| 7:00 pm
Snowbird Follies
Nomads from the North have been flocking to the sunshine state for well over 100 years to avoid the winter burr. Come enjoy this whimsical musical yuletide celebration, with a winking nod to Fort Myers’ original snowbirds, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, as we playful traverse through decades of holiday favorite, sprinkled with local history. This feel-good musical will bring a smile to your face, have you swaying in your seat, as get you into the Holiday mood.
| 7:00 pm
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20231221
7:30 pm
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Haley Adkins
Haley Adkins is a senior theater major with a minor in religious studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. Previous credits include; Heather Chandler in Heathers (Theatrezone), Nicola in Kinky Boots (Weathervane Playhouse), Lady Lucile in Once Upon a Mattress (Weathervane Playhouse), Billing in An Enemy of the People (Florida Gulf Coast University). She is beyond grateful to her friends and family for their unconditional support and would like to thank all those involved at Gulf Coast Symphony for making this a wonderful experience.
Laura McKenna
LAURA MCKENNA a native of Sarasota, Florida, recently appeared in the Southwest Florida Theatre Company’s production of SNOWBIRD FOLLIES! She was most recently seen with the GCS in THE THING ABOUT MEN as Woman 1. Other regional credits include Evelyn Nesbit in RAGTIME with American Stage in St. Petersburg, Florida, Sister Mary Leo in NUNSENSE (Mountain Playhouse) and THE MUSIC MAN (St. Petersburg Opera Company). Collegiate credits include: Celia in AS YOU LIKE IT, Helga in CABARET, PATIENCE (title role), and Woman 2 in SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD. Laura is a graduate of Florida Southern College with degrees in BM Vocal Performance & BFA Musical Theatre with a minor in Dance. Special thanks and love to Mom, Dad, and Lindsay. Website: www.laura-mckenna.com, Instagram: laura_mckenna_
Robert Justin Dresner
Robert Justin Dresner is thrilled to be returning to the MACC with Gulf Coast Symphony! Having portrayed Beast in Disney Cruise Lines’s IAPPA award winning production of Beauty and the Beast in 2019, Robert has gone on to portray other such notable roles as Stanley Kowalski (A Streetcar Named Desire), King Arthur (Lerner and Lowe’s Camelot), and Quasimodo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame). He is thrilled to return for his second round of Snowbird Follies, and cannot wait to also bring A Grand Night For Singing to life come January. He would like to thank his family and friends for their continued support.
A.J. Mendini
AJ Mendini is thrilled to be making his debut with the Gulf Coast Symphony. A NJ native and recent SWFL transplant, he is an accomplished performer and arts educator, having worked professionally throughout the Northeast. Recent credits include Dogfight (Eddie), Hair (Claude), Godspell (Jesus), Avenue Q (Princeton), and Les Miserables (Enjolras) among many others. AJ currently teaches vocal and acting lessons for Gypsy Playhouse at RDA in Cape Coral, FL and serves as the group ticket and ad sales manager for Players Circle Theater. Upcoming: A Grand Night for Singing (Gulf Coast Symphony), Lightning Thief (Gypsy Playhouse), and Godspell (Players Circle Theater) Much love and gratitude to Brian and Monty. @ajmendin
Andrew M. Kurtz
Gulf Coast Symphony founder Dr. Andrew M. Kurtz enters his twenty-ninth season as the Symphony’s President & CEO/ Music Director and conductor. His deep rooted commitment to new work, community and education, combined with a vibrant artistic vision has led to creating and nurturing one of the most dynamic arts organizations in the region.
For the Southwest Florida Theatre Company, the newest professional theatre company operating out of the MACC, Kurtz serves as the Producing Artistic Director.
As stage director Kurtz has staged multiple production, including productions of the musical comedy I Do, I Do, which opened the Music & Arts Community Center and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall.
He was named the 2007 Performing Artist of the Year at Lee County’s Angel of the Arts Awards. Kurtz’s repertoire encompasses a wide range of music styles from baroque to contemporary, and multiple genres including symphonic, opera, ballet, musical theater, jazz, cantorial, and symphonic pops.
Kurtz was the international tour conductor for CANTORS: A Faith In Song, featuring three of the world’s leading cantors, and is currently the tour conductor for the NEW YORK CANTORS and TRINITY: CLASSICALLY IRISH, which debuted on PBS in Feburary 2022. He served as the Music Director of the Florida Jewish Philharmonic Orchestra and as Producing Artistic Director of Synergy Productions, a professional musical theater company in Southwest Florida.
