What the World Needs Now: The Music of Burt Bacharach - Williamson County Performing Arts Center Stage Mag

The Williamson County Performing Arts Center presents


Starring

Ivory Bodnar
Justin Marriel Boyd
Miracle Ham
Craig Robinson


Musicians

Mike Casteel Trumpet & Flugelhorn Erik Coveney Bass Neil Tufano Drums Trevor Willoughby Piano / Singer / Bandleader

Written, Directed & Staged by Victoria Reed

Vocal Arrangements & Band Charts by Ricki Holmes	Musical Direction by Kelsi Fulton
The Look of Love Choreography by Alison Little	Stage Managed by Dan Jones

Meet the Company

Ivory Bodnar

Ivory is so excited and honored to be a part of this tribute! Ivory is a born and raised Alaskan and graduate of University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. Ivory is a versatile singer from pop and soul to music theatre and opera. She is also a session singer and teaches private voice lessons. Past credits include vocalist at Hong Kong Disneyland, featured vocalist for the People’s Orchestra of Nashville and Mrs. Donner in Rudolph the Musical with McCoy Rigby Entertainment. Ivory will be making her debut with Nashville Repertory Theatre this holiday season in A Christmas Carol and she will also be performing with the Nashville Opera in the new year. When Ivory isn’t performing, she loves taking hikes with her dog and getting coffee with friends!

Justin Marriel Boyd

Justin Marriel Boyd is incredibly excited to make his WCPAC Debut with the wonderful and timeless music of Burt Bacharach in What The World Needs Now! He’s a Native Nashvillian, and he studied at The Institute for American Musical Theatre in New York City (Inaugural Class of 2018). Past Credits Include: Captain Phoebus de Martin (Hunchback of Notre Dame), Tyrone Jones (The Buddy Holly Story), Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Dreamgirls), Alexander Molokov (Chess), Benny (Rent), Joe (9 to 5), Donkey (Shrek), Black (The Wild Party), Voice of Audrey II (Little Shop), and Coalhouse Walker, Jr. (Ragtime). Thank you for supporting live theatre!

Miracle Ham

Miracle Ham is absolutely thrilled to be a part of this wonderful production, What the World Needs Now: The Music of Burth Bacharach. Hailing from the windy city of Chicago, IL, Miracle's journey has taken her to the heart of Nashville, where she not only attended college, but embarked on a path fueled by her unwavering passion for the performing arts. She has a BS in Business Administration and Music and an MBA in Music Business. Her impressive repertoire includes memorable performances in a myriad of productions, including iconic roles in The Wiz, Bring It On: The Musical, and Jambalaya, The Musical, among others. She recently performed as “Sister Hubert” in Nunsense right here at the Williamson County Performing Arts Center for their first in-house production. When she is not acting Miracle enjoys singing, dancing, writing music, and video editing. She hopes to one day become a prominent recording artist and make her mark on Broadway. Miracle is profoundly grateful for the opportunity extended by the visionary director, Victoria Reed, who has graciously provided a platform for her to shine.

Craig Robinson

is a native of Nashville, TN. Craig is no stranger to the WCPAC stage as he has performed as a star vocalist in our Motor City Magic Motown Tribute! Select credits include: Featured Singer / Vocal Captain (2008-2016) - Royal Caribbean; Broadway Musical After Midnight (Quartet Leader), Wine Lovers: The Musical (Charles Thompson / Host / Show Captain) - Norwegian Cruise Line; Sho'Nuff Nativity, Black Nativity, God's Trombones, Ordinary Heroes - Amun Ra Theater; The Tenderland (Top) - WKU Opera Department. He studied Music Education & Performance at Western Kentucky University with a concentration in voice. He has shared the stage with numerous country and gospel artist as a background vocalist and spent twelve years performing for thousands of guests onboard Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines and performed in the musical After Midnight while at sea. Now back on land, he is happy to be performing for you all.

Mike Casteel

Trumpet / Flugelhorn

Mike has been a professional musician for 30 years. Residing in Nashville, TN, he can be heard on a diverse collection of projects including the feature film soundtrack “BILLY GRAHAM: THE EARLY YEARS,” Yolanda Adams’ “What a Wonderful Time” and Hank Williams Jr.’s release “Gulf Shore Road”. Mike has shared the stage with numerous artists including Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Wayne Newton, and Brenda Lee. Mike has also played with the Nashville, Chattanooga, and Huntsville Symphonies, Orchestra Nashville, Mr. Jack Daniel’s Original Silver Cornet Band and numerous big bands in Nashville, including The Nashville Jazz Orchestra. Together with his wife, Lori, Mike is a first call music copyist, serving clients around the world! Mike and Lori have been married for 33 years and have two children, Reagan and Emmett.

Erik Coveney

Bass

Having been a musician in Nashville for over a decade, Erik has established himself as an in-demand electric and upright bassist for recording sessions and live performances in a variety of genres. Some of the artists Erik has worked with include Andrew Peterson, Sierra Hull, Dave Barnes, The Arcadian Wild, Sarah Reeves, Cody Fry, The Belonging Co, Highroad, Chris August, Hunter Phelps, and Michael W. Smith. Erik is also a composer, producer, rock-climber, and a new Dad!

