Two accomplished singers will fill the Victorian setting of The Garden City Historical Society Museum with a selection of memorable love songs from Broadway hit shows on On Sunday, Feb. 8. Soprano Jessica Stolte Bender and Baritone Franklyn Butler will perform such favorites as “Stranger in Paradise” (Kismet), “All I Ask of You” (The Phantom of the Opera), “Dulcinea” (The Man of La Mancha), “Suddenly Seymour” (Little Shop of Horrors), and “Johanna” (Sweeney Todd) among others.
Hailed as an “inspired” and “versatile” singer, Jessica Stolte Bender has been performing throughout the Long Island/New York Metro area for the past 15 years. She is a recurring artist of the Opera Night series (www.operanight.org) on Long Island. Stolte Bender made her Carnegie Hall debut with New York Lyric Opera Theatre in its production of Love, Passion and Betrayal, a 2012 concert version of various scenes from opera’s favorite tragedies. Musical theatre credits include roles in Into the Woods, The Sound of Music, Pippin, A Chorus Line, Fiddler on the Roof, The Pajama Game and The Boyfriend, in addition to cabaret and review-style shows. In 2011, she completed a Master of Arts in Voice Performance at The Aaron Copland School of Music, CUNY Queens, and before that earned her bachelor’s degree from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. In addition to expanding her performance opportunities, Stolte Bender looks forward to continuing to build her studio and hopes to one day teach voice in a university.
A New York-based actor and vocalist, has worked for numerous companies, including American Family Theater and Chamber Theater Inc. He is an active member of Lindenhurst’s Stage Light Productions and is currently engaged to play John Wilkes Booth in Sondheim’s Assassins. Butler performs regularly with New York’s Most Dangerous Big Band, a 22-piece Dorsey style orchestra, with whom he sings classic swing, jazz, funk and rock. Most recently, Butler has worked with the Long Island Shakespeare Festival (playing the Earl of Worcester in Henry IV Part 1) and at Blood Manor, New York’s most popular haunted attraction. He attended the American Musical Dramatic Arts Academy and studied theater at Suffolk County Community College. During his high school years, he toured Europe twice with North Babylon High School’s award-winning choir and also performed at the Tilles Invitational and All-State choir.
Stolte Bender and Butler will be joined by pianist John Patrick Murphy, who will play the love tunes on the Historical Society’s baby grand piano. A collaborative pianist and organist, Murphy earned a M.M. from Manhattan School of Music and a B.M. in Piano Performance/Music Education from SUNY Fredonia, where he toured nationally and internationally with the Fredonia Chamber Singers as choral accompanist. At Manhattan, he served as a staff accompanist at the pre-college and college divisions for two years. His assistant music director and pianist credits for Gateway Playhouse productions include South Pacific, Sweeney Todd, Sunset Boulevard, Spamalot, Legally Blonde, Cats, Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5, My Fair Lady and Singin’ in the Rain. He served as music director intern for Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera’s productions of Into the Woods, Les Misérables, Copacabana Swing! and Joseph. Murphy is a certified New York State music teacher and teaches high school chorus and music theory in the East Islip School District.
“Broadway Love Songs for a Sunday Afternoon” begins at 3 p.m., with open seating starting at 2:30 p.m. Ticket donation is $30 per person; light refreshments to follow the performance.
Please be advised that seating is limited. Tickets are now on sale for the Feb. 8 performance at the Society’s consignment shop, the A.T. Stewart Exchange, on the museum’s lower level, Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Please make checks payable to The Garden City Historical Society. For further information on the event or ticket purchase, please call the A.T. Stewart Exchange during shop hours at 516-746-8900.