Kurtz is a past-president of the board of the Lee County Alliance for the Arts. An avid arts educator, Maestro Kurtz was Resident Music Director at the Luzerne Music Center. In 2001, he won First Prize in the Dell’Arte di Firenze International Conducting Competition, and made his European conducting debut in Florence. In 1995, Kurtz made his international operatic debut in Tel Aviv while working as a staff conductor at the Israel Vocal Arts Institute. In 1997, he conducted the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s educational tour production of The Best of Puccini. He was a scholarship conducting student at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival, and boasts numerous other conducting credits, including the Pennsylvania Opera Theater, the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Charlotte Symphony, Gonzaga Symphony, and the Ocean City Pops.
Kurtz completed his doctoral studies in conducting at the Peabody Conservatory and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Virginia where he received his master’s degree in music history and a bachelor of arts in music and drama. His theater concentration was in stage directing and play-writing. A native of Philadelphia, Kurtz has called Southwest Florida home for more than 30 years, where he currently resides with his wife, Julie, and their son, Benjamin.
D.J. Salisbury
DJ Salisbury (Director-Choreographer) has set shows nationwide: Paper Mill Playhouse, Dallas Summer Musicals, Orlando Shakespeare, Arkansas Shakespeare, Sacramento Music Circus, Lyric Theatre of OK, Ogunquit Playhouse, Musical Theatre West-LA, Pioneer Theatre in Salt Lake City, Riverside Theatre -Florida, and Off-Broadway (CHIX 6). Audiences in Bogatá, Colombia have also enjoyed his work. Favorite directing experiences: Les Miserables (LA’s Scenie Award -best musical),The Full Monty, Man of La Mancha, Evita, Ragtime, West Side Story, La Cage Aux Folles, and The Will Rogers Follies (10 productions!). In NYC, DJ directed Disney composer Alan Menken’s Lincoln Center solo concert as well as numerous readings of new musicals. He’s also worked with or alongside Broadway masters Tommy Tune, Jeff Calhoun, Jerry Mitchell, and Susan Stroman. TV Choreography: ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars Road Trip,” and The Rachael Ray Show. As writer: musicals The Man Who Would Be King; Moonshine and Mistletoe; Poodleful!,Whisper Darkly, and Together Again at the O-Town Canteen. DJ was head writer/lyricist for an Emmy-winning TV special starring Reba McIntyre, Shirley Jones, Carrie Underwood, and Vince Gill. Thank you for supporting live theatre! www.djsalisbury.com
Julie Bearden Carver
Julie Bearden Carver is a professional musical director, voice and acting coach, orchestrator and arranger. Julie made her Broadway debut playing Piano 1 for Mary Poppins at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City and has accompanied Actors Equity Association principal and ensemble auditions and classes at New York University and Barnard-Columbia. At the Juilliard School and Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center) and the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra (Florida) Julie has played with notable conductors, composers and vocalists that include Andrea Bocelli, Bernadette Peters, Eric Whitacre, and others.
As Founding Artistic Director of The Callback Company, Julie prepares vocalists for a variety of performances, competitions, and college auditions. This consulting service also hosts Broadway talent who provide masterclasses in musical theatre and acting to her students. Her roster of piano and voice students have been accepted to the most prestigious college voice, piano, and musical theatre programs across the country. Julie’s wide experience includes vocal coaching in Chicago, Naples, Florida and New York City with singung actors from the stages of the Metropolitan Opera, Broadway, national tours and regional productions.
As a collaborative pianist, Julie has performed concerts with Richard Tucker 2015 Award-winner and 2013 Cardiff Singer of the World, Jamie Barton, world-renown soprano Indra Thomas, and soprano Dr. Jeanie Darnell, the head of vocal studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. Julie regularly accompanies the Atlanta SETC/USITT Auditions and judges regional Literary events including solo and ensemble categories as well as dramatic interpretation. As a ballet accompanist, Julie has played for classes at University of Illinois and the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. In Rome, Georgia, she served as the choral master for the February 2017 presentation of Rosini’s La Cenerentola, co-produced by the Rome Symphony Orchestra and Peach State Opera and the future presentation of Bryan Wilbur Grundstrom’s Children of Zeus.
Musical direction credits include her own revue “It’s the Talk of the Town: The Music of Jerry Livingston” at the Laurie Beachman and Triad Theatres in New York City as well as multiple local and regional productions including Berry College Theatre Company’s production of Dogfight, The Fantasticks for the Rome Shakespeare Festival, Matilda and The Spongebob Musical for The Grand Theatre. Former college positions range from Adjunct Instructor of piano and voice to Assistant Professor and Musical Theatre Specialist. Most recently, she was staff accompanist and musical director for Berry College and vocal coach/accompanist for Kennesaw State University’s Department of Theatre and Performance Studies in Spring 2021.
