Tony-winner Kelli O'Hara next for Broadway in Worcester
WORCESTER — Broadway in Worcester in partnership with The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts will present Tony Award-winning singer and actor Kelli O'Hara in performance at the BrickBox Theater at the Jean McDonough Arts Center, 20B Franklin St., at 8 p.m. Jan. 6 and 2 p.m. Jan. 7.
O’Hara will also offer a free master class exclusively for Worcester area high school and college students and arts educators at 4 p.m. Jan. 6 at the BrickBox Theater.
With seven Tony Award nominations and a Tony Award win for her portrayal of Anna Leonowens in "The King and I," O'Hara has been hailed by The New York Times as “Broadway musical’s undisputed queen.” Other Broadway credits also include "Kiss Me Kate," "The Bridges of Madison County," "Nice Work If You Can get It," "South Pacific," "The Pajama Game," and "The Light in the Piazza, all of which garnered her Tony nominations.
She received an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Katie Bonner in Topic's hit web series, "The Accidental Wolf," and currently can be seen as Aurora Fane on HBO’s series "The Gilded Age." In 2015, O'Hara made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Lehar's "The Merry Widow" opposite Renee Fleming.
Broadway in Worcester, a new initiative launched by Eric Butler, has previously brought Tony Award winner Laura Benanti and Broadway legend Chita Rivera to Worcester in separate shows earlier this year.
In addition to providing local access to Broadway celebrity performances, Broadway in Worcester and The Hanover Theatre Conservatory fosters collaboration between these talents and the area’s local high school and college students and their arts educators through educational programming. Registration for O'Hara's master class is required at www.broadwayinworcester.com. This initiative is supported by the George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation, The Fletcher Foundation, and UniBank.
In an announcement, Butler said “I am thrilled to be co-presenting Ms. O’Hara’s concert with The Hanover Theatre. Kelli is one of Broadway’s biggest stars. When one has the opportunity to see Kelli on Broadway, at the Met, or in concert, the occasion is simply not to be missed ... Moreover, she is one of the industry’s biggest champions of arts education and the future generation of performers. I am immensely grateful to Kelli for willingness to work with our local students and teachers while she is in Worcester.”
Troy Siebels, president & CEO of The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts, said “We’re excited to partner with Broadway in Worcester to bring Broadway legends to an intimate performance space like The Brick Box Theater.”
Tickets for O’Hara's performances are $82, $87, and $97 depending on seat location, with a limited number of VIP tickets for $132 which include premium seats and a post-show meet and greet with photo opportunity. To purchase tickets, visit www.jmacworcester.org.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Broadway's "undisputed queen" Kelli O'Hara set for Broadway in Worcester
