Cornelia Laemmlie Orth directs the Symphony of the Mountains for their collaborative concert with Barter Theatre.
Barter Theatre of Abingdon, Virginia, and The Symphony of the Mountains of Kingsport, Tennessee, perform the Broadway musical "Chicago" Nov. 13 at 3 p.m. at the Toy Reid Center in Kingsport.
After the musical closes on Barter Theatre's stage, The Symphony of the Mountains partners with Barter for this performance, which combines Barter's actors and Symphony of the Mountains for a performance allowing symphony enthusiasts to appreciate the rich musical score of this popular Broadway musical.
Barter Theatre's Producing Artistic Director Richard Rose, said, "It's an exciting collaboration, as always, to be working with the Symphony of the Mountains. To have that symphony sound and to have that symphony background as part of the Broadway musical with the professional cast of Barter is a pretty spectacular event. It makes for an afternoon you can't get anywhere else. You rarely see this happen in the world of the theatre."
Cornelia Laemmli Orth, conductor and COO of The Symphony of the Mountains, said, "What we are doing here is bringing all the art forms together on one stage. Most of these singers have never worked with a professional orchestra. Some of our musicians have never worked with that level of actors. So we get inspired. We listen to each other, we watch each other, we learn from each other and the whole thing gets even stronger. So in addition to just producing great art, in the long term, it's an inspiration."
Previously, Barter Theatre and The Symphony of the Mountains have partnered to offer performances of this kind, including collaborations of "Cabaret" and "Les Misérables." Like those productions, this fall's performance of "Chicago" features Barter's cast performing the show with costumes and props with limited scenic and lighting elements from Barter's original production. This minimalist style of production allows the audience to experience the full impact of production's score.
Barter Theatre and The Symphony of The Mountains have not offered a joint performance since 2013. This opportunity is available to the public as well as Symphony of the Mountains season ticket holders.
Tickets to this one-time event can be purchased through Barter Theatre's box office. To book, call 276-628-3991 or visit bartertheatre.com.