Julie’s new orchestrations and music for Rome Shakespeare Festival’s production of Two Gentlemen of Verona were premiered in 2018. A Shakespeare Cabaret, starring Indra Thomas, Sherri Sutton, and Jill Hames with music compiled and arranged by Julie Carver, was premiered in May 2021.
Julie has recently relocated to Southwest Florida with her husband Bryan, three children, and a furchild named Mochi.
Amy McCleary
Amy McCleary has been working in the arts in SWFL for close to twenty years. Over the past two decades she has performed, choreographed, taught and directed for Broadway Palm, Florida Rep, Big Arts, Naples Performing Arts Center and Alliance for the Arts. She serves as the resident director and choreographer at Broadway Palm where she most recently staged their production of Elf to rave reviews. Other highlights include Mamma Mia, Saturday Night Fever, Grease, White Christmas, Footloose and Escape to Margaritaville. Many thanks to Andrew, Julie and this delightful group of “snowbirds”. Instagram: @directlyamy
Tricia Hennessy
Tricia Hennessy is a local performer, choreographer, stage manager, and costume designer. She is the former owner of Empower Dance & Athletic Wear in Cape Coral as well as the custom dance costume designer at Twisted Stitches. She is thrilled to join the production team for Snowbird Follies with Gulf Cast Symphony. Tricia would like to thank Andrew, Julie, and DJ for the opportunity and fantastic experience.
Jay Weddle
Jay Weddle is a lighting designer who has worked with various genres including musical and straight theatre, dance, and live events. Jay is currently a senior at Florida Gulf Coast University and will hold a B.A. in Theatre by Fall 2025. Previously they have earned the Audio Technology and Stage Technology certificates at Florida SouthWestern State College where they also currently work as a Faculty Assistant/Assistant Technical Director for the Florida SouthWestern State College Theatre and Fine Arts department. Previous works include Light/Sound/and co-Properties design for Peter and the Starcatcher at Florida SouthWestern State College Black box Theatre, Assistant Lighting Designer for Heather the Musical at Florida Gulf Coast University, and various lighting designs for Dance Bochette.
Composers
Guest Artists
Swearingen & Kelli
Swearingen & Kelli
In addition to their successful careers as established songwriters with multiple albums, the duo is also on a mission to share this iconic music with audiences around the country. Both artists were heavily inspired by the great 70s singer-songwriters and their ability to channel the sounds of that era are immediately apparent at when you hear them perform live.
The duo’s brand new album, Cold-Hearted Truth, bridges the gap between folk singers and country rebels. Recorded in a series of live takes with Grammy Award-winning producer Mitch Dane (Jars of Clay, JJ Heller, The Blind Boys of Alabama), this third LP has been featured on Americana Highways, Cowboys and Indians, and Red Line Roots.
Swearingen & Kelli have shared the stage with artists including David Bromberg, Crystal Gayle and Kenny Rogers. Swearingen’s song “You’re Not Here With Me” was recorded by folk icon Tom Rush featuring Nanci Griffith on his album, What I Know.
More on Swearingen & Kelli: www.swearingenandkelli.com
Hannah Cruz
Hannah Cruz
Hannah is 16 years old and is in her sophomore year at Bishop Verot HighSchool. Performing has always been her passion and her little 3 year-old self would be so proud to see how far she has come! She has done a variety of shows in a variety of places including at school, Florida Rep, Gypsy Playhouse, Fort Myers Theatre, & Broadway Palm. Some of her performing credits include — Miss Jones – How to Succeed in Business… (Verot), Katherine – Newsies Jr (Fl Rep), Little Gloria – On Your Feet (Broadway Palm), & Carmen Diaz – Fame! (FMT). She is beyond excited to be apart of this show! She would like to thank her family, teachers, & everyone who supports her in doing what she loves!
Hope you enjoy the show! 🙂
@hannah.cruz03
Cara Chumbley
Cara Chumbley
Cara is so excited to be here at Gulf Coast Symphony. This is her third time in Nunsense, but her first time playing Robert Anne! Cara recently moved from Chicago to New York City and has been performing regionally for years. She would like to thank her parents, friends and family for all their love and support. All my love to my 20lb cat Guinness. Enjoy the show!
Carachumbley.com
Kiki Sanchez
Kiki Sanchez
The extraordinarily Peruvian producer, composer, arranger, educator and pianist Luis Enrique “Kiki” Sanchez can capture the hearts of many through his variations of skillful and unique style that have filled the airwaves with a distinctive blend of soulful jazz, tropical, and afro-Peruvian fusion. This gifted musician was born and raised in Lima, Peru where he studied piano with Coco Macedo and Edermi Chavez and started playing professionally at the age of 11. He became a well-rounded musician by playing with his father’s band “Orquesta Majestic” doing corporate venues in Lima. Later he moved to Miami, FL where he has worked with several Jazz and Latin Jazz Artists. He continued to expand his knowledge and education at the Florida Atlantic University where Sanchez earned a Master Degree in Music Composition.
