Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Atlanta Lyric Theatre to Celebrate 30th Anniversary with Fundraiser and Musical Event

On September 13th, Atlanta Lyric Theatre will be celebrating its 30th season with a silent auction and night of musical performances. The celebration will be hosted by Ken and Trish Byers along with Bob and Eve Eckardt, long time patrons and supporters of Atlanta Lyric Theatre. Ken is President and CEO of Byers Engineering Company, and his wife Trish serves on Atlanta Lyrics Theatre's Board of Directors. The performance will feature renowned vocalist Dan Britt.

“This anniversary marks the Atlanta Lyric Theatre's continued commitment to artistic excellence and educational programming,” said Brandt Blocker, artistic director and general manager of Atlanta Lyric Theatre. “As we look forward to a great 2009-2010 season and the next 30 years, our promise to Atlanta is to showcase the best in local professional talent and expand the musical theatre audience in the greater Atlanta area.”

Founded in 1980, the Atlanta Lyric Theatre is Atlanta's only local professional musical theater company. After performing in several Atlanta venues, the company partnered with Friends of the Strand in 2008 and relocated permanently to the Earl Smith Strand Theatre, a historic landmark on Marietta Square. The Atlanta Lyric Theatre's event will be part of the larger commencement of Marietta’s 175th anniversary.

“As Co-Chair of the 175th Anniversary Celebration of the city of Marietta, I think it is great to be able to celebrate 175 years of Marietta and 30 years of the Atlanta Lyric Theatre,” said Earl Reece, Executive Director of The Earl Smith Strand Theatre. “It has been a pleasure working with the Atlanta Lyric Theatre, and we have sincerely developed a family relationship. We look forward to celebrating many future anniversaries of the Atlanta Lyric Theatre at the Strand Theatre.”

The silent auction begins at 6 o'clock p.m., with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres provided by local vendors Carriage House Catering, Gabriel's Desserts, Sugar Cakes, and Shilling's on the Square. Funds will go to aiding the Atlanta Lyric Theatre in its mission to produce the best in musical theatre in Atlanta and foster the growth of the Atlanta theatre community.

Dan Britt, former executive director of the Atlanta Lyric Theatre and player in several of its past productions, takes the stage at 7 p.m. Britt has an extensive operatic background, including a two year national tour with the National Opera Company. He has been seen on many notable stages including The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. Britt will be accompanied by the Atlanta Lyric Theatre Combo. An after-party will follow at the Terrace overlooking Marietta Square.

For reservations to the celebratory event that will be held at the Earl Strand Theatre at 117 North Park Square, Marietta, Georgia, call 404-377-9948 or visit www.atlantalyrictheatre.com. A suggested donation of $30, in honor of 30 years, will be received at the event.

About Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Atlanta Lyric Theatre was formed in 1980 by Tedi and Robert Langdon and Sally Knap as the Southeastern Savoyards, a repertory theatre company dedicated to presenting the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. The company's first production, Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado, was performed at Emory University in December 1980. Later, the company's productions were moved to the Marist School, the 14th Street Playhouse, Center Stage Theater, and then to the Robert Ferst Center for the Arts on the campus of Georgia Tech. In 2009, the Atlanta Lyric Theatre moved their performances to The Strand Theatre, a noted landmark on the historic Marietta Square in Cobb County. The Strand Theatre began as a motion picture house in 1935. The Strand provided movie entertainment to thousands until it closed its doors as a movie house in 1976. After sitting dark for over 30 years, the 1935 Art Deco theatre was renovated and reopened in 2009 with the Atlanta Lyric Theatre's production of Beauty and the Beast. More information about the theater company can be found at
www.atlantalyrictheatre.com.

About Daniel Britt
Daniel Britt has delighted audiences across the eastern United States with both his Vocal and Theatrical talents. Britt has an extensive operatic background, including a two year national tour with the National Opera Company as Marcello in La Boheme, and as Mr. Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor. Favorite roles include Escamillo in Carmen, Death in Savitri, and the title roles in both Don Giovanni and Gianni Schicci. He has been seen on the stages of The Kennedy Center for the Performing arts in Washington D.C., The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Glimmerglass Opera in New York, Connecticut Repertory Theater, The Round House Theater in Washington DC, and Rockwell Productions in Pennsylvania. He has also had the pleasure of performing for President Clinton, and as the opening act for Roberta Flack in Concert. He has appeared as featured soloist with the North Carolina Symphony, The Canton Symphony, and The McLean
Symphony Orchestra.


No stranger to the musical theatre world, Britt has most recently appeared as Dr. Craven in Atlanta Lyric Theatre's production of The Secret Garden, as well as appearing title role in the Atlanta Lyric Theatre's Mikado and as a featured performer for 25 years of Gilbert and Sullivan. He has been seen in the title role in Phantom at the Springer Opera House in Columbus Georgia, He has played Count Carl Magnus Malcolm in A Little Night Music, opposite Tony Award winning actress Donna McKechnie at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. His musical theater experience also includes leading roles in Kismet, Sweet Charity, Godspell, The Pirates of Penzance, Working, Carnival, The Desert Song and his own one man show, Muscles with Marinara, which had a two month run in Washington DC. He also is the creator and featured performer for the Atlanta Lyric Theatre's Summer Spotlight series. Britt holds a Master's degree in vocal performance from The American University in Washington D.C. and was the Executive Director for Atlanta Lyric Theatre.
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---

No comments: