Russell Joel Brown has been waiting to reprise his popular “From Mozart to Motown” stage show, but COVID-19 concerns have pushed it back.
“We’ve postponed it four times,” said Brown, who created the show that combines multiple musical genres to the stage in one high-energy performance. Originally scheduled for May 2020, the show is now set for Feb. 18, 2022 at the Miller Theater.
In the meantime, the entertainer is releasing a video from the vault as a way to whet audiences’ appetites and benefit the Imperial Theatre. A streaming version of the sold-out 2004 “From Mozart to Motown 3” will be available May 1.
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A native of Augusta, Brown graduated from Aquinas High School before getting his degree from Morehouse College and making a career as a performer. He appeared in the international tour of Disney’s “The Lion King,” even appearing as Mufasa on Broadway. He also performed in “Smokey Joe’s Café,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” “Big River” and “Ain’t Misbehavin’.”
In the early 2000s, Brown wanted to produce a show of his own.
“I wanted to sing what I wanted to sing,” he said, and it didn’t matter his race or gender.
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He picked songs from 10 different styles- classical, spirituals, Broadway, jazz, blues, country, African, R & B, rock and gospel and sang them with a band and a group of students he’d chosen for the show.
The first “From Mozart to Motown” in 2003 sold out, so he created one for Christmas 2003, which was another sell-out. He performed a total of five different “From Mozart to Motown” shows, all of them sold out. He stopped the shows when he was called for “The Lion King.” He retired from the traveling stage in 2017.
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As he prepares for the February event, he’s moved it to the Miller because it has a larger seating capacity than the Imperial. He hopes by February there won’t be any COVID-19-related restrictions in place.
He said he appreciates the Imperial Theatre and wants to help the historic venue that has been closed due to COVID-19 since early 2020.
Tickets for the broadcast are $25. Once a ticket is purchased, the buyer will receive a link that will be valid from 1:30 p.m. May 1 to 9 p.m. May 2. For tickets, go to imperialtheatre.com. Tickets for the February 2022 performance at the Miller are scheduled to go on sale on Sept. 17.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com.
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