Event
Ashley Brown Sings Broadway
Naples Philharmonic Pops
Naples Philharmonic
Jack Everly, principal pops conductor
Ashley Brown, vocalist
Curtis Bannister, vocalist
Broadway star Ashley Brown returns to Hayes Hall for an evening devoted to the songs that define musical theater, bringing her luminous voice and commanding presence to the stage alongside Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly and the Naples Philharmonic. Best known for her acclaimed turns in Mary Poppins and Beauty and the Beast, Brown is joined by special guest vocalist Curtis Bannister for a program that effortlessly flows between beloved classics and fresh surprises. For Broadway devotees and pops lovers alike, the result is an evening centered on great songs, big voices and the shared energy of live performance.
Performance Note
Due to illness, Mandy Gonzalez is unable to appear and perform as originally scheduled. We wish Mandy a full and smooth recovery. While we are disappointed that the Mandy cannot join us this season, we are grateful to share that acclaimed vocalists Ashley Brown and Curtis Bannister will perform with the Naples Philharmonic.
The Naples Philharmonic Pops series is generously endowed by Mike and Anne Armstrong.
Jack Everly’s appearance as Principal Pops Conductor is generously endowed by John W.* and Jeanne M. Rowe.
* deceased
Ashley Brown
Ashley Brown
Ashley Brown originated the title role in Mary Poppins on Broadway, for which she received Outer Critics, Drama League and Drama Desk nominations for Best Actress. She also starred in the national tour of Mary Poppins, earning a Garland Award for Best Performance in a Musical.
Brown’s other Broadway credits include star turns as Emily Hobbs in the recent revival of Elf, Belle in Beauty and the Beast and Disney’s On the Record. She most recently starred as Mother Abbess in Tony-winning director Jack O’Brien’s new production of The Sound of Music. Starring in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of Oklahoma! brought her further critical acclaim. Brown has performed with virtually all of the top orchestras in North America, including the Boston Pops, the New York Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at Disney Hall, the Pittsburgh Symphony, five times with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, Fort Worth Symphony, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, twice with The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Philly Pops.
Other projects include star turns in The Golden Apple at City Center Encores, Hello, Dolly! at the Goodspeed Opera House, The Sound of Music (for which she won a Kevin Kline award) and Come From Away at the Muny, Limelight at the La Jolla Playhouse and her own PBS special entitled Ashley Brown: Call Me Irresponsible, which received a PBS Telly Award. Other television credits include NBC’s The Sound of Music.
Curtis Bannister
Curtis Bannister
As the winner of the Actors Equity Foundation Roger Sturtevant Award for Outstanding Performance in Musical Theater as well as a Drama League Award nominee for Best Concert Performance, Curtis Bannister has been praised by the LA Times as “a quiet revelation” and Broadway World as “a commanding performer.”
Since making his operatic debut in the title role of Verdi’s Otello with the Utah Festival, Bannister has been lauded as one of the most talented multi-genre performing artists of his generation for his work in theater, classical music and film.
Bannister has performed in concert for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra’s Celebration Concert, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and The Philadelphia Orchestra.
Previous theatrical role highlights include roles as Enjolras in Les Misérables, Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime, Sid Sorokin in The Pajama Game, Ragotski and Cacambo in Candide, Celebrant in Bernstein’s Mass, Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd, John in Miss Saigon, and Andre in Ain’t Misbehavin’. In film and television, Bannister made his debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in the feature film The Conductor, Marquis on season two of the Apple TV+ series Dickinson opposite Hailee Steinfeld, Reimers in season six of NBC’s Chicago Fire and season two of Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest.
Naples Philharmonic
Naples Philharmonic
Founded in 1982, the Naples Philharmonic normally performs over 140 orchestral and chamber concerts, as well as opera and ballet, education, community and special event concerts from September through June each year.
Meet the Musicians
Alexander Shelley
Artistic and Music Director Meet Alexander
Jack Everly
Principal Pops Conductor Meet Jack
James Ehnes
Artistic Partner Meet James
Manuel López-Gómez
Associate Conductor Meet Manuel
Jack Everly
Jack Everly
Principal Pops Conductor
Jack Everly is the principal pops conductor of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Naples Philharmonic and the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa). He previously served as principal pops conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for 17 seasons. He has conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, the San Francisco Symphony and numerous appearances with The Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center.
Celebrating his 14th anniversary as music director of the National Memorial Day Concert and A Capitol Fourth on PBS, Jack proudly leads the National Symphony Orchestra in these patriotic celebrations on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. These concerts attract hundreds of thousands of attendees on the lawn, and the broadcasts reach millions of viewers and are some of the highest-rated programming on PBS television.
Meet Jack
Program Book
Program Book
View this month's program book to get general information about Artis—Naples and to read articles about this month’s activities. View the program insert* for specific information about this event.
Program Book
Program Insert
* Program inserts will be available online approximately ten days prior to the event.
