‘It’s a Grand Night for Singing’ returns for 24th year
Performers in “It’s A Grand Night for Singing” practicing their opening number during their first dress rehearsal on June 8, 2016.
June 9, 2016
Just in time for the Tony Awards, Lexington musical fans can celebrate some of their favorite show tunes with UK Opera.
The 24th annual “It’s a Grand Night for Singing” will begin in the Singletary Center for the Arts on Friday night.
The show is first of six shows, and performers have been preparing for “Grand Night” since the day after UK’s graduation.
“I wanted to create a show, a high intensity show, where students would have to learn how to put a show together in four weeks, from beginning to end,” said creator of the show Everett McCorvey, DMA. Currently, the shows are now created in five weeks, rather than four.
McCorvey said this year’s “Grand Night” performance is the largest yet with 68 cast members and 38 children. Even more people work behind the scenes.
The show chooses a different mix of songs each year, like classic show tunes created by Rodgers and Hammerstein to popular songs from Broadway and Billboard shows. McCorvey said the theme this year is “From Billboard to Broadway.” He also could not confirm if a song from the 2016 hit musical “Hamilton” would be included in performances.
“People will just have to come and see it,” McCorvey said.
To be in “Grand Night,” performers had to audition. Performers range from young children to retirees. Doctoral of Musical Art student Brock Terry has been a part of “Grand Night” for five years.
“The fact that we have an outlet here in Lexington for those of us who love it to come an actually perform in front of a big audience with a live orchestra, with such amazing singers and Dr. McCorvey providing that opportunity for us is just kind of amazing,” Terry said.
Terry said for him and others who have been in the show for several years, “Grand Night” always feels like it gets bigger and better every year.
“We always feel like we are offering something of high quality to the community and that is something that is really special to be a part of,” Terry said.
The 2016 run of “It’s a Grand Night for Singing” will begin on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for all performances can be purchased here.