RELEASE: The Doo Wop Project Crooners Bring Motown Magic to the Holland Center
Ernest Richardson Leads the Omaha Symphony in Hits from The Four Seasons to Michael Jackson
Group to Perform Songs of Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Maroon 5, Jason Mraz and more
OMAHA, Neb., June 10, 2021 — Bringing an old-school vibe from a new generation, the voices of The Doo Wop Project join the Omaha Symphony for a weekend of performances outdoors. Melding that late-night-crooner-under-a street-lamp-in-Jersey sound with some of today’s biggest hits, The Doo Wop Project and the Omaha Symphony will take audiences on a journey through the evolution of American vocal music in the tradition of Motown Records and the likes of The Temptations, The Four Seasons, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder all the way through to its modern-day evolution. Featuring a slate of vocalists with Broadway credits from shows like Jersey Boys, Hairspray, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mama Mia, Guys and Dolls, Motown: The Musical and more, this talented group paired with the sweeping strings and colorful winds of the orchestra will bring their nostalgic and heartfelt tunes to Omaha.
Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 18 and Saturday, June 19 at the Holland Center Outdoors. This will be the first time The Doo Wop Project has performed with the Omaha Symphony.
Program Info:
7:30 p.m. Friday, June 18
7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 19
Holland Center Outdoors
Ernest Richardson, conductor
Charl Brown,vocals
Dwayne Cooper, vocals
Russell Fischer, vocals
Dominic Nolfi, vocals
Dominic Scaglione, vocals
Sonny Paladino, piano
Joe Bergamini, drum kit
Setlist
I Only Have Eyes For You, Harry Warren & Al Dubin
Remember Then, Tony Powers & Beverly Ross
Morse Code of Love / Little Bitty Pretty One, Nick Santo & Bobby Day
That’s My Desire, Helmy Kresa & Caroll Loveday
Oh, Rosemarie, The Fascinators
The Way You Make Me Feel, Michael Jackson
Ooh, Ooh Baby / Tracks of My Tears, Smokey Robinson, Peter Moore & Marv Tarplin
Tears of A Clown, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder & Hank Cosby
I’m Yours, Jason Mraz
Come and Go With Me, Clarence Quick
Sherry / Big Girls Don’t Cry, Bob Gaudio & Bob Crewe
Walk Like A Man, Bob Crewe & Bob Gaudio
I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Cole Porter
I Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You, Bob Crewe & Bob Gaudio
The Angels Listened In / Pretty Little Angel Eyes, Billy Dawn, Sid Faust, Curtis Lee & Tommy Boyce
Maroon 5 Medley – Sunday Morning / This Love, Jesse Carmichael & Adam Levine
Impossible Dream, Mitch Leigh & Joe Darion
Gloria / Speedo, Leon René, Earl Caroll, Billy Guy
About The Doo Wop Project
The Doo Wop Project begins at the beginning, tracing the evolution of Doo Wop from the classic sound of five guys singing tight harmonies on a street corner to the biggest hits on the radio today. In their epic shows, The Doo Wop Project takes audiences on a journey from foundational tunes of groups like the Crests, Belmonts and Flamingos through their influences on the sounds of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and The Four Seasons all the way to DooWop-ified versions of modern musicians like Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz and Maroon 5. Featuring stars of Broadway’s smash hits Jersey Boys and Motown: The Musical, the Doo Wop Project brings unparalleled authenticity of sound and vocal excellence to recreate—and in some cases entirely reimagine—some of the greatest music in American pop and rock history!
Charl Brown was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Smokey Robinson in Motown: The Musical on Broadway; he reprised this role opening London’s West End production in 2016. He is also featured on the Grammy-nominated Original Broadway Cast recording. Credits include: Jersey Boys Broadway & Las Vegas (Hal Miller); Sister Act Broadway (Officer Eddie Souther, TJ, Pablo U/S, Ensemble); Hair (Hud) European Tour; The Who’s Tommy (Captain Walker) Denver Performing Arts Center and (specialist) Kennedy Center; Ever After (Captain Laurent) Papermill Playhouse; Johnny Baseball (Tim Wyatt) American Repertory Theater; Dreamgirls (Curtis Taylor Jr.) San Diego Musical Theater, Ragtime (Coalhouse) Performance Riverside; Six Degrees of Separation (Paul) Long Beach Playhouse; Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas) Music at Westwood Theater; A Chorus Line (Richie) Starlight Theater, Star Wars Trilogy in 30 Minutes (Lando Calrissian) Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Charl is a proud Graduate of the University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts where he currently sits on the advisory board for the inaugural BFA in Musical Theater Class.
Dwayne Cooper is from Florence, South Carolina, and currently lives in New York City. He first began singing with a Christian A capella group called, "The Cunningham Singers" where he learned how to sing in tight harmonies. Often referred to as a modern day Sammy Davis Jr. meets Barry White, he is what the industry calls a "triple threat" and has performed in the Broadway casts of Motown: The Musical, Hairspray, the New York revival/Off-Broadway production of Smokey Joe’s Cafe and has done several national tours. As a songwriter, he has charted on Billboard’s Top Ten Dance Chart and as a sketch comedy writer, his Youtube videos have been viewed by over 1 million people. Dwayne's tv/film credits include Law and Order, Difficult People, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and RuPaul's Drag Race. You find him @itsdwaynecooper on all his social media handles.
