No more delays; no more postponements. This time, the show will go on.
“It’s been two years. We postponed it to May 15, then June 19, 2020 then March 2021,” said Russell Joel Brown, who created the concept of From Mozart to Motown which encompasses music in a variety of styles.
It will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Miller Theater.
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Brown, an Augusta native who performed in the national tour of Disney’s “The Lion King” for several years, last presented From Mozart to Motown 18 years ago after three sell-out years at the Imperial Theatre.
“I’m so excited,” he said.
Backed by a seven-member band and a chorus, Brown also brought on Kenneth Green to direct the show. Green has directed shows at Six Flags over Georgia and created half time shows for the Atlanta Falcons.
“This is taking the show to another level,” Brown said. “I’m not a director.”
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But Brown is a longtime performer.
His show will feature an array of songs from those sung by Luciano Pavarotti to John Legend to Keith Urban and multiple artists in between
“While I’ve done this before, I have brand new music,” said Brown
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From Mozart to Motown will cover genres such as hip hop, Broadway show tunes, classical, R&B, gospel and country.
Some songs feature him with his accompanist who for the classical pieces is Dr. Rosalyn Floyd; other are production numbers with choreography and backing vocalists.
Brown said it promises to be a special night.
He said he moved the show to the Miller because of the added seating. He’s close to selling out of tickets for the show which will raise money for a project he’s part of called Boys With a Future.
An outreach ministry of Good Neighbor Ministries at St. Luke United Methodist Church in Harrisburg, Boys With a Future focuses on several areas in the lives of young men in that community. Prior to the pandemic, it had an arts and sports element to it, but many of those activities have been placed on hold.
Academics have continued; however. One component of Boys With a Future is for the participants to be enrolled in tutoring at Sylvan Learning.
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They’ve also taken part in community service efforts such as gardening projects at Pendleton King Park, and last year, Brown opened up entrepreneurial doors for them by giving them the opportunity to run a service mowing lawns and doing other types of landscape work.
That element shut down over the winter but will be up and running again soon, he said.
For tickets, visit russelljoelbrown.com or millertheateraugusta.com.
Out of concerns for COVID-19, the performance will be open to those who have been vaccinated or can provide documentation of a negative COVID test within 72 hours of the show, Brown said.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the managing editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
