An evening with Oberacker & Taylor

York Drama is proud to present its students and alumni in concert with renowned Broadway composers Richard Oberacker and Robert Taylor. The concert will be at York Community High School on Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m.; tickets are on sale now. Oberacker and alumni will perform pieces from the duo’s newest works, and the cast of York’s upcoming musical, “Ace,” will present a preview concert.

Oberacker and Taylor first premiered “Ace” in 2006 at St. Louis Repertory Theatre, and, after extensive rewrites and reimaginations, have chosen York as one of the pilot productions. After the successful and Tony-nominated run of their musical, “Bandstand,” on Broadway, they are currently preparing for the pre-Broadway premiere of “Bruce,” their next musical about the making of the film, “Jaws.” Both accomplished musicians, Oberacker currently conducts for Cirque du Soleil’s “Kà” in Las Vegas; Taylor first made his mark in musical theatre as a highly-regarded violinist and violist on Broadway and in national tours.

“We take a great amount of pride in our program’s dedication to bringing in high-caliber professionals to educate and excite students about futures in performance and theatre,” Rebecca Marianetti, drama director, said. “York Drama is proud to welcome two of the biggest names in Broadway, to share with them some of the talent Elmhurst has to offer.”

The first act of the concert will feature Oberacker and York Drama alumni Darcy Kummerow, Emily Landreth, Tatum Langley, and Julie Peterson performing new works from “Bruce” and “Angel of Arkansas.” In the second act, the cast of “Ace” will present a concert preview of the show. Students and alumni involved in the concert are thrilled to not only perform, but to learn from two brilliant lyricists and musicians.

“Having the opportunity to not only return to York to perform with past classmates who have all gone on to study performing arts, but to do so with Broadway composers is truly so amazing,” Langley, a 2017 graduate of York and recent graduate of Ball State University’s musical theatre program, said. “I feel so blessed to have this community endlessly supporting me and my career, providing life changing and inspiring opportunities, and knowing that it continues to foster young artists.”

Tickets are immediately available on the York Drama website: www.yorkdrama.org. Tickets are $20; it is highly recommended that tickets be purchased ahead of the event as space is extremely limited.

“It feels surreal to not only meet the people who poured so much of themselves into the show we are performing, but composers who are truly masters of their craft,” Leo Macariola, a York senior who plays the titular role in “Ace,” said. “I hope to study composition in college, so I feel incredibly blessed to be part of a program that allows me to work one-on-one with industry professionals.”