As an educator, Sanchez has also released an Educational DVD titled “The Real Latin Piano and Introduction to Afro-Peruvian Rhythms” (2009) published by ADG Productions and the book “The Real Latin Piano Book” published in 2012 by ADG Productions. Kiki has been doing music clinics and workshops in the States and overseas. He is currently a Music professor at Miami Dade College and also he has been teaching music technology courses at Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Sanchez is very active as an artist, producer, arranger, educator, and pianist. He performed at the inauguration of the Larry Rosen “Jazz Roots” at the Arsht Center in Miami, FL. He also has been the music director of several musical theaters in South Florida. Kiki also has performed in several Jazz Festivals such as: Montreux, St. Lucia, Grenada, Ohio Jazz and Rib and others. He also has been the music director for “Noches Tropicales” Jazz series at Miami Dade County Auditorium. Recently, Sanchez has been performing locally and overseas, during the summer of 2015, he performed at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, CA, Instituto Cervantes in New York, Centro Cultural Kichner in Buenos Aires, Argentina and several other places. Kiki is also the Music Outreach Director of Beauliere Academy of Music in Haiti, where he goes every summer to provide music education.
Kiki was the Director of Music Department at Hurst Chapel A.M.E Church in Riviera Beach, Florida and currently he is the Director of Music Department at Ebenezer United Methodist Church located in Miami, Florida.
In the near future Kiki plans to release two Latin Jazz singles titled “Sanchez’s Blues” and “It is a Peruvian Thing” by Diola Entertainment. Additionally he will also release two other Gospel singles “I Praise You Lord” and “I Want to Give You My Best”.
Finally, Sanchez is so exciting about his 501C3 Non-Profit Organization “PW (Praise and Worship) for the Arts” where the mission is to help and provide music education to kids from less fortunate families and communities. One of Sanchez' dreams is to make a difference through Arts/Music education and to expose its benefits through “PW for the Arts” journey.
Ruth Stokes
Ruth Stokes
Ruth Stokes is a cellist invested in musical collaboration and innovation. Her playing is characterized by a rich, passionate sound and dynamic interpretations. Currently Ruth is working and studying at Penn State University as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for cello and a Master’s student in cello performance. Originally from Minnesota, she received her Bachelor’s degree in 2022 from Frost School of Music at the University of Miami where she was a Stamps Distinguished Ensemble Scholar with the Stamps String Quartet from 2018-2022.
Throughout her undergraduate degree Ruth performed extensively throughout South Florida as well as in New York, South Carolina, and Georgia with the Stamps Quartet. She has spent the summers at music festivals in Ohio, Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, California, and Pennsylvania, as well as overseas in Germany and Poland.
Ruth has been playing as a principal of the Chamber and Philharmonic Orchestras at Penn State School of Music and won the 2023 Penn State Concerto Competition playing Ernest Bloch’s Schelomo. She also currently plays with the Altoona and Williamsport Symphony Orchestras, and performs solo, chamber, and outreach concerts. Ruth has taught at Penn State since fall 2022 and teaches outside the school both privately and as a faculty member at the State College Academy of Music. She has also recently given performance classes at Concordia Academy in MN and Altoona Area High School in PA.
Ruth’s recent projects include performing Shades for solo cello by Daijana Wallace for the Penn State African American Music Festival, Tan Dun’s Elegy: Snow in June for solo cello and percussion ensemble, Postludium DSCH by Valentin Silvestrov for a Ukrainian sister city benefit concert, ensemble performances featuring piano quartets and trios by Chausson, Brahms, and Mahler, and premieres of both solo and ensemble works by student composers at Penn State. Ruth is currently at work on a variety of fresh solo and chamber projects.
Natalie Brouwer
Natalie Brouwer
Natalie Brouwer is thrilled to be in her first show at Gulf Coast Symphony! She performs professionally as an actor & singer throughout the east coast, and recently made SWFL her permanent base. Some recent shows include I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Players Circle Theatre), Miracle on 34th Street (Beach Street Repertory Theatre), Bright Star and Working: The Musical (Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre), and multiple singing engagements with Brian Gurl Productions. MFA in Acting ‘16 (UNC Greensboro). Big thank you to this wonderful and dedicated cast and crew! Special thanks to MM and her family & friends.
