Brian Whitted, Jerry DeVore, Marva Hicks and Joe Spinelli. Photo by Lia Chang
The Sheen Center presented Broadway Inspirational Voices members Marva Hicks & Clarke Thorell – Jazz: A High Standard in concert on January 23, 2017. The pair performed in the first of a series of concerts celebrating an array of musical genres and highlighting the talents of individual members, curated by Broadway Inspirational Voices’ Michael McElroy. The concerts are curated and hosted by Michael McElroy, and will culminate in a live premier presentation of their newest YouTube music series “Broadway Our Way.”
Michael McElroy. Photo by Lia Chang
With musical director Brian Whitted on piano, Jerry DeVore on bass and Joe Spinelli on drums.
Jerry DeVore, Clarke Thorell, Marva Hicks and Joe Spinelli. Photo by Lia Chang
Set List
I Got A Feelin I’m Fallin’
Marva Hicks and Clarke Thorell
(Arrangement courtesy of Jeffrey Klitz)
Jerry DeVore, Marva Hicks and Joe Spinelli. Photo by Lia Chang
From This Moment On
Marva Hicks
Clarke Thorell. Photo by Lia Chang
Blusette
Clarke Thorell
Brian Whitted, Jerry DeVore, Marva Hicks and Joe Spinelli. Photo by Lia Chang
The Very Thought of You
Marva Hicks
Clarke Thorell and Jerry DeVore. Photo by Lia Chang
Cloudburst
Clarke Thorell
Just One of Those Things
Marva Hicks
Brian Whitted, Jerry DeVore, Joe Spinelli and Clarke Thorell. Photo by Lia Chang
Dindi
Clarke Thorell
Day In Day Out
Marva Hicks
Brian Whitted, Marva Hicks, Jerry DeVore, Clarke Thorell and Joe Spinelli. Photo by Lia Chang
Centerpiece
Marva Hicks, Clarke Thorell, Brian Whitted
Brian Whitted and Clarke Thorell. Photo by Lia Chang
De-Lovely
Clarke Thorell
Clarke Thorell. Photo by Lia Chang
Here’s That Rainy Day
Clarke Thorell
Marva Hicks. Photo by Lia Chang
Sentimental Mood
Marva Hicks
Marva Hicks. Photo by Lia Chang
Our Love Is Here to Stay
Marva Hicks
Marva Hicks, Jerry DeVore, Clarke Thorell and Joe Spinelli. Photo by Lia Chang
It Don’t Mean A Thing…
Marva Hicks and Clarke Thorell
Brian Whitted, Marva Hicks, Jerry DeVore, Clarke Thorell and Joe Spinelli. Photo by Lia Chang
Marva Hicks has appeared on Broadway in The Lion King, Motown the Musical, Lena Horne: The Lady and her Music and Caroline, or Change. Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors (City Center Encores! Off-Center), Cabin in the Sky (City Center Encores), Thunder Knocking on the Door (Minetta Lane) Caroline or Change (The Public) The First Breeze of Summer (The Signature Theatre). Regional: Arena Stage in Thunder Knocking on the Door (Helen Hayes Award), Cuttin Up, The Women of Brewster Place, co-produced with the Alliance Theatre (Suzi Award), Crowns, and Sophisticated Ladies. Bess (Austin Circle of Theatres B. Iden Payne Award) in the Zach Scott Theatre’s Jazz/Blues production of Porgy and Bess. TV: “Search Party,” “Dare Devil,” “House of Cards,” “One Life to Live,” “Mad About You,” “Star Trek: Voyager”. FILM: Labor Day, Assunder, Virtuosity, Preaching to the Choir. Marva has recorded on Polygram Records. TOURS: Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. She is currently touring in the symphony pops concert, Louis and Ella And All That Jazz. Currently playing the role of “Kruger” in The Front Page, Clarke Thorell made his Broadway debut in The Who’s Tommy. He originated the roles of “Corny Collins” in Hairspray, “Jim Farrell” in Titanic, and “Rooster” in the Broadway revival of ANNIE. As a vocalist, he has performed with Sting, Dave Brubeck, Liza Minnelli, ABBA, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Red Clay Ramblers, Pete Townshend, and is a proud member of Michael McElroy’s Broadway Inspirational Voices.
Upcoming performances
Monday, January 30 @ 7:30pm
Lisa Lynne Mathis and Chris Dilley – Inspirational
Monday, May 1 @ 7:30pm
Crystal Monee Hall and Marcus Paul James – Gospel
Monday, May 8 @ 7:30pm
Celisse Henderson and Eliseo Roman – Folk
Monday, May 15 @ 7:30pm
Michael McElroy and Capathia Jenkins – Broadway
Monday, May 22 @ 7:30pm
Broadway Our Way – Ensemble presentation of Broadway Inspirational Voices’s newest CD
Click here for tickets.
Broadway Inspirational Voices members with Clarke Thorell, Marva Hicks and Michael McElroy. Photo by Lia Chang
Broadway Inspirational Voices (BIV) is a diverse choir of Broadway artists united to change lives through the power of music and service.
The company was founded by Michael McElroy in 1994 as the Broadway Gospel Choir and in 1999 reincarnated to its current name. In 2010, BIV became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission consists of providing HOPE to INSPIRE and TRANSFORM youth in need through music and the arts.
In addition to numerous concerts, the Grammy nominated choir has performed with award winning artists such as Mariah Carey, the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, STING, Elton John, Vanessa Williams, Heather Headley, Billy Porter. BIV has been featured on The David Letterman Show, The Rosie O’Donnell Christmas Special, multiple Tony Awards Telecast, Smash and America’s Got Talent.
Broadway Inspirational Voices’ first album Great Joy: A Gospel Christmas was released on Sh-K-Boom Records and received a Grammy Award nomination. The choir just released their second holiday Christmas CD, Great Joy II: Around the World. broadwayinspirationalvoices.org
Michael McElroy, Clarke Thorell, Brian Whitted, Marva Hicks, Joe Spinelli, Jerry DeVore and Andrew Levine. Photo by Lia Chang
Named after the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, best known for his popular radio and TV ministry in the 1950s and 60s, The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture is a project of the Archdiocese of New York with the mission of showcasing works in the performing and visual arts, lectures and symposia that highlight the true, the good, and the beautiful as they have been expressed throughout the ages. The state-of-the-art complex has a 274-seat proscenium theater equipped with five-camera high-definition livestream capability and a multi-track recording studio with thirty-two onstage inputs; an 80-seat black box theater; four rehearsal studios; and an art gallery. This facility is the newest arts center in Manhattan in 35 years and a great addition to the growing artistic community in the East Village/NoHo. www.sheencenter.org
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