Aretha—A Tribute
January 31
Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW
2020-2021 Season Sponsor: Gunterberg Charitable Foundation – Culliton Family
Conductor
Dr. Andrew M. Kurtz
Vocalists
Capathia Jenkins
Ryan Shaw
Program
Tonight’s program is sponsored in part by Chuck Bergstrom, Award-Winning Realtor of RE/MAX of the Islands.
Aretha Overture
Arr William Holcombe, Jr
Chain of Fools
DON COVEY,
Arr. Sam Shoup
Birth of the Blues
DeSYLVA / BROWN / HENDERSON,
Arr. Rhodes, Orch. Stevens
Nobody Does It Better
SAGER / HAMLISCH,
Arr. Nic Raine
What a Friend We Have in Jesus / Climbing Higher Mountains
Arr. Matt Podd
America the Beautiful
KATHERINE BATES / SAM WARD,
Arr. Sam Shoup
Respect
OTIS REDDING,
Arr. Roger Holmes
I Got You (I Feel Good)
JAMES BROWN,
Arr. Roger Holmes
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
GOFFIN / KING / WEXLER,
Arr. John Bachalis
A Change is Gonna Come
SAM COOKE
Isn’t She Lovely
STEVIE WONDER,
Arr. Bill Holman
Try a Little Tenderness
WOODS / CAMPBELL / CONNELLY,
Arr. Sam Shoup
Amazing Grace
Arr. Matt Podd
Vocalist
Capathia Jenkins
Capathia Jenkins can definitely act but all those who know her also know that this diva can blow and blow and blow you right off this planet. This woman who grappling with two dueling passions each with a strong grip: acting and music, yet she refuses to pick one because they both represent her soul. Capathia approaches a song the same way she approaches a script, like an artist. She looks for the nuances, the secret hidden within the notes or text. She seeks the melody, harmony and rhythm. She asks herself: what am I trying to say? What do I want my audience to experience with me? She wants to take her audience on a journey.
This Brooklyn-born and raised actress most recently starred as ‘Medda’ in the hit Disney production of Newsies’ on Broadway. She made her Broadway debut in The Civil War, where she created the role of Harriet Jackson. She then starred in the Off-Broadway 2000 revival of Godspell, where she wowed audiences with her stirring rendition of ‘Turn Back, O Man’ which can still be heard on the original cast recording. She returned to Broadway in The Look of Love and was critically acclaimed for her performances of the Bacharach/David hits. Ms. Jenkins then created the roles of ‘The Washing Machine’ in Caroline, Or Change and ‘Frieda May’ in Martin Short-Fame becomes me where she sang ‘Stop the Show’ and brought the house down every night.
In 2007 she went back to Off-Broadway and starred in (mis) Understanding Mammy-The Hattie McDaniel Story for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. She was also seen in Nora Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore.
An active concert artist, Ms. Jenkins has appeared with orchestras around the world including the Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony (with Marvin Hamlisch), National Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Utah Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Memphis Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Toledo Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Edmonton Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Kansas City Symphony, San Diego Symphony and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. She was a soloist with the Festival Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. In 2011 Capathia had the great honor of performing in the ‘Broadway Ambassadors to Cuba’ concert as part of the Festival De Teatro De La Habana. Ms. Jenkins was a guest soloist with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops and with the Cincinnati Pops.
Her Television credits include 30 Rock, the Practice, Law & Order SVU, the Sopranos, Law & Order. She can be seen in the 2012 film ‘Musical Chairs’ directed by Susan Seidelman. She can be heard on the following film soundtracks: Nine, Chicago, Legally Blonde 2.
Vocalist
Ryan Shaw
Ryan Shaw is a three time Grammy nominated artist. He most recently appeared as Judas in the Lyric Opera House’s (Chicago) US debut of the critically acclaimed London’s Regents Park production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which won the Oliver for “Best Musical Revival”. He also stared as the original Stevie Wonder in Motown the Musical on Broadway. He has also stared on London’s Wes End as the Soul of Michael Jackson in Thriller Live. As a Recording artist Ryan has toured the world and shared the stage with such artists as Van Halen, Bonnie Rait, Joss Stone, John Legend, B.B. King, Bruce Hornsby, Jill Scott, to name a few.