Eliette Rogers
Eliette Rogers
Eliette Rogers is a performer living in the Florida panhandle. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a BA in Theatre Performance and a minor in Videography. This is Eliettes first time performing with the Gulf Coast Symphony, and she is so excited to be a part of this show! Some of her credits include touring the U.S with Bright Star Touring Theatre, playing a dancer/combatant in Unto These Hills, Daniela in In The Heights, Anita in West Side Story, and a Dynamite in HairSpray! Special thanks to her faith, family, and friends.
Avalyn Calandra
Avalyn Calandra
Avalyn is delighted to be performing in the Gulf Coast Symphony’s production of Gypsy. Recent credits include Susan Waverly in White Christmas, Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka, Jr., and Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Jr. She is a 7th grade student and attends Middle School in Cape Coral, FL. Avalyn thanks her family and friends for all their ongoing support.
Patrece Bloomfield
Patrece Bloomfield
Patrece is excited to make her debut on this stage. When not working on a production for theater or her craft as an actress in film and TV, you can find her casting spells as Celestina Warbeck, the “Singing Sorceress” in Diagon Alleyat Universal Studios.
Patrece has co-starred on HBO’s “The Outsider”, portrayed “Delores Van Cartier” in “Sister Act”, portrayed Armelia in “Aint Mis-Behavin”, performed multiple cabarets, and her favorite role to date, portraying the legendary “Billie Holiday” in “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” at The Dr. Phillips performing arts center. Patrece is grateful to the support of her loving family and friends.
Whitney Grace
Whitney Grace
Whitney Grace, a Punta Gorda native, has been giving audiences the old Bazazz since she was 5 years old. Whitney’s journey has taken her across the vibrant stages of Florida’s regional theaters. She was most recently seen playing the role of Sister Hubert in the musical Nunsense with the Gulf Coast Symphony.
Whitney’s star has also shone brightly at esteemed venues like Palm Beach Dramaworks in The Science of Leaving Omaha (Ruth Ellen), the Maltz Jupiter Theater in Hairspray, Mamma Mia, and How to Succeed.., Gablestage in White Guy on the Bus (Molly), The Wick Theatre in Milk and Honey (Barbara), Cinderella (Gabrielle), Brigadoon, Crazy For You, and West Side Story (Minnie), TheatreZone in The Secret Garden (Martha), and The Show Palace in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Sarah).
Rave reviews have poured in for Whitney’s captivating one-woman cabaret musicals. “Showstopper: A Love Letter To Broadway” and “The Lullaby of Broadway: A Tribute to the City That Never Sleeps” have taken audiences on unforgettable journeys through the magic of song. Her cabaret shows, filled with heart and soul, have graced stages such as Cape Cabaret, The Ascot Experience, The Charlotte Harbor Events Center, and prestigious country clubs throughout Florida. In 2022, Whitney won the ‘Punta Gorda Chamber’s Got Talent’ Show, further solidifying her reputation as a dynamic and captivating performer.
Currently, Whitney is immersed in rehearsals for the upcoming production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, where she is set to embody the role of Judy Haynes with the Fort Myers Theatre. The show will open November 30th and will tour in Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, and Marco Island.
Beyond the spotlight, She also owns and operates Growing With Grace Studios; a performing arts school nestled in Arcadia, FL. A homeschool graduate and alumna of Palm Beach Atlantic University, Whitney’s commitment to excellence was acknowledged with the prestigious Women of Distinction Award. With gratitude in her heart, she extends special thanks to her director Mark, her parents Tom and Linda, her fiancé Daniel, and the Lord. For sweet Myra. Psalm 77:11-12
Whitney Grace, a Punta Gorda native, has been giving audiences the old Bazazz since she was 5 years old. Whitney’s journey has taken her across the vibrant stages of Florida’s regional theaters. She was most recently seen playing the role of Sister Hubert in the musical Nunsense with the Gulf Coast Symphony.
Whitney’s star has also shone brightly at esteemed venues like Palm Beach Dramaworks in The Science of Leaving Omaha (Ruth Ellen), the Maltz Jupiter Theater in Hairspray, Mamma Mia, and How to Succeed.., Gablestage in White Guy on the Bus (Molly), The Wick Theatre in Milk and Honey (Barbara), Cinderella (Gabrielle), Brigadoon, Crazy For You, and West Side Story (Minnie), TheatreZone in The Secret Garden (Martha), and The Show Palace in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Sarah).
Rave reviews have poured in for Whitney’s captivating one-woman cabaret musicals. “Showstopper: A Love Letter To Broadway” and “The Lullaby of Broadway: A Tribute to the City That Never Sleeps” have taken audiences on unforgettable journeys through the magic of song. Her cabaret shows, filled with heart and soul, have graced stages such as Cape Cabaret, The Ascot Experience, The Charlotte Harbor Events Center, and prestigious country clubs throughout Florida. In 2022, Whitney won the ‘Punta Gorda Chamber’s Got Talent’ Show, further solidifying her reputation as a dynamic and captivating performer.
