Stepping Out

A grand New Year's Eve on Long Island

Music and comedy set the tone for an evening of merriment

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The stage is set to bid adieu to another year. So get those party hats ready to ring in 2015. Here are some suggestions on where and how to celebrate.

Long Island Philharmonic’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular
The Long Island Philharmonic can always be counted on to welcome the New Year with joyful gusto at its annual musical extravaganza. Join Maestro David Stewart Wiley, music director and conductor, and his orchestra at Tilles Center for a rousing finale to 2014, beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 31.
The Philharmonic’s New Year’s Eve concert — now in its 24th year — continues to be a much-anticipated year-end tradition for the orchestra and its many fans. (If you haven’t yet experienced a performance by Long Island’s musical treasure, this is a great concert to get a taste of the popular local orchestra.) This year’s festive concert, “Broadway Favorites,” pays homage to the music that represents the best of the Great White Way.
The glittering year-end concert includes hit tunes from recent Broadway shows — “Spamalot,” “Wicked” and “Jersey Boys” — and the iconic long-running musicals such as “Chicago, “Les Miserables” and “The Lion King.” A segment of the program will also be devoted to the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, featuring hit songs from “Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats,” “Evita,” “Sunset Boulevard,” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
“Our New Year’s Eve concert has become an amazing and successful tradition,” Wiley says. “It is wonderful and gratifying to see that has it grown into such a big annual event. Each year we make it as artistic and vibrant as we can. There’s something for everyone in this program. And what I love about this performance is that it moves quickly with a great cast.”
Joining Wiley and his orchestra on stage are four of Broadway’s talented young performers, three of whom are making their Philharmonic debuts. They bring a dynamic range of talents to their appearance with the orchestra: Marie Danvers is best known for her memorable turn as Christine Daaé in the Broadway and national tour productions of “The Phantom of the Opera”; Bradley Dean has appeared in numerous Broadway productions, including starring in the recent revivals of “Evita” and “A Little Night Music” with Catherine-Zeta Jones and Angela Lansbury, and can currently be seen in Sting’s musical “The Last Ship”; Jessica Phillips starred as Marla McGowan in the 2012 Tony-nominated musical “Leap of Faith” and was also in the original Broadway cast of “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”. Sal Viviano, who last appeared with the Long Island Philharmonic in 2008, rounds out the cast. A Helen Hayes Award nominee, he made his mark on the theater scene in the 1984 revival of “The Three Musketeers”.
To add to the New Year’s Eve revelry, in what is the evening’s signature ending, concertgoers can see the Philharmonic’s own New Year’s Eve ball drop at the close of the program, with an audience sing-along of “Auld Lang Syne.”
“We are thrilled to do to this concert,” says Wiley. “The musicians and I look forward to it every year. Plus, the 7:30 to 9:30 time slot works well. The audience can see an exciting program close to home and then travel on to what the rest of New Year’s Eve has in store. It puts people in great spirits and is a wonderful way to end the year.”
“For many patrons it has become a tradition that they return to year after year. For others who are coming for the first time, it’s a great way to start a new tradition. It’s a great concert with a lot of youthful energy. And over the years, a number of performers in our cast have gone onto major roles on Broadway and our audience can say they saw them here first.”
And, of course, the orchestra gets a chance to shine as well.
The concert is expected to sell out, with limited seats remaining. Those interested in attending are urged to not delay in purchasing their tickets.
The Philharmonic’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular is presented on Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $110, $85, $70, and $55. For tickets and information, call (631) 293-2222 or visit www.liphilharmonic.org. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts is located at LIU Post, Rte. 25A, Brookville.

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