On Television, Ryan has been guest artist on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Ellens Really Big Show, Last Call With Carson Daly, and The Martha Stewart Show, His music has been featured on FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance and ABC’s Dancing With The Stars, Grey’s Anatomy, and Lincoln Heights. His music has also been featured in the films My Blueberry Nights starring Norah Jones, Jude Law, and Natale Portman; Brides Maids starring Kate Hudson, and Ann Hathaway, and the Sex In the City Sound Track.
As a concert soloist, Ryan Shaw made his Radio City Music Hall debut at the Dream Concert benefit to build the Martin Luther King Jr National Monument in Washington DC. His Carnegie Hall appearances include an Elton John and Bernie Taupin Tribute, A Celebration of The African American Cultural Legacy, Curated by Jessye Norman. Ryan has also been honored to be the second artist in history to be asked to perform a return engagement at the Central Park Summer Stage Galla (second to Stevie Wonder). He has also been a featured artist with the Houston Symphony for their R&B Mixtape concert as well as the soloist for the Houston Symphony’s 4th of July Celebration. Ryan then returned to Carnegie Hall to headline the Nat King Cole Centennial Concert.
Andrew M. Kurtz
Music & Executive Director
Gulf Coast Symphony founder Dr. Andrew M. Kurtz enters his twenty-sixth season as the Symphony’s Music & Executive Director, and conductor. His deep rooted commitment to new work, community and education, combined with a vibrant artistic vision has led to creating and nurturing one of the most dynamic arts organizations in the region. His conducting has been called “passionate, expansive, expert, and musical.” He was named the 2007 Performing Artist of the Year at Lee County’s Angel of the Arts Awards. Kurtz’s repertoire encompasses a wide range of music styles from baroque to contemporary, and multiple genres including symphonic, opera, ballet, musical theater, jazz, cantorial, and symphonic pops.
An avid arts educator, Maestro Kurtz was Resident Music Director at the Luzerne Music Center. Kurtz is a past-president of the board of the Lee County Alliance for the Arts. In 2001, he won First Prize in the Dell’Arte di Firenze International Conducting Competition, and made his European conducting debut in Florence. In 1995, Kurtz made his international operatic debut in Tel Aviv while working as a staff conductor at the Israel Vocal Arts Institute. In 1997, he conducted the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s educational tour production of The Best of Puccini. He was a scholarship conducting student at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival, and boasts numerous other conducting credits, including the Pennsylvania Opera Theater, the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Charlotte Symphony, Gonzaga Symphony, and the Ocean City Pops.
Kurtz completed his doctoral studies in conducting at the Peabody Conservatory and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Virginia where he received his master’s degree in music history and a bachelor of arts in music and drama. A native of Philadelphia, Kurtz has called Southwest Florida home for more than 28 years, where he currently resides with his wife, Julie, and their son, Benjamin.
Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra Members
Violin 1
Sean O’Neil~
Clive Owens
Carlann Evans~
Ariel Eliot~
Violin 2
Marcia Prezioso
Margaret Nichols
Erica Griswold
David Sawtelle
Viola
Alfonso Giordano
Rachel Cox
Ron Erickson~
Cello
Antonio Innaimo~
Scott Crowley~
Andreas Werle
Double Bass
Scott Davis~
John Wadsworth
Flute
Deb Handley
Oboe
Kareema Colson
Clarinet
Nicholas Contreras
Bassoon
Stacey Gossmann
Horn
Kathy Edgett
Bethany Smith
Trumpet
Alan Evans~
Cindy Klispie
Sam Piazza
Trombone
Kevin Devitt~
Jeffrey Goldblatt
Steven Osborne
Timpani
Gary Colston
Percussion
Scott Crawford~
Paul Gavin
Keyboard
Gary Stroh
Electric Guitar
Timothy Torres
Electric Bass
Doni Landefeld
Alto Saxophone
John Giacco
Shelby Ledbetter
Tenor Saxophone
Dave Pate
Baritone Saxophone
Steve Parker
~ Denotes Gulf Coast Symphony Chamber Orchestra Member
Upcoming Concerts
Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall
2/6
Music & Arts Community Center
2/12
Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall
2/14