Currently, Whitney is immersed in rehearsals for the upcoming production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, where she is set to embody the role of Judy Haynes with the Fort Myers Theatre. The show will open November 30th and will tour in Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, and Marco Island.
Beyond the spotlight, She also owns and operates Growing With Grace Studios; a performing arts school nestled in Arcadia, FL. A homeschool graduate and alumna of Palm Beach Atlantic University, Whitney’s commitment to excellence was acknowledged with the prestigious Women of Distinction Award. With gratitude in her heart, she extends special thanks to her director Mark, her parents Tom and Linda, her fiancé Daniel, and the Lord. For sweet Myra. Psalm 77:11-12
Production Team
Swearingen & Kelli
Swearingen & Kelli
In addition to their successful careers as established songwriters with multiple albums, the duo is also on a mission to share this iconic music with audiences around the country. Both artists were heavily inspired by the great 70s singer-songwriters and their ability to channel the sounds of that era are immediately apparent at when you hear them perform live.
The duo’s brand new album, Cold-Hearted Truth, bridges the gap between folk singers and country rebels. Recorded in a series of live takes with Grammy Award-winning producer Mitch Dane (Jars of Clay, JJ Heller, The Blind Boys of Alabama), this third LP has been featured on Americana Highways, Cowboys and Indians, and Red Line Roots.
Swearingen & Kelli have shared the stage with artists including David Bromberg, Crystal Gayle and Kenny Rogers. Swearingen’s song “You’re Not Here With Me” was recorded by folk icon Tom Rush featuring Nanci Griffith on his album, What I Know.
More on Swearingen & Kelli: www.swearingenandkelli.com
Hannah Cruz
Hannah Cruz
Hannah is 16 years old and is in her sophomore year at Bishop Verot HighSchool. Performing has always been her passion and her little 3 year-old self would be so proud to see how far she has come! She has done a variety of shows in a variety of places including at school, Florida Rep, Gypsy Playhouse, Fort Myers Theatre, & Broadway Palm. Some of her performing credits include — Miss Jones – How to Succeed in Business… (Verot), Katherine – Newsies Jr (Fl Rep), Little Gloria – On Your Feet (Broadway Palm), & Carmen Diaz – Fame! (FMT). She is beyond excited to be apart of this show! She would like to thank her family, teachers, & everyone who supports her in doing what she loves!
Hope you enjoy the show! 🙂
@hannah.cruz03
Cara Chumbley
Cara Chumbley
Cara is so excited to be here at Gulf Coast Symphony. This is her third time in Nunsense, but her first time playing Robert Anne! Cara recently moved from Chicago to New York City and has been performing regionally for years. She would like to thank her parents, friends and family for all their love and support. All my love to my 20lb cat Guinness. Enjoy the show!
Carachumbley.com
Kiki Sanchez
Kiki Sanchez
The extraordinarily Peruvian producer, composer, arranger, educator and pianist Luis Enrique “Kiki” Sanchez can capture the hearts of many through his variations of skillful and unique style that have filled the airwaves with a distinctive blend of soulful jazz, tropical, and afro-Peruvian fusion. This gifted musician was born and raised in Lima, Peru where he studied piano with Coco Macedo and Edermi Chavez and started playing professionally at the age of 11. He became a well-rounded musician by playing with his father’s band “Orquesta Majestic” doing corporate venues in Lima. Later he moved to Miami, FL where he has worked with several Jazz and Latin Jazz Artists. He continued to expand his knowledge and education at the Florida Atlantic University where Sanchez earned a Master Degree in Music Composition.
As an educator, Sanchez has also released an Educational DVD titled “The Real Latin Piano and Introduction to Afro-Peruvian Rhythms” (2009) published by ADG Productions and the book “The Real Latin Piano Book” published in 2012 by ADG Productions. Kiki has been doing music clinics and workshops in the States and overseas. He is currently a Music professor at Miami Dade College and also he has been teaching music technology courses at Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Sanchez is very active as an artist, producer, arranger, educator, and pianist. He performed at the inauguration of the Larry Rosen “Jazz Roots” at the Arsht Center in Miami, FL. He also has been the music director of several musical theaters in South Florida. Kiki also has performed in several Jazz Festivals such as: Montreux, St. Lucia, Grenada, Ohio Jazz and Rib and others. He also has been the music director for “Noches Tropicales” Jazz series at Miami Dade County Auditorium. Recently, Sanchez has been performing locally and overseas, during the summer of 2015, he performed at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, CA, Instituto Cervantes in New York, Centro Cultural Kichner in Buenos Aires, Argentina and several other places. Kiki is also the Music Outreach Director of Beauliere Academy of Music in Haiti, where he goes every summer to provide music education.
