BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Brian Stokes Mitchell said he's "feeling good" about his upcoming performance at Lehigh University.
Mitchell, a Tony Award winner, will perform a medley of showtunes from popular musicals such as "Man of La Mancha" and "The Company" at Zoellner Art Center's 25th anniversary Gala 2023.
- Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell joins the Philadelphia Orchestra at Zoellner Art Center's 25th anniversary celebration
- The concert features guest conductor Keith Lockhart from the Boston Pops
- The event takes place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 15. Tickets start at $75
"When I'm performing a concert, I want the audience to feel better when they leave the theater than they did when they walked in," he said. "No Business like Show Business" is quirky and puts a smile on people's faces. I'm performing "Feeling Good," which is a song that is originally from the "Roar of the Grease Paint," but I do a different arrangement inspired by my run-in with COVID."
"I will also sing "Getting Married Today" which is normally considered more of a woman's song but I sing all of the parts, and I end with the "Impossible Dream" which is incredibly hopeful and beautiful and a great note to end the concert."
A 'lifted and levitated' performance
Mitchell will be accompanied by the Philadelphia Orchestra and guest conductor, Keith Lockhart of the Boston Pops.
"It's going to be a fun show. I'm really excited about the collaboration, not only with the Philadelphia Orchestra, but with Keith Lockhart, who I have worked with a billion times," Mitchell said.
"I've also done concerts with the orchestra and they are one of my favorites. [Philadelphia] is my father's hometown. If the audience wants to be lifted or levitated, this is the show to come to."
Mitchell, who stars in the new Hulu show, "Up Here" is known for sharing stories with concert-goers at his shows.
"A lot of times I set up the songs. Sometimes in a funny way, sometimes in a more profound way. Sometimes in a provocative way. Sometimes I talk about things that happen in the day. I talk about all kinds of things. That's what I love about doing live concerts," he said. "It depends on the venue and how I'm feeling. It feels like every concert is custom made for the audience and where we are at that moment."
Dancing from the ceiling
Kicking off the gala will be members of the BANDALOOP dance group, a dance troupe that blends choreography with climbing technology for what they describe as a unique "mind-bending" experience.
The group stages gravity-defying performances on the sides of skyscrapers, bridges, billboards and in theaters and offers performance workshops for for children and adults.
Joining them onstage will be pop star, Zia Victoria. Victoria, 17, calls her music a mix of "moody alt-rock" and "bedroom pop."
Free preview
Prior to the gala, BANDALOOP will perform at a free show at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 13 outside of Lehigh's Fairchild-Martindale Library.
“When Zoellner was built 25 years ago, the hope was that it would become a welcoming campus and community hub for the performing and visual arts. That goal has been accomplished with over one million people engaging with the building since it opened," Zoellner Arts Center Executive Director Mark Wilson said in a release.
When Zoellner was built 25 years ago, the hope was that it would become a welcoming campus and community hub for the performing and visual arts. That goal has been accomplished with over one million people engaging with the building since it opened."Zoellner Arts Center Executive Director Mark Wilson
"As we look forward, our vision for the next 25 years is to activate spaces on campus and infuse the community with art, build an air of excitement with outdoor performances and connect with more campus and community partners to develop creative synergy."
Mitchell said he's looking forward to performing in the venue and watching other artists take the stage.
"I think art has this wonderful ability to connect us and bring us together. To open people's hearts and minds. To make people more empathic. And it does it in a really fun, positive way."
Gala 2023 will take place at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 15, at Baker Hall, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem. Tickets start at $75.
