Since COVID-19 forced the cancellation of last season’s Beautiful, Fiddler on the Roof, and RENT— OPAS Executive Director Anne Black has been keeping patrons informed as to what’s in store for the performing arts presenting industry and specifically the pandemic’s impact on OPAS at Texas A&M University. Anne’s most recent communication with patrons promised a “re-imagining of OPAS." That starts on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 7:30pm CST (1:30am London time).
The OPAS staff has been working with the producers of the hit show The Choir of Man to create a live virtual concert especially for Brazos Valley audiences. That show, The Choir of Man: Live from London, will be available for viewing through a streaming platform for one performance only on Sept. 15 at 7:30pm. Streaming tickets will go on sale at 12pm on Wednesday, Sept. 2. They are $20 for a single stream and $30 for a group/family stream (patrons choosing to stream with more than one person). A limited number of $5 tickets will be available for Texas A&M students. For all ticketing information, visit www.MSCOPAS.org. The virtual concert is sponsored by SONIC BCS and West, Webb, Allbritton & Gentry.
“As you can probably guess, it’s been a very different summer for our staff and students. When we first began exploring what our virtual options might be, we wanted to offer programming that is unique and special for our community. We kept coming back to The Choir of Man. Our audiences have been very vocal (pun intended) about wanting to bring the guys back ever since they kicked-off their first-ever U.S. tour right here in Rudder in October 2018. So, we took a chance, contacted the team behind the show and the rest is history,” Black says.
“The pandemic has hit our industry especially hard. Anne understands that artists are suffering. Like all of you, the boys have been confined to their homes. So, when this idea of creating special performances for some of the cities we’ve played as part of our first two North American tours, we immediately began work to figure out how to produce a high-quality show in a socially-distanced environment live from the UK,” says The Choir of Man Director and Producer Nic Doodson.
Indeed the performance will be a live 75 to 90 minute show, highly-produced with hi-definition cameras, featuring at least five guys from The Choir of Man family. Streaming from the London pub Pillars of Hercules, the OPAS performance will start with an across-the-pond conversation between Anne and Nic. Then, the guys will do their thing! And it will all happen live from London just for OPAS patrons at 7:30pm (1:30am London time).
This all-new show will be more intimate than the traditional stage show with emphasis on the guys’ vocals and personal journeys. Each will sing and dance to some of their favorite songs – some from the touring show and some all-new ones. The guys will also chat a bit about what they’ve been up to since COVID-19 struck and share stories about their favorite memories from their U.S. tours. The concert will conclude with a moving group number.
“It’s definitely a more intimate showcase for the guys. The major takeaway is that audiences will get to know our guys, their stories, and their talents even better,” Doodson says.
In addition to the performance, Anne shares that there will likely be other components coinciding with the performance that are new to OPAS in this virtual world. For instance, there could be a virtual happy hour the night before the performance and the OPAS Student Committee is working to host a virtual conversation after the live Sept. 15 virtual performance.
“These are the same conversations our students would have with patrons in the lobby after the show,” says Stanzi Rowe, chair of the 2020-2021 OPAS Student Committee and vice president of the OPAS Board of Directors, “A couple of the guys from The Choir of Man might join in the post-performance chats as well.”
“At its core, The Choir of Man is about bringing people together, sharing stories, and singing songs. Of course, we’d rather be on the stage performing to sold out houses. But these live from London performances are the next best thing. We hope audiences watching from home will enjoy a pint of their favorite brew and toast us from across the pond. Cheers!” says Doodson.
For more information about The Choir of Man: Live from London visit www.MSCOPAS.org. Ticket information also available by calling the MSC Box Office at (979) 845-1234.