Kiki was the Director of Music Department at Hurst Chapel A.M.E Church in Riviera Beach, Florida and currently he is the Director of Music Department at Ebenezer United Methodist Church located in Miami, Florida.
In the near future Kiki plans to release two Latin Jazz singles titled “Sanchez’s Blues” and “It is a Peruvian Thing” by Diola Entertainment. Additionally he will also release two other Gospel singles “I Praise You Lord” and “I Want to Give You My Best”.
Finally, Sanchez is so exciting about his 501C3 Non-Profit Organization “PW (Praise and Worship) for the Arts” where the mission is to help and provide music education to kids from less fortunate families and communities. One of Sanchez' dreams is to make a difference through Arts/Music education and to expose its benefits through “PW for the Arts” journey.
Ruth Stokes
Ruth Stokes
Ruth Stokes is a cellist invested in musical collaboration and innovation. Her playing is characterized by a rich, passionate sound and dynamic interpretations. Currently Ruth is working and studying at Penn State University as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for cello and a Master’s student in cello performance. Originally from Minnesota, she received her Bachelor’s degree in 2022 from Frost School of Music at the University of Miami where she was a Stamps Distinguished Ensemble Scholar with the Stamps String Quartet from 2018-2022.
Throughout her undergraduate degree Ruth performed extensively throughout South Florida as well as in New York, South Carolina, and Georgia with the Stamps Quartet. She has spent the summers at music festivals in Ohio, Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, California, and Pennsylvania, as well as overseas in Germany and Poland.
Ruth has been playing as a principal of the Chamber and Philharmonic Orchestras at Penn State School of Music and won the 2023 Penn State Concerto Competition playing Ernest Bloch’s Schelomo. She also currently plays with the Altoona and Williamsport Symphony Orchestras, and performs solo, chamber, and outreach concerts. Ruth has taught at Penn State since fall 2022 and teaches outside the school both privately and as a faculty member at the State College Academy of Music. She has also recently given performance classes at Concordia Academy in MN and Altoona Area High School in PA.
Ruth’s recent projects include performing Shades for solo cello by Daijana Wallace for the Penn State African American Music Festival, Tan Dun’s Elegy: Snow in June for solo cello and percussion ensemble, Postludium DSCH by Valentin Silvestrov for a Ukrainian sister city benefit concert, ensemble performances featuring piano quartets and trios by Chausson, Brahms, and Mahler, and premieres of both solo and ensemble works by student composers at Penn State. Ruth is currently at work on a variety of fresh solo and chamber projects.
Natalie Brouwer
Natalie Brouwer
Natalie Brouwer is thrilled to be in her first show at Gulf Coast Symphony! She performs professionally as an actor & singer throughout the east coast, and recently made SWFL her permanent base. Some recent shows include I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Players Circle Theatre), Miracle on 34th Street (Beach Street Repertory Theatre), Bright Star and Working: The Musical (Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre), and multiple singing engagements with Brian Gurl Productions. MFA in Acting ‘16 (UNC Greensboro). Big thank you to this wonderful and dedicated cast and crew! Special thanks to MM and her family & friends.
Eliette Rogers
Eliette Rogers
Eliette Rogers is a performer living in the Florida panhandle. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a BA in Theatre Performance and a minor in Videography. This is Eliettes first time performing with the Gulf Coast Symphony, and she is so excited to be a part of this show! Some of her credits include touring the U.S with Bright Star Touring Theatre, playing a dancer/combatant in Unto These Hills, Daniela in In The Heights, Anita in West Side Story, and a Dynamite in HairSpray! Special thanks to her faith, family, and friends.
Avalyn Calandra
Avalyn Calandra
Avalyn is delighted to be performing in the Gulf Coast Symphony’s production of Gypsy. Recent credits include Susan Waverly in White Christmas, Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka, Jr., and Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Jr. She is a 7th grade student and attends Middle School in Cape Coral, FL. Avalyn thanks her family and friends for all their ongoing support.
Patrece Bloomfield
Patrece Bloomfield
Patrece is excited to make her debut on this stage. When not working on a production for theater or her craft as an actress in film and TV, you can find her casting spells as Celestina Warbeck, the “Singing Sorceress” in Diagon Alleyat Universal Studios.
