stephaniesĭd brings its irresistibly infectious
performance to the Diana Wortham Theatre stage on Sunday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m. in
a special benefit performance for area children through Diana Wortham Theatre’s Youth Education Scholarship (Y.E.S.) Fund. This concert is a rescheduled event from
the postponed March 19th show.
A brand new scholarship program, the new Emerging
Artists program is a part of the Y.E.S. Fund and supports young performers by providing scholarships for
graduating high school seniors pursuing a career in the performing arts. There
were 14 applicants to the inaugural Emerging Artist Fund scholarship in 2016,
and this year’s two scholarship winners will be showcased during the stephaniesĭd
performance on May 1st.
A stephaniesĭd performance has been described as a
multi-faceted artistic experience that is always full of surprises. The show is
connective, soulful, positive, and at times emotionally intense. Audience
members are encouraged to not only watch the show, but also become an integral
part.
stephaniesĭd vocalist Stephanie Morgan and pianist
Chuck Lichtenberger are particularly interested in music education, beginning
at the youngest level. In addition to their work with stephaniesĭd, the two
have contributed to the musical careers of hundreds of young artists. Chuck
Lichtenberger has taught piano lessons to children in the Asheville area since
1995. Many of his students have gone on to study music at renowned university
music programs. Stephanie Morgan began her career in social work, helping
emotionally traumatized kids through a wilderness therapy program, and later,
counseling families through the process of fostering and adoption. She also
teaches private lessons to students with an emphasis on helping them “find
their voice.”
“Crowd Favorite” winner at the 2015 Music Video
Asheville Awards, stephaniesĭd has been promoting its fifth full-length album, Excavator. Best known for its outstanding mix of songs and highly
original tunes, stephaniesĭd’s music ranges from deftly focused, emotionally
charged journeys to infectious dance tunes, reflecting the band’s ability to
bounce from pop to rock, or even to ballad-like melodies, in one show.
Some of the stephaniesĭd’s most popular songs have
appeared in episodes of Showtime’s Nurse Jackie, the
Weather Channel specials, and numerous films. “Hey Hey Hey” was featured in an
Italian jewelry commercial and will appear in an upcoming Sony horror video
game during a slasher scene. “Unmistakably Love” was featured by Paste
Magazine and selected by Shirley Manson in a contest for
Bust magazine.
About the band: Vocalist Stephanie Morgan is the charismatic
lead singer and songwriter for stephaniesĭd. After spending nearly a decade as
a jazz singer, she began pursuing her own original music, and now relishes
touring with stephaniesĭd. Her dynamic voice and contagious stage performance
make each show unique. Musical director Charles
“Chuck” Lichtenberger is a seasoned jazz pianist with a B.A. in Classical
Music from UNC-Asheville. His role on stage is to root the band in the rich
blend of textures that spring from his broad musical background. When he’s not
on the road with stephaniesĭd, he hosts a weekly jazz jam and teaches piano.
Drummer Tim Haney is an
American-born Irishman. His considerable chops for jazz and odd-metered styles
act as overtones atop more accessible, deep-pocket grooves based in a heart of
rock and roll. Joining the band for the May 1st performance at Diana
Wortham Theatre are Georgia Sinko on
cello and Sarah Hurd on violin.
About
the Youth Education Scholarship (Y.E.S.) Fund: The Y.E.S. Fund supports underserved
children by providing tickets to Diana Wortham Theatre’s Matinee Series for
Students and Families, the theatre’s school programming series. The Y.E.S. program expanded in 2015 to cover
artist workshops in local schools and the Emerging Artists Fund. Donations to
the Y.E.S. Fund and its programs are accepted any time; more information at
www.dwtheatre.com/Y-E-S-Fund.
stephaniesĭd’s Asheville
performance is made possible by Performance Sponsors George & Diana
Bilbrey; and by Mainstage Music Series Sponsors Joel & Deborah Berkowitz,
Henry LaBrun, and the Omni Grove Park Inn; with additional support provided by
Media Sponsors WCQS 88.1 FM and WNC magazine.
The entrance for the Diana Wortham Theatre is marked by the location of
the theatre’s marquee between 12 and 14 Biltmore Avenue. Patrons enter the
theatre through the breezeway between Marble Slab Creamery and White Duck Taco,
and into a large interior courtyard with multiple glass doors to the theatre’s main
lobby and box office. The intimate theatre seats
just over 500 and boasts exceptional acoustics and sightlines, making it the
premier performance space in Western North Carolina. The Mainstage Series is
supported by a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency. The
Mainstage Series 2015/2016 Season Sponsors are the Asheville
Scene, Blue Moon Water, Creative Energy, and Gourmet-to-go, the
North Carolina Arts Council, and the Renaissance Asheville Hotel. To obtain more information on the Mainstage Series or to
purchase tickets, call the theatre’s box office at (828) 257-4530 or visit www.dwtheatre.com.