Russell Fischer was cast in the Broadway company of Jersey Boys on his 22nd birthday, marking his Broadway debut. Fischer starred in the second national tour of Big: The Musical. His latest NYC credit was in Baby Fat, Act 1: A Rock Opera at LaMama Experimental Theater Club. Regional credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Music Man at Chautauqua Opera, the American premiere of Children of Eden at Papermill Playhouse and most recently, the Atlanta Musical Theatre Festival premiere of The Collins Boy. Fischer was a featured vocalist on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and in the HBO documentary, The Bronx, USA. He has appeared on the live broadcasts of the 2015 Belmont Stakes, the 2009 Tony Awards and several spots for TV Land’s 60 Second Sitcoms.
Dominic Nolfi was last seen on Broadway in Chazz Palminteri's A Bronx Tale: The Musical, directed by Robert DeNiro and Jerry Zaks. As an Original Cast member of A Bronx Tale: The Musical, Motown: The Musical (Grammy nominated) and Jersey Boys (Grammy Award for Best Cast Album, Tony Award for Best Musical), he can be heard on all three soundtracks. Dominic also performed in the World Premiere productions of A Bronx Tale and Jersey Boys at the Paper Mill Playhouse and the La Jolla Playhouse. Dom was born and raised in San Francisco where he studied youth acting at the acclaimed American Conservatory Theatre. He studied Voice at the San Francisco Conservatory and attended the Boston Conservatory on scholarship where he graduated with a BFA in Theater. Upon graduation Dominic joined the European production of Grease. It was there that he met his future wife Sonia Iannetti; they have a daughter Vivienne.
Sonny Paladino: Currently Sonny is the Music Supervisor for the Broadway Musical, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, as well as Music Director for the upcoming Broadway revival of Smokey Joe’s Café. Sonny’s recent credits include: Associate Conductor, The Last Ship (written by 16-time Grammy award-winner Sting), and the Tony-winning revival of Pippin. Other Broadway credits include, Jesus Christ Superstar, Billy Elliot, Grease, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Guys and Dolls, Mama Mia, Promises, Promises, Addams Family and Women on the Verge. Sonny was the Music Supervisor for Disney’s High School Musical Italian tour and his national tour credits include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Grease. His arrangements and orchestrations have been performed by the The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and he has worked with the likes of Alicia Keys, Ke$ha and Matthew Morrison. Sonny’s work for television has been featured on The X-Factor Australia and The Next Big Thing. He earned his B.F.A. in Jazz Piano from CUNY City College, New York.
Dominic Scaglione: Dominic is perhaps best known for his starring role portraying Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys on Broadway. He previously played this leading role in the Las Vegas and Chicago companies. He performed on The Oprah Winfrey show and was personally asked by Frankie Valli to sing at his New Jersey Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Early on in his career, Dominic was a member of the Sony music group called Sygnature and toured with the likes of Christina Aguilera, Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé, Robin Thicke and Boyz 2 Men. He is proud to be one of the creators of The Doo Wop Project and marvels at how far this little idea has come.
Ticketing Information
Tickets for Doo Wop Project start at $20. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.omahasymphony.org, through the Ticket Omaha app, or by calling Ticket Omaha at 402.345.0606. Performance dates are subject to change. In the event of performance changes or cancellations, the Omaha Symphony will email ticket holders to inform them of new dates and ticketing options. Patrons with questions may email ticketomaha@o-pa.org. The Omaha Symphony also regularly posts performance updates at omahasymphony.org, along with the Omaha Symphony’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages. Patrons can sign up for the latest updates at omahasymphony.org.
Public Health Information
Performances at the Holland Center Outdoors feature physically distanced seating. All patrons will be required to complete a health screening questionnaire prior to accessing their mobile tickets via the Ticket Omaha app. Masks are recommended at the Holland Center Outdoors. The following safety measures and venue rules will be enforced:
- Masks are recommended
- Food and drink must be consumed in your seat
- · Seating is provided; blankets and chairs will not be permitted
- · No outside food or drink
Find the most up to date public health information at omahasymphony.org/public-health.
This performance is sponsored by Immanuel Communities and Pinnacle Bank.
The Omaha Symphony is a non-profit organization that presents more than 100 live orchestral performances from September through June. In addition to Masterworks, Symphony Pops, Symphony Rocks, Movies, Symphony Joslyn, and Family series concerts, the Omaha Symphony’s nationally recognized education and community engagement programs touch the lives of more than 40,000 people each year. For tickets or information regarding the Omaha Symphony, call 402-345-0606 or visit omahasymphony.org. Programs, artists, dates, times, prices, and availability are subject to change.
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