Three Mo' Tenors and the Spokane Symphony in an extraordinary musical event!

Jan 23, 2008

For Immediate Release

Contact: Annie Matlow 326-3136

SPOKANE: Three Mo' Tenors is an extraordinary musical event. . .part opera, part jazz, part Broadway, all music and all passion. On Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008 at 8 pm, Three Mo' Tenors will be performing with the Spokane Symphony at the INB Performing Arts Center.

Produced by Willette Murphy Klauser and conceived, directed, and choreographed by Marion J. Caffey, Three Mo' Tenors (www.threemotenorsontour.com), has been receiving rave reviews and playing to sold houses across the country and internationally.

Three Mo' Tenors is a theatrically staged concert celebration of the African-American tenor voice, crossing 8 musical forms and spanning 400 years of music in one evening. Each evening, the group takes their audience on a passionate musical journey of operatic music, jazz, gospel, soul, spirituals, new school, Broadway and the blues. The tenors of Three Mo' Tenors have developed a rousing musical repertoire with extraordinary breadth, and through song and explosive choreography, elevate the stature of African American Tenors in the music world. "A Taste of Three Mo' Tenors," a live CD recorded in Chicago at Nederlander's Oriental Theatre, is available on CD Baby and ITunes.

Three Mo' Tenors has been captivating audiences around the globe since 2001, when the show was televised on PBS "Great Performances" and RCA released the recording of the show. Standing ovations have greeted Three Mo' Tenors everywhere they have appeared -- in Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, Toronto, and even in Scotland (The Edinburgh Festival Fringe) and Armenia (hosted by The U.S. State Department). Most recently, Three Mo' Tenors appeared at The Apollo Theater with Bishop T.D. Jakes in "An Evening Without Limits." Three Mo' Tenors just concluded a successful 5 month run at New York's Little Shubert Theater.

Because of the extraordinary vocal demands of the show, Three Mo' Tenors features two equally exceptional casts taking the stage, three at a time in alternating performances. The cast of Three Mo' Tenors in Spokane include: James Berger, Duane A. Moody, and Sean T. Miller.

Marion J. Caffey commented, "The tenors of Three Mo' Tenors embody a musical repertoire of extraordinary breadth. Through song and dance, we hope to elevate the stature of African American musical performers in the world. Our goal is to sing our way into history."

Tickets for Three Mo' Tenors range in price from $53 to $23 and are currently on sale. Tickets may be purchased at the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox Box Office, 1001 W. Sprague, or by calling 509-624-1200. Tickets are also available at all TicketsWest outlets or by calling 1-800-325-SEAT, or on line at www.spokanesymphony.org

BIOS
MARION J. CAFFEY (Conceiver, Director, and Choreographer)
Marion is proud to present to you the unprecedented Three Mo' Tenors. Although Mr. Caffey began his career as a song and dance man performing in the USA and around the world, he now completely dedicates himself to conception, writing and directing. Cookin' at the Cookery, his first writing effort, has played more than 35 productions, and counting and has garnered many awards and nominations including New York's Drama Desk, Drama League and The New York Times critics choice as best musical of 2003. He has served as director and/or choreographer on Bowfire, Blackbirds of Broadway, Chicago, Forever Plaid, Jelly Roll: The Music and the Man, Little Shop of Horrors, Tintypes, The All Night Strut, Ain't Misbehavin', Purple Victorious, Ruthless, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, Spunk, The Colored Museum and 1940's Radio Hour.

The next evolution in the "Mo' Music" franchise is Three Mo' Divas which had it's world premiere last season to critical acclaim at the San Diego Repertory Theatre. ...Divas begins a North American tour in August 2006 at the Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo, NY.

WILLETTE MURPHY KLAUSNER (Producer)
Willette Murphy Klausner is a member of a new breed of theatrical producer - a woman, passionate about the arts with substantial business acumen. She has produced Three Mo Tenors since 2001, and was associated previously with Richard Frankel Productions on two musicals, Kat and the Kings on Broadway (co-producer), and Twist, (which she produced at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia and the George Street Playhouse). In Los Angeles, she produced To Take Arms starring Hattie Winston and Sanaa Lathan and co-produced Fully Committed and Hurlyburly starring Sean Penn and Danny Aiello

Formerly Vice President of Marketing and Marketing Research at MCA Universal Studios, Ms. Klausner serves on the Board of Directors of the American Cinema Foundation, and has served on the Boards of Directors of the Los Angeles Music Center, the Women in Film Foundation, the Audrey Skirbal-Kenis Theatre, and the Constitutional Rights Foundation. She is a member of The Women's Trusteeship for the Betterment of Women and the National Women's Forum.

Ms. Klausner is married to attorney Manuel S. Klausner and they are co-founding members of the American Institute of Wine and Food. They have eaten there way through over 50 countries, and they have been featured in many prestigious articles on food and wine.

JAMES BERGER

James Berger has been singing since the age of two. He was first introduced to opera by the late Dr. Nathan Carter and Margaret Lindsay Johnson at the age of 14. After extensive study for two years, he placed second in the Leontyne Price Regionals in Maryland. The following year, he was second place winner in the Rosa Ponselle competition. Berger continued his studies at the Catholic University of America. His first role at Catholic University was Rinnucio in Puccini's Il Trittico. In addition, he performed several roles in Madame Butterfly and Die Zauberflote. At the age of 21, the became a member of the Washington National Opera Company under the artistic direction of Placido Domingo. With the Washington National Opera, Berger has performed numerous operas including Simone Boccanegra, Manon, Norma, Don Carlos and Sampson & Deliliah featuring Denise Graves. He toured Japan performing in Tosca, Othello, and Sly with Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras and Veronica Viloreal.

DUANE A. MOODY

Duane A. Moody has been singing, acting and dancing since the age of 4. Born and raised in Washington D.C., he began his studies in the public schools and furthered his education at The Peabody Conservatory of Music of Johns Hopkins University and Boston University earning a Bachelor's and a Master's Degree in Vocal Performance. Moody also received a Graduate Performance Diploma in Operatic Studies from The Peabody. In October 1997, he made his professional recital debut at The Terrace Theatre of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In 2001, Moody received The Outstanding Emerging Artist Award in Music from the D.C. Commission of the Arts and Humanities. He has starred in productions of Porgy and Bess in Singapore, China, Japan, Israel, England, Ireland, Canada, Austria, Sweden and Scotland as well as with the Delaware Opera, Des Moines Opera, and Orlando Opera.

SEAN T. MILLER

Sean T. Miller is a native of Chicago, IL. He has appeared with Tulsa Opera, Kentucky Opera, Portland Opera(OR), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Memphis, Sarasota Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Chicago Opera Theater and others. His roles include Rodolfo in La Boheme, Tamino in Die Zauberflote, Ismaele in Nabucco, Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Don Jose in Carmen, Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte, Fenton in Falstaff and Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore. At the age of 19, he had the opportunity to work with Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as one of the Lehrbuben in Die Meistersinger von Nuremberg, which was subsequently recorded with Decca Classics. Shortly, thereafter, he appeared in the world premiere of Anthony Davis' Amistad with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

CALENDAR LISTING:
Three Mo' Tenors with the Spokane Symphony Chorale; Morihiko Nakahara conducts the Spokane Symphony; Feb. 2 at 8:00 pm at the INB Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $23 to $53, and are available at the Spokane Symphony Ticket Office at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox. Call the Ticket Office at (509) 624-1200; tickets are also available through TicketsWest outlets or by calling 325-SEAT or 1-800-325-SEAT, or on line at www.spokanesymphony.org