March 30, 2005
Purdue concert in Indianapolis to benefit scholarship program
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Symphony Orchestra and Purdue Musical Organizations will present a benefit concert at 3 p.m. April 10 at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in Indianapolis to help Indianapolis students enrolled in Purdue's Science Bound project.
The concert of classic Broadway show tunes will feature Doug LaBrecque, who played the phantom and Raoul in the Toronto and national tour productions of Harold Prince's award-winning musical "The Phantom of the Opera."
"We are thrilled to feature someone with LaBrecque's credentials," said Purdue orchestra director Jay Gephart. "His work is familiar to many Indianapolis residents who have seen him perform in the yuletide celebration shows put on by the Indianapolis Symphony."
Students from Science Bound, a program that offers opportunities for students to obtain full-tuition scholarships at Purdue, will be guests at the concert, which is funded by various Indianapolis corporations and businesses. In addition to Science Bound, concert proceeds also will help fund music programs at Purdue.
The concert, called On Broadway at the Circle Theatre, features songs from "The Phantom of the Opera," "Chicago," "Cabaret" and "The Lion King." Purdue's Varsity Glee Club, the Purduettes women's chorus and the gospel/R&B-inspired ensemble Heart and Soul will join the 100-member Purdue Orchestra to provide support for LaBrecque's baritone vocals.
LaBrecque has performed with major symphony orchestras around Europe and South America as well as in the United States. With composer-conductor Marvin Hamlisch, he has performed at Chicago's Ravinia Festival, the Kennedy Center and with both the Baltimore and Pittsburgh symphonies.
LaBrecque has starred on Broadway as Ravenal in "Show Boat," a role he also has performed in Canada. His other Broadway credits include Oscar Hammerstein's 100th Birthday Celebration at the Gershwin Theatre in New York. His national tours include "Les Misérables" and "Sugar Babies." Regionally, LaBrecque has performed leading roles in "Candide," "Follies," "A Chorus Line," "Man of La Mancha" and "Evita," among others.
A graduate of the University of Michigan, LaBrecque also was featured in the world premiere of "A Wonderful Life," written by Sheldon Harnick and Joe Rapso, and starred in the premiere of Kurt Weil and Alan Jay Lerner's "Love Life."
Science Bound, a program initiated in 2002 by Purdue President Martin C. Jischke, mentors eighth-grade to 12th-grade Indianapolis Public Schools students and encourages them to take classes in preparation for future careers in science, engineering, technology and math-science education. Upon acceptance, Science Bound students receive an opportunity to earn a full four-year tuition scholarship to Purdue to study in an approved technical field.
Tickets for the Indianapolis concert are now on sale, priced at $20, $15 and $10 at the Circle Theatre Box Office, at (317) 639-4300 or (800) 366-8457, and Purdue Box Office, at (765) 494-3933 or (800) 914-SHOW.
Writer: Maggie Morris, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu
Sources: Kathy Matter, Purdue Bands public relations director, (765) 496-6785, kcmatter@purdue.edu
Gwyn Zawisza, PMO contact, (765) 496-6091, gzawisza@purdue.edu
Brian Breed, Purdue Musical Organizations director, (765) 494-3941, bdbreed@purdue.edu
Angela Champion, Science Bound contact, (765) 494- 0018, aachampi@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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