Patrece has co-starred on HBO’s “The Outsider”, portrayed “Delores Van Cartier” in “Sister Act”, portrayed Armelia in “Aint Mis-Behavin”, performed multiple cabarets, and her favorite role to date, portraying the legendary “Billie Holiday” in “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” at The Dr. Phillips performing arts center. Patrece is grateful to the support of her loving family and friends.
Whitney Grace
Whitney Grace
Whitney Grace, a Punta Gorda native, has been giving audiences the old Bazazz since she was 5 years old. Whitney’s journey has taken her across the vibrant stages of Florida’s regional theaters. She was most recently seen playing the role of Sister Hubert in the musical Nunsense with the Gulf Coast Symphony.
Whitney’s star has also shone brightly at esteemed venues like Palm Beach Dramaworks in The Science of Leaving Omaha (Ruth Ellen), the Maltz Jupiter Theater in Hairspray, Mamma Mia, and How to Succeed.., Gablestage in White Guy on the Bus (Molly), The Wick Theatre in Milk and Honey (Barbara), Cinderella (Gabrielle), Brigadoon, Crazy For You, and West Side Story (Minnie), TheatreZone in The Secret Garden (Martha), and The Show Palace in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Sarah).
Rave reviews have poured in for Whitney’s captivating one-woman cabaret musicals. “Showstopper: A Love Letter To Broadway” and “The Lullaby of Broadway: A Tribute to the City That Never Sleeps” have taken audiences on unforgettable journeys through the magic of song. Her cabaret shows, filled with heart and soul, have graced stages such as Cape Cabaret, The Ascot Experience, The Charlotte Harbor Events Center, and prestigious country clubs throughout Florida. In 2022, Whitney won the ‘Punta Gorda Chamber’s Got Talent’ Show, further solidifying her reputation as a dynamic and captivating performer.
Currently, Whitney is immersed in rehearsals for the upcoming production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, where she is set to embody the role of Judy Haynes with the Fort Myers Theatre. The show will open November 30th and will tour in Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, and Marco Island.
Beyond the spotlight, She also owns and operates Growing With Grace Studios; a performing arts school nestled in Arcadia, FL. A homeschool graduate and alumna of Palm Beach Atlantic University, Whitney’s commitment to excellence was acknowledged with the prestigious Women of Distinction Award. With gratitude in her heart, she extends special thanks to her director Mark, her parents Tom and Linda, her fiancé Daniel, and the Lord. For sweet Myra. Psalm 77:11-12
Whitney Grace, a Punta Gorda native, has been giving audiences the old Bazazz since she was 5 years old. Whitney’s journey has taken her across the vibrant stages of Florida’s regional theaters. She was most recently seen playing the role of Sister Hubert in the musical Nunsense with the Gulf Coast Symphony.
Whitney’s star has also shone brightly at esteemed venues like Palm Beach Dramaworks in The Science of Leaving Omaha (Ruth Ellen), the Maltz Jupiter Theater in Hairspray, Mamma Mia, and How to Succeed.., Gablestage in White Guy on the Bus (Molly), The Wick Theatre in Milk and Honey (Barbara), Cinderella (Gabrielle), Brigadoon, Crazy For You, and West Side Story (Minnie), TheatreZone in The Secret Garden (Martha), and The Show Palace in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Sarah).
Rave reviews have poured in for Whitney’s captivating one-woman cabaret musicals. “Showstopper: A Love Letter To Broadway” and “The Lullaby of Broadway: A Tribute to the City That Never Sleeps” have taken audiences on unforgettable journeys through the magic of song. Her cabaret shows, filled with heart and soul, have graced stages such as Cape Cabaret, The Ascot Experience, The Charlotte Harbor Events Center, and prestigious country clubs throughout Florida. In 2022, Whitney won the ‘Punta Gorda Chamber’s Got Talent’ Show, further solidifying her reputation as a dynamic and captivating performer.
Currently, Whitney is immersed in rehearsals for the upcoming production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, where she is set to embody the role of Judy Haynes with the Fort Myers Theatre. The show will open November 30th and will tour in Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, and Marco Island.
Beyond the spotlight, She also owns and operates Growing With Grace Studios; a performing arts school nestled in Arcadia, FL. A homeschool graduate and alumna of Palm Beach Atlantic University, Whitney’s commitment to excellence was acknowledged with the prestigious Women of Distinction Award. With gratitude in her heart, she extends special thanks to her director Mark, her parents Tom and Linda, her fiancé Daniel, and the Lord. For sweet Myra. Psalm 77:11-12
Tentative Program
Back this holiday season by popular demand, Snowbird Follies was conceived and created by our own Maestro Andrew Kurtz, with original musical arrangements created by Julie Carver. This show was also written, in part, by the renowned director and writer DJ Salisbury.
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