Fantasy Theatre Factory (FTF) will host a “Delightful Evening with Kyaunnee Richardson,” in which the critically acclaimed South Florida soprano will present a selection of both operatic and Broadway songs, accompanied on piano by the renowned Gordon Roberts.
The show, recorded by FTF Board Member and videographer Gregory Reed (who calls Richardson “the next Kristin Chenoweth”), is part of FTF’s ONE@SRT series showcasing solo “stage-to-screen experiences.” The company developed ONE@SRT to provide a space dedicated to the staging and sharing of one-person shows during the COVID-19 pandemic. The series is part of FTF’s overall plan to safely present cultural entertainment.
“A Delightful Evening with Kyaunnee Richardson” will premiere at the Sandrell Rivers Theater, 6103 NW 7th Avenue, Miami, FL, 33127, at on Sat., March 6, at 8 p.m., with a free simulcast on Facebook and YouTube. Tickets for watching the “stage-to-screen” production at the theater are $1 and can be purchased online at tickets.ftfshows.com.
To attend shows in person, guests must submit to a temperature check, wear face coverings and practice social distancing. For more information, visit ftfshows.com, or follow FTF on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
A Studio Artist with Opera Orlando for its 2020-21 season and a frequent — and beloved — figure on that company’s stage for several of its productions, Richardson said her inspiration for “A Delightful Evening” was the bustling, glittering home of Broadway itself, New York City.
“I never grow tired of traveling to the Big Apple,” said Richardson, a 2020 finalist in the operatic division of the SAS Performing Arts & Studios Vocal Competition. She also recently earned honorary mention for the longest cadenza in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s virtual cadenza challenge, based around his Phantom of the Opera song entitled “Think of Me.”
Opera Singer, Kyaunnee Richardson.
“The more I return to New York City, the more I fall in love with it, from the lights on the Great White Way to the birds chirping in Central Park to the glorious singing at the majestic Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center,” she said. “This concert reflects my adventures when I traveled there in 2018 and had the privilege of seeing the revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel with Joshua Henry and Renee Fleming. It was a wonderful trip!”
Among the songs Richardson will be singing are: “Show Me” from My Fair Lady (Frederick Loewe); “Not While I’m Around” from Sweeney Todd (Steven Sondheim); and “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess (George Gershwin). Her operatic selections will include “Ah! Je veux vivre” from Romeo and Juliette (Charles Gounod) and “O mio bambino caro” from Gianni Schicchi (Giacomo Puccini). She will also perform a song called “My Child’s Eyes,” written and composed by Roberts, her accompanist. A prolific pianist, conductor and composer, the Pennsylvania-born Roberts moved to South Florida in 1985 and has since built a reputation both locally and internationally for his work.
Richardson credits Roberts for helping her select her lineup for “A Delightful Evening,” including “a number of little gems hiding in the pages of the vast number of musical books that he has in his library,” she noted.
“I hope everyone will enjoy this ‘delightful’ evening of great music and maybe savor any old memories they might have connected to the songs,” she said.
FTF CEO/Executive Artistic Director Larry Fields said it was Richardson’s talent, musical selection and the intimacy of just her and a piano that “sold” him and his team when they selected her show for the ONE@SRT series.
“I’m a fan of both classical music and Broadway tunes, and Miss Richardson’s voice is phenomenal,” said Fields. “Listening to her audition took us to that ‘happy place’ that’s not only enjoyable any time but is something we all need right now. We are very excited about helping Kyaunnee get her voice heard.”
For more information about Kyaunnee Richardson, please visit her website at www.kyaunneerichardson.com. For more information about upcoming shows at FTF see tickets.ftfshows.com, and for more information about the measures FTF has implemented to create a safe space for everyone to enjoy the arts, see https://www.sandrellriverstheater.com/reopening.
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Hy-Lo News Staff Report
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