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Event
Broadway Passages
Just over a year ago, Rebecca Spencer was performing Madame Giry in Phantom-The Las Vegas Spectacular held in The Venetian. Now,adjusting to life on Vashon (which she says reminds her of Dobbs Ferry, New York) Spencer looks forward to her Island debut, Broadway Passages. She will be joined by accomplished Las Vegas-based pianist Phillip Fortenberry, who has performed with Hairspray, We Will Rock You, Mama Mia and currently plays on stage for Jersey Boys. The Vashon concert will feature tunes from her two albums and more.
Conceived five years ago by the phenomenally talented Tony Award winning director/producer Harold Prince, Spencer was handpicked in New York by Prince for the Las Vegas Phantom role. Living in New York City and making her second album with pianist Phillip Fortenberry at the time, Spencer flew to Vegas and spent the next three years with Phantom. In some ways the move represented full circle for Spencer who first performed as Carlotta in Sir Andrew and Princes Germany production of Phantom in the mid-1990s.
Original Broadway cast member of Jekyll and Hyde, Spencer also performed as Emma Carew, a role she originally created at the 1990 Alley Theatre world premiere and the final Toronto workshop of Ragtime, directed by Frank Galati. She toured with Marvin Hamlisch and was cast in the 30th anniversary version of Man of La Mancha.
In New York she has been featured at Carnegie Hall and recorded for PBS. Spencers television credits include Third Watch and Law and Order: SVU. She was awarded the 2004 Back Stage Bistro Award for Oustanding Achievement in a Recording for her debut solo CD, Wide Awake and Dreaming. Her second recording, Fair Warning, was released in March 2006 on the LML Music label, distributed by Allegro Music nationwide.
Originally from Philadelphia, crossover-artist Spencer has clearly paid her dues. She recalls her first grade performance as Wendy in Peter Pan. Pointing to the stage, she told her mom, "I like it up there!" With family encouragement and support, she earned her degree in classical vocal performance at Ithaca College. Joining throngs of theatre hopefuls she headed for New York City for audition after audition while doing summer stock shows, temping and waiting tables.
During one of her first auditions, for a Rogers and Hammerstein tribute show, she met her now long time friend and collaborator, pianist Phillip Fortenberry. "I gave him my number and it took him 10 years to call me back," she laughs.
Two years after arriving in the Big Apple Spencer earned her first New York Times review for her off-Broadway performance in Kismet. I got uncovered, not discovered. I decided to get an agent, but still had to keep going. Working with internationally acclaimed voice teacher Bill Schuman, Spencer thought opera was her destiny. Meanwhile she was hired as one of the actors to open FAO Schwarzs flagship NYC store. The same day she received a call back from The Metropolitan Opera, she found herself dressed as a cave woman at FAO Schwarz and loving every minute of it. After a thoughtful walk in Central Park, Spencer intuitively knew she belonged on Broadway.
Dont miss this night of Broadway on Vashon Island!
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LocationBlue Heron Art Center
19704 Vashon Hwy SW
Vashon Island, WA 98070
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: No |
| Wheelchair Accessible: No |
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