“Belle of Broadway” to perform in Washington

Published 7:58 pm Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Susan Egan

Susan Egan

Susan Egan, “the Belle of Broadway” will present a program of hits and humorous narratives from the Great White Way at the Washington High School Performing Arts Center next week.

The concert, set for Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m., is the second of five presented by the Beaufort County Concert Association for its 2014-2015 series. Admission for this one-time performance is $25 per person.

According to Jerry Oughton, a BCCA board member and co-chair of publicity, the nonprofit organization offers a package deal of $50 for the entire series, which levels out to $10 per concert.

Egan, who has earned acclaim in theatre, film, television and music, has had legendary success on Broadway, earning a Tony Award and Drama Desk nominations for “Best Actress” as Belle in ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ according to a BCCA press release. She is described as “dynamic, irresistible and a beacon of enchantment,” the release said.

Oughton said Egan’s performance will take place at night, though the organization has three scheduled matinee performances for this season’s series. Last year, BCCA offered a matinee concert to monitor the difference in attendance, as well as to accommodate those who dislike driving at night, Oughton said.

“Everyone has problems with people not wanting to drive at night,” Oughton said. “That’s one reason we brought three matinees this season. They’re a big hit so far. We did a poll where we said, ‘we want to hear what you have to say. You are all members of the organization. What kind of music do you like? What suggestions can you make?’”

The organization also conducts an outreach program with students in local schools, Oughton said. The majority of the organization’s performances take place on Sunday nights so BCCA arranges the acts to perform again for students, exposing them to a little bit of culture and entertainment, Oughton said.

“If they come on a Sunday and perform that night, then the next morning, tey go to the high school and the students file in and get to see high performance, nationally recognized acts,” Oughton said. “They [performers] take questions from the students and they explain to the kids about how they went into the show business, unique to what talent they are performing. The kids hear these concerts that they wouldn’t normally get to hear or see.”

Oughton said the organization will continue to bring acts like Egan to the local stage, despite a drop in membership. BCCA partners with Live on Stage, an organization that provides artists and support services to nonprofit concert organizations nationwide, to bring the acts to Washington, Oughton said.

“We’re just really into bringing some culture and beautiful music to little Washington,” Oughton said. “We like to get people who can engage the audience in conversation and get them involved in the show. People like that — it’s just like a party. During intermission, they visit and mingle and then go back for the second half of the show. It’s just a super evening of good music and fellowship.”

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Beaufort County Concert Association website at www.gobcca.org or call 252-948-1431.