musical bag amid a 90-minute performance will benefit Music & Memory, a program to be launched at Our Hospice of South Central Indiana to enhance the lives of patients with cognitive challenges — all via music that helps them link to significant memories.
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Jacobs embraces such programs since his grandmother dealt with Alzheimer’s.
“People sometimes forget how powerful the arts can be,” Jacobs said. “I’m just happy to be able to share this.”
He expects that one of his numbers will be “Proud of Your Boy” from “Aladdin.” And it’s a good bet he’ll include a tune from his role of Simba in the Broadway production of “The Lion King.”
Stephen DeAngelis, a longtime friend of local professional actress Jill Tasker, began conversing online with Tasker months ago. They hit upon the idea of such a show to benefit Music & Memory because DeAngelis connected with his mother, an Alzheimer’s patient, through old, classic tunes five years ago. Columbus resident and arts veteran John Pickett, who teamed with Tasker in October for a local production, agreed to help.
Artists will croon some of the best-known tunes from their career with only piano accompaniment, all to build a sense of intimacy with the audience. Moreover, DeAngelis will allow the public time for an informal question-and-answer session.
“I want to give them an unparalleled accessibility,” DeAngelis said, speaking from his New York City office, where he has worked as a casting director with a world of talent from the show and concert stage. “It’s another opportunity to break down any barriers between a performer and the audience.”
He labeled the show “a big musical buffet with each artist representing a different style and genre.” Tough to argue with that.
Consider the all-star lineup.
Besides Jacobs, other singers will be Jennifer DiNoia, who just finished a year-long run as Elphaba in the Broadway presentation of “Wicked”; Lana Gordon, who most recently co-starred as Velma Kelly in the Broadway’s “Chicago” and made history with singer Brandy as the first two black co-leads; Jon Peterson, who recently returned to New York having starred as the emcee in the national tour of “Cabaret”; and Craig Schulman, who was invited to represent the U.S. at the 10th anniversary of “Les Misérables” in London.
“Because it’s one show only — and one that’s never been done before — it’s going to have that opening-night feeling,” DeAngelis said.
Columbus resident and arts administrative veteran John Pickett agreed to help coordinate some of the concert’s planning as a way to promote the local arts scene. His past roles have included support and assistance for the popular Cabaret at The Commons series.
“When you have more professional performing artists coming to town, it’s obviously going to be good for the city,” Pickett said. “And when you can work with such a qualified producer who can pull this caliber of talent together, then it’s just a matter of making sure we get all our pieces together here locally.”
Suzie Singer, the local hospice’s manager of planning and marketing, mentioned that the organization currently has made no plans for making this idea an annual fundraiser. But she said organizers will pay close attention to its success, and with good reason.
“We have so many patients facing various cognitive and neurological issues that we saw this as a good fit,” Singer said.
Host DeAngelis sees the entire evening as a good fit for those seeking nostalgic entertainment, and those seeking a way to help hospice.
“The singers will be transporting the audience members to those moments that really reach people,” DeAngelis said.
Transporting them indeed. Almost like a magic carpet ride.
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What: Broadway Memories, a cabaret-style mixed musical bag featuring five Broadway stars performing tunes from musicals and the pop-rock genre with piano accompaniment.
When: 7 p.m. June 23.
Where: Judson Erne Auditorium, 1400 25th St. in Columbus.
Why: To benefit Music & Memory, a nationwide program that helps patients with a range of cognitive challenges. Our Hospice of South Central Indiana will be launching such a program soon.
Tickets: $25 for general admission, $50 for preferred seating, and $125 for premier seating that includes a private post-show reception with the performers. Available at ourhospice.seatyourself.biz.
Information: Facebook page for Our Hospice of South Central Indiana.
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