May 12, 2012

MUSICAL ARRANGEMENTS & DIRECTION BY CHRIS BARILLARO

You loved them in last season’s SCHWARTZ’s: The Musical. Now together again for this very special evening are its stars, Stephanie Martin and Vito DeFilippo, performing some of the greatest love songs from the musical stage – from Rodgers & Hammerstein to Sondheim; from Canadian composers Sabiston & Williams, to local Montreal heroes Bowser & Blue.

Popular music director Chris Barillaro leads a three-piece band for this not-to-be missed concert at the historic Centaur Theatre in Old Montreal.

“...recording-quality voices”

– Pat Donnelly, The Gazette

Company: ZoomerMedia. Production: Ideacity. Photo Credit: Gene Driskell.

Stephanie and Vito at Ideacity in Toronto

AUDIO

WHO'S WHO

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Stephanie Martin

Stephanie Martin

Stephanie is a singer, songwriter, actor, mother, yoga teacher and sometime can-can dancer. She has kicked up her heels on stages far and wide from coast to coast, in North America, Europe and in Asia.

She got her start in Montreal on the nightclub circuit then graduated to leading a bar mitzvah band and singing back-up for many Quebecois ‘vedettes’ on tour, in studio and on television. Her big break was being cast as Eponine in the much-acclaimed bilingual production of Les Misérables presented at the Théatre St-Denis in Montréal. She was invited to play the part in Paris and then in London’s West End, which lead to many theatrical productions, concert tours, festivals and appearances all over the world. Stephanie produced a child in 2000, her crowning creative achievement, and subsequently turned her attention to songwriting, producing and presenting her music in concert and in the media. In 2007 she released her debut CD shape, line & harmony, produced by Juno winner Chad Irschick, to critical acclaim. Her original music is available worldwide at stephaniemartin.ca and on ITunes. She is currently working on a sophomore recording project which is slated for release in the fall of 2012.

In 2011, Stephanie returned to the stage in Montreal to star in the smash hit Centaur Theatre production of Schwartz’s: The Musical – an original musical comedy about the famed Montreal deli written by Canadian comic duo Bowser and Blue.

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Vito DeFilippo

Vito DeFilippo

Vito DeFilippo is a graduate of the music program of Dalhousie University in Halifax, and holds a Masters degree in Solo Vocal Performance from McGill University, Montreal.

In Canada, the USA, and Austria, he has sung over twenty opera roles. On camera and on stage, Vito has performed in many productions, such as Productions La Fête’s Bonanno,  the St. Leo Productions hit Letters from Rome, and the Segal Centre production of Man of La Mancha. Most recently, he has been onstage at Centaur in the hit show Schwartz's: The Musical.

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Chris Barillaro

Chris Barillaro

Chris Barillaro, a proud graduate of Dawson College’s Professional Theatre Program and of McGill University (B.A. in music and theatre), is a musical director, pianist, actor, singer. Selected musical direction credits: "Schwartz's: The Musical" (Asst.MD); "The Wild Party"; "Cabaret"; "Chicago"; and the Canadian premieres of both "Rooms: A Rock Romance" and "Altar Boyz". Selected acting credits: "The Play's the Thing" (Segal Theatre); "Schwartz's: The Musical" (Centaur); "Souvenir" (CETM); "Altar Boyz" (CETM); "The Jazz Singer" (Segal Centre); and "SING!" (In Your Face Entertainment). Arranging/orchestration credits: "Pandora!," "Daisy and the Wonderweeds," "Cabaret," "Le Spotlight" (Montreal's Annual Musical Theatre Challenge) from 2007-2012, and "Slow Dance with a Hot Pick-Up."  Chris is also a member of the Montreal band Lakes of Canada.  This summer, he will be music directing and playing Benjamin in Chemainus Theatre Festival's production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat" in B.C.