SHIPPENSBURG, PA (January 27, 2011) - The H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center at Shippensburg University presents NEIL BERG'S 100 YEARS OF BROADWAY, February 10, 2011, at 8 p.m.

Reserved tickets are $40, $35, $30, $25 and can be purchased by calling the Luhrs Center Box Office at 717.477.SHOW (7469) or online at www.luhrscenter.com. 

100 Years of Broadway recreates the greatest moments from the finest shows of the century featuring the actual stars of shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, CATS, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Jekyll & Hyde.  These amazing performers light up the stage with songs from the hit shows in which they starred.  Neil Berg presents brilliantly revived arrangements of Broadway classics as well as thrilling numbers from Broadway's newest hit shows. Past productions of this popular show have featured Betty Buckley, Liz Callaway, Ben Vereen, and Alex Santoriello among others. Along with musical director and pianist Neil Berg, the Luhrs Center production will feature Grant Norman, Rebecca Pitcher, Andrea Rivette, Chuck Wagner, and Danny Zolli. *Cast is subject to change based upon possible Broadway and touring developments.

According to San Francisco's KABC radio theater critic, Jerry Friedman, "This revue features some of the best songs from the best Broadway shows, all sung by some of the most talented performers working today, singing many of the hit songs that they have sung on Broadway."

For performance tickets and information, call the Luhrs Center Box Office at 717.477.SHOW (7469) or visit the Luhrs Center website at www.luhrscenter.com.  A group discount is available for groups of 20 or more.

About the Director and Cast:

NEIL BERG is the composer/lyricist of the hit off-Broadway musical The Prince and the Pauper, which ran for two years at the Lamb's Theater in New York City. The New York Times described it as "...soaring on the wings of theatrical fun." Berg is currently writing the music for the Broadway bound musical Grumpy Old Men, based on the hit film. Two of Berg's new musicals have been selected for the prestigious New York Musical Theater Festival: The Man Who Would Be King, a musical realization of Rudyard Kipling's novella, and Tim and Scrooge, the sequel to A Christmas Carol.

GRANT NORMAN was last seen playing the role of Gaston in the Broadway production of "Disney's Beauty and the Beast". He also played the role of the Beast on the North American National Tour where he garnered two National Theater Award nominations. Before that he played the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera" on the American National Tour as well as at Her Majesty's Theatre in London. TV: Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: CI, Conviction, All My Children.

REBECCA PITCHER has performed on Broadway and around the world to rave reviews. Described as having "a luminous presence" and a "spectacular voice," Rebecca has moved audiences with her poignant portrayal of Christine Daae in "The Phantom of the Opera". Other credits include "Johanna" (Sweeney Todd), "Rose" (Street Scene), "Rapunzel" (Into the Woods), "Monica" (The Medium), "Christine" (the Yeston-Koppit version of Phantom), "Nimue" (Camelot), and many more. She has also performed as a soloist in Carmina Burana, The Rutter Requiem, The Lord Nelson Mass, The Messiah, The Creation and many more.   Rebecca was a winner of the Columbus Opera competition, a semi-finalist in the McAlitser Awards, and a young artist with the Pittsburgh Opera, where she performed "Lissette" in Puccini's La Rondine, and Papagena in Mozart's The Magic Flute.

ANDREA RIVETTE's Broadway credits include Emma Carew ("Jekyll and Hyde," starring David Hasselhoff, performance filmed for HBO and DVD), Ellen ("Miss Saigon"). She has had the opportunity to perform in many concerts nationwide as well as in the Equity National tours of "Miss Saigon" (Ellen) and "Jekyll and Hyde" (Emma Carew), starring Chuck Wagner. Over the past two years, in between concert work, Andrea has had the honor of playing her dream role, Fantine, in "Les Miserables" at Theater Under the Stars in Houston, TX, directed by Fred Hanson, starring opposite Rob Evan as Valjean and also at Sacramento Music Circus, directed by Glenn Casale, starring opposite Brad Little as Javert.

CHUCK WAGNER has had a long and notable career in musical theater, with starring roles in several Broadway productions. His first role on Broadway was in The Three Musketeers with Brent Spiner. He went on to originate the role of Rapunzel's Prince in the original Broadway cast of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods (1987). The recording of that show, on which Wagner appears, won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. Wagner has also appeared on Broadway and in the U.S. national tour of Les Misérables as Inspector Javert. In 1994, he began a four-year stint as "The Beast" in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, in both the Broadway and Toronto Productions. Wagner originated the title roles in Frank Wildhorn's Jekyll & Hyde in 1990 and Svengali in 1991 at The Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas. He reprised his dual roles in Jekyll & Hyde in the post Broadway national tour in 1999. He then toured the U.S. in the Cole Porter classic Kiss Me Kate as the MacArthuresque General Harrison Howell, and understudy to Rex Smith's Fred Graham. He appeared on Broadway in 2004, in Wildhorn's Dracula, The Musical, standing by for Dracula, Van Helsing, and Quincey Morris.

DANNY ZOLLI is best known for his monumental number of performances as Jesus, Judas, and Annas in more than 15 productions of Jesus Christ Superstar throughout the world, Danny's unique and stirring performance of the aria "Gethsemane" is debated among "Jesus Christ Superstar" fans as one of the best.   Danny has just completed and will soon be releasing his second solo album entitled "Sometimes Simple is Best".  Most recently, Danny starred as Jesus in the 20th Anniversary concert of Jesus Christ Superstar.

About the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center at Shippensburg University:

The mission of the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center at Shippensburg University is to support and enhance the University's role in academic and cultural enrichment for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Luhrs Center's 1,500-seat state-of-the-art Grove Theatre is where programs to educate, enlighten and entertain are presented. Benefits of the Center to the region include expanding opportunities to participate in a wide range of cultural programming including full-scale Broadway companies, musical groups, symphonies, dance troupes and internationally known speakers. In addition, it adds options for professional training programs, youth programs and senior citizen programs; attracts regional and national business conferences, professional meetings and planning sessions; and additional visitors to the area which will result in a positive impact on the local and regional economy.