More Information About Brian Stokes Mitchell with the San Diego Symphony Summer Pops

Description

San Diego's own Broadway legend Brian Stokes Mitchell appears at Summer Pops for an encore of his dazzling Winter Pops performance.  The Winter Pops crowd so swooned for this Broadway sensation that he's coming back for an encore.  Don't miss him this time around! Dubbed "The Last Leading Man" by the New York Times, Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a rich and varied career on Broadway, television and film, along with appearances in the great American concert halls. <p>His musical versatility has kept him in demand by some of the country's finest conductors and orchestras. He has performed selections from Porgy and Bess with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony at Carnegie Hall; Performed works by Aaron Copland and various contemporary composers at the Hollywood Bowl with the L.A. Philharmonic under the batons of Leonard Slatkin and John Mauceri; Broadway tunes at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC under the baton of Marvin Hamlisch (most recently at the National Symphony Orchestra's 75th season Pops concert debut), and Jazz and standards with Maestro John Williams at Disney Hall and with the Boston Pops. He recently debuted pulitzer prize winning composer David Del Tredici's Rip Van Winkle with the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Slatkin. He reprised his Tanglewood performance in John Williams' jazz version of My Fair Lady last December at Disney Hall singing with Dianne Reeves.</p> <p>In 2005 he made his cabaret debut as both singer and musical arranger in New York at Feinstein's at the Regency in his critically acclaimed one-man show Love/Life which then moved to the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center. He received both the New York Bistro and Nightlife awards for his cabaret debut. In 2006 he headlined the Carnegie Hall concert presentation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific with Reba McEntire, which aired on PBS and was released on DVD.</p> <p>His Broadway career includes performances in Man of La Mancha (Tony nomination and Helen Hayes Award); Kiss Me Kate (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards); Ragtime (Tony nomination); August Wilson's King Hedley II (Tony nomination, dramatic role); Kiss of the Spider Woman; Jelly's Last Jam; David Merrick's Oh, Kay! and Mail, which earned him a Theatre World award for outstanding Broadway Debut.</p> <p>At Encores he has starred in Do, Re, Mi and Carnival and Kismet. In 1998 he joined the likes of Helen Hayes, Sir John Gielgud, Alec Guinness and James Earl Jones when he became the sole recipient of that year's Distinguished Performance Award from the Drama League, the nation's oldest theatrical honor, for his performance in Ragtime. </p> <p>His long television career began with a seven-year stint on "Trapper John, MD." Numerous film and TV appearances more recently include "One Last Thing" which debuted at this year's Toronto Film Festival, recurring roles on "Crossing Jordan" and "Frasier," PBS' "Great Performances," DreamWorks' The Prince of Egypt, and his White House debut in "The Singer and the Song".</p> <p>His latest venture is his June 6, 2006 release of his self-titled album as the inaugural artist on the newly formed Playbill Records label. In addition to singing, Stokes produced the album and also wrote many of the arrangements and orchestrations. The executive producers are Playbill Record's president, Philip Birsh and Richard-Jay Alexander.  It was mixed by 15-time Grammy winner Al Schmitt, and the liner notes were penned by John Williams.  For more information, visit www.Playbillrecords.com</p> <p> </p> <p>Stokes has enjoyed working with numerous charitable organizations from the March of Dimes to the USO and is President of the Actor's Fund. For more information please check www.Brianstokes.com. </p>

About the Ticket Supplier: San Diego Symphony

In the 100+ years since its inception, the San Diego Symphony has become one of the leading orchestras in the United States, and was recently designated a Tier 1 Orchestra by the League of American Orchestras. It is committed to providing musical experiences of superior quality for the greater San Diego community and beyond. Through a rich mixture of innovative and educational programming designed to appeal to all ages and cultures, the Symphony makes music an integral part of the cultural and intellectual fabric of the San Diego region, valued by and relevant to all its residents.

The San Diego Symphony offers a wide range of concert experiences and performs over 100 concerts each season, including performances at downtown San Diego's historic Copley Symphony Hall. Various concert series include the Jacobs Masterworks series led by Music Director Jahja Ling, offering traditional classical repertoire; the Winter Pops series, featuring Principal Pops Conductor Marvin Hamlisch and popular guest artists; the Family Festival, featuring family-friendly concerts; and Symphony Exposé, a fascinating series of concerts that examine classical works from entertaining and thought-provoking angles. The orchestra has recently launched a Chamber Music Series to highlight individual orchestra members performing with esteemed guest artists. Each year, from July through September, the Symphony presents an outdoor Summer Pops season at Embarcadero Marina Park South, mixing classical favorites and pop music in a festive, outdoor atmosphere on San Diego's picturesque waterfront.

In 2010 the San Diego Symphony celebrated their 100th anniversary, the first California orchestra to reach this milestone.