“Phantom of the Opera.” “West Side Story.” “Annie.” “Avenue Q.” “The Lion King.” “Man of La Mancha.” “Fiddler on the Roof.” “Wicked.” “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
These are just some of the 16 musicals on the program at the Repasz Band’s spring concert — slated for 7:30 p.m. on April 16 at Williamsport’s Community Arts Center.
Entitled “Musical Memories,” the free concert offers more than a dozen tunes — many of them medleys — honoring Broadway musicals from such composers as Andrew Lloyd Webber, Mitch Leigh, John Philip Sousa, and Leonard Bernstein.
Indeed, Bernstein — subject of the 2023 Bradley Cooper film “Maestro,” which was nominated for seven Academy Awards — is represented no less than four times on the program.
These include “Danzon” (from the show “Fancy Free”) and “Overture to Candide,” along with two tunes from “West Side Story”: “Somewhere” and “Gee, Officer Krupke”
“Bernstein was an incredible influence on American music, education, theater and dance,” says Repasz Associate Conductor Theo Lentz. “A concert of musical theater tunes would be incomplete without Bernstein’s flair for the dramatic.”
Lentz also conducts medleys from “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Man of La Mancha,” including such popular songs as “Tradition,” “To Life,” “Dulcinea” and “The Impossible Dream.”
“These arrangements take exciting and memorable musical highlights,” Lentz adds, “and move the concert-goer on a whirlwind journey through each show in a matter of minutes!”
Regarding the overall selection for this particular concert, Repasz conductor Jeff Dent explains, “Some of the works are not truly Broadway musicals, but they represent predecessors of shows that followed.”
Dent, who will lead the band through “Somewhere,” “Krupke” and Sousa’s “El Capitan” — along with the opening national anthem and traditional finale, “Repasz Band March” — points out that operettas and ballets are likewise represented.
Indeed, while Sousa is generally known for marches like “El Capitan,” that particular piece is actually from a Sousa operetta of the same name.
“Many of the shows included are award-winners,” adds Dent, “from Tonys and also Grammys to Golden Globes and the Oscars.”
That, of course, includes “West Side Story,” which won a whopping 10 Academy Awards for 1961, including Picture, Screenplay, Director and (naturally) Best Music.
The mid-April concert program is rounded out by assistant conductor Jessica Lewis, who takes the baton for selections from “Annie” and Webber, along with an “Opening Night” medley including “Springtime for Hitler” and “Circle of Life,” plus Monty Python’s “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”
The evening will likewise include presentation of the Repasz Band Senior Awards — given annually to one senior from each high school in Lycoming County. Winners will join the band onstage to play along with the concluding “Repasz Band March.”
The band’s summer schedule currently runs as follows:
June 9 at the 67th annual Ways Garden Art Show, 1:30 p.m.; Flag Day (June 14) at Penn College, 6 p.m.; June 18 at the Williamsport Home, 6:30 p.m.; June 25 at WeCare in Loyalsock, 6 p.m.; July 4 in Eagles Mere, 5 p.m.; and Little League’s annual Grand Slam Parade on Aug. 13.
All concerts are free.
More information is available at repaszband.org.
