I first became acquainted with the Buffalo Choral Arts Society two years ago, when I attended their Broadway concert. I remember being completely blown away by the organization’s sound, and array of talent that is part of the chorus. The programs are well organized, and the program length is just so that you get a fully enjoyable experience. I never get restless, and I enjoy every note the chorus ever creates. I have attended their Christmas concerts as well, and I have to say, that they are definitely a hidden gem in the Buffalo community. If you have not had the opportunity to see BCAS perform, you are missing out.

. . .a wonderful program of classics and new favorites.

“Broadway and Beyond” pays homage to the Great White Way, with the Chorus singing songs from classic musicals. “The King and I”, “ Ragtime”, “ Wicked”, and “Jekyll & Hyde” are just a few of the shows that were represented in this 85-minutes of musical enjoyment.

Conducted by Marcia A. Giambone and accompanied by John F. Mitton, along with a small but talented band, the chorus brought the audience to their feet by the end of the program. Broken into various musical sections, the show began with a fantastic performance of a group of songs from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” with words and music by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. It was a great start to the afternoon concert, allowing for the audience to experience the spine tingling harmonies and melodies of the score.

Next we were treated to selections from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The King and I” which were definite crowd pleasers. “Getting To Know You” performed by Nancy and Gary Bohrns, was cute and enjoyable, as well as “Something Wonderful” which was performed by Lauren Bowen.

The Chorus then did selections from “Ragtime”, which proved to be exciting and fun. I was not very familiar with the music of “Ragtime” but I quickly grew to be a fan of it. Soloists Brianna Rodriguez, Alyssa Houseknecht, Nancy Scheduler, John Fields, and Jonathan Koziol did a fantastic job bringing the lyrics to life.

Other concert highlights include Katie Kruszynski’s performance of “The Wizard and I” from “Wicked,” and Dan Fronckowiak’s performance of “This is the Moment” from “Jekyll and Hyde.”

Once again, the Buffalo Choral Arts Society creates a wonderful program of classics and new favorites. The sold out concert at the Riviera Theatre is proof that when you perform wonderful work, your audience will continue to notice!

Running Time: 1 Hour 25-minutes with no intermission.

“Broadway and Beyond” was performed for one day only, on June 3, 2018, and was presented at The Riviera Theatre. For more information on the Buffalo Choral Arts Society, please click here.