Broadway Showstoppers, a musical revue starring Arielle Cooperman of Syosset, comes to Sands Point Preserve this summer to salute the most popular hits from the Great White Way. Produced by Joanne Fried and Helene Tiger, the performances feature top-flight talent, backed by a three-piece orchestra under the musical direction of Sandra Vigliotti.
Showstoppers runs Aug. 9 at the Preserve’s Castle Gould’s Great Hall. The evening kicks off at 7 p.m. starting with cocktails and dinner, with an 8 p.m. performance followed by dessert with the artists.
The Showstoppers selection of Broadway numbers runs the gamut from group numbers to duets, embracing genres that range from comedy to the serious.
“The audience will know most of the songs, but there may be one or two in the show that will be new to them,” Fried said.
“These are songs that everyone can relate to,” she added. “It’s really good material.”
Tiger and Fried, of Huntington and East Northport respectively, are well-known Long Island performers whose bios include original works — among them, Berlin and Sinatra revues. Both have each directed and choreographed a number of productions, such as Fiddler on The Roof, The Music Man, Annie and many more.
Yet, they don’t limit themselves to traditional theater.
Both Fried and Tiger tap dance with The Red Hot Mommas, showcasing their considerable talent on stages at libraries, churches, community groups and more in the metropolitan region.
Still, musical revues are their specialty, they say.
“We love the music,” Fried said. “It speaks to our hearts.”
Broadway Showstoppers features tunes from Kiss Me Kate, South Pacific, La Cage aux Folles, Rent, Les Misérables and more, promising plenty of crowd-pleasers.
“The performers are all “hand-picked, the best of the best from Long Island’s regional theater scene,” Fried noted.
“The songs match the singers’ talent,” Tiger pointed out. “We’re working with the performers in selecting additional numbers. It adds to the process.”
Broadway Showstoppers is a production created specifically for Sands Point Preserve.
“We’re designing the show for Castle Gould’s Great Hall,” Fried said. “We’re producing the show to match the the intimacy of the audience and performers.”
Summertime music in Castle Gould’s Great Hall this year includes Verdi’s Rigoletto on Aug.16 performed by the North Shore Music Festival.
Friends of the Sands Point Preserve is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to protect and preserve the 216-acre waterfront grounds and historic mansions and to provide a range of cultural arts events and educational programs for families and schools in the Phil Dejana Learning Center and Outdoor Classroom.
For information about the Sands Point Preserve and to purchase a 2014 Annual Pass visit www.thesandspoint preserve.com, call 516-571-7901, or visit the Gate House at 127 Middle Neck Rd., Sands Point, open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