Neil Tufano

Drums

Neil started playing professionally at age 16 and by age 21 he was touring with famed Jazz Piano Giant Monty Alexander. Spending most of his drumming career in New York freelancing with a multitude of artists, he carved out a successful career, covering a variety of musical genres. In 2004 he moved to Nashville TN, as Neil puts it “to try something new.” Being well versed in all styles, he was a perfect fit for the demands of sessions and the Nashville music scene. You can find Neil today at his state of the art recording studio where he writes music, teaches and produces other artists. Neil might be one of today’s best kept drumming secrets; however, with his CD release “Pastime,” we’ll definitely be hearing a lot more from this talented Artist.

Trevor Willoughby

Piano / Singer / Bandleader

Trevor is a keyboard player, producer, and songwriter living in Nashville, TN. He graduated with a degree in piano performance from the University of Oklahoma. He has toured as a keyboard player with artists such as Southern Raised Band, Katie Hurst, Cade Thomspon, Annie Moses Band, and Jeremy Camp. He is the musical director for the Church at West Franklin, and plays for many other local events and shows. He works as a producer, programmer, and studio musician. He has also released an EP of instrumental compositions under his name. Trevor has also performed on the WCPAC stage, playing piano for Motor City Magic and A Tribute to Louis Armstrong.

A Note From the Director

I have always been a huge Burt Bacharach fan and I adore Dionne Warwick’s voice. For quite some time, it has been on my mind to pay tribute to Burt’s music. During the pandemic, Berklee College of Music student, Shelbie Rassler, convened a virtual orchestra of 74 of her peers to create a connection performing Burt Bacharach’s “What the World Needs Now.” I think I watched it over 300 times. With Shelbie’s permission we will show this wonderful video at the end, after the show. That video, once again, made me think of putting a show together featuring Burt’s music. With Burt’s passing in February, I so wanted to keep his music alive. I decided it was time and I started putting ink to paper. It’s been a wonderful trip down memory lane for both myself and our arranger, Ricki Holmes. Ricki and I both grew up in the '60s and '70s, and it seemed there was always a Bacharach tune playing somewhere. I remember clear as day when “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head” was released and I still love the tune as much today as I did back then. His melodies seemed simple to me back then, but they are far from it!

Although I elected to cover Burt’s music from the beginning of his career through 1986, his career hardly stopped there. During the '90s, Bacharach wrote songs for James Ingram and Earth, Wind & Fire. In 1995, he teamed up with Elvis Costello and co-wrote “God Give Me Strength” for "Grace of My Heart," a movie about the Brill Building era. This collaboration resulted in the 1998 Costello-Bacharach album "Painted from Memory." He earned an Oscar nomination for the song “Walking Tall,” his collaboration with the lyricist Tim Rice, which was performed by Lyle Lovett in 1999. Fast forward to the pandemic: at 92, Burt teamed up with Nashville singer-songwriter Daniel Tashian and in July 2020 they released a five-song EP titled “Blue Umbrella.” It received a 2021 Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

I would like to dedicate this show to my Mother, Lorrie Reed, and a dear relative of Craig's, both of whom we lost during our rehearsal process. When packing up my Mom’s room, I discovered a music box that plays “(They Long to Be) Close to You.”

-Victoria Reed

WILLIAMSON COUNTY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER STAFF

Director of Performing Arts: Victoria Reed
Technical Director: Toby Williams
Advertising & Promotions Coordinator: Jessie Eppelheimer
Operations Manager: Alexa Hall
Children's Theatre Coordinator: Alison Worden
Children's Theatre Assistant: Deidra Alexander
Front of House Staff: Deidra Alexander, Catherine Bounds, Paige Hardy, Dan Jones, Tabetha Nice, Kat Paul, Alyshia Wigant, Leah Worden
Tech Staff: Jonah Burch, Gideon Foriest, Rylee Hickey, Lauren Pratt, Jules Robinson, Kai Vilhelmsen, Ethan Morrell

FOR WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW:
Stage Manager: Dan Jones
Assistant Stage Manager: Leah Worden
Lighting Designer & Programmer: Rylee Hickey
Sound Designer & Engineer: Gideon Foriest
Set Designed & Constructed by: Rylee Hickey, Parks Maintenance Group, Victoria Reed, Toby Williams, Kai Vilhelmsen
Spot Ops: Kai Vilhelmsen, Leah Worden
Stitcher: Susan Brandenburg
Scenic Artist: Rylee Hickey
Costumes: Victoria Reed; Ms. Ham's opening dress designed and built by Devon Spencer

is Sponsored by

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Leah Clo
Mary Jane Savage
Blandina Vergara-Cruz
John Gadbery

MUSIC CREDITS

“Arthur’s Theme” by Peter Allen, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager and Christopher Cross © 1981 WB Music Corp., New Hidden Valley Music, Begonia Melodies, Inc., UniChappell Music, Inc., Woolnough Music and Irving Music, Inc. All Rights Administered by WB Music Corp. and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. From “Arthur,” an Orion Pictures release through Warner Bros.

“Making Love” words and music by Burt Bacharach, Bruce Roberts and Carole Bayer Sager © 1982 Carole Bayer Sager Music, Broozertoones, Inc., New Hidden Valley Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. and WB Music Corp.

“That’s What Friends Are For” words and music by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager © 1982, 1985 WB. Music Corp., New Hidden Valley Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. and Carole Bayer Sager Music. All rights on behalf of New Hidden Valley Music administered by WB Music Corp. All rights on behalf of Carole Bayer Sager Music administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

“What’s New Pussycat” words by Hal David, music by Burt Bacharach © 1965 United Artists Music Co., Inc. Rights Assigned to SBK Catalogue Partnership. All rights controlled and administered by SBK U Catalog.

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