Many accomplished singers headed for local stage tonight

by Dan McClelland

Many folks familiar with the Tupper Lake High School stage but who have been absent from it in recent years will be returning tonight (Wednesday) for what the Tupper Lake Red & Black Players are calling a reunion concert.

The event begins at 7p.m. and it promises to be musically packed.

Some of the returning musicians will be from as current as a year ago to some who performed a decade ago or longer.

Here’s a run-down on some of the talent the audience will find on stage tonight. Some of the singers will be accompanied on piano by Liz Cordes and some will perform to the musical sound track of the song.

Local teacher Danielle LaMere will sing “Gimme, Gimme” from “Thoroughly Modern Millie” which the Red & Black Players did in 2011.

Kendall Davison is all set to sing “Little Girls” from the musical “Annie,” performed on stage here in 2010.

Kirsten Denis will perform “Everybody Loves Louis” from the musical, “Sunday in the Park with George.”

George Cordes, who founded the Red & Black Players over a decade ago with his wife, Liz, will apply his rich bass voice to “The Impossible Dream” from “Man of LaMancha.” He will be accompanied by his wife on piano.

George and Liz’s daughter Annachristi will entertain the crowd that evening with her rendition of “Whatever Happened to My Part,” from “Spamalot.”

Noah Cordes will offer up the lively “Luck Be A Lady,” from the popular “Guys and Dolls,” performed by the Red & Black company in 2018.

“She Used to be Mine” from “Waitress” will be sung by Samantha Brickey, accompanied by Mrs. Cordes.

Bryce Davison will team up with his cousin Noah and maybe a few others to belt out “Mama Says”- one of the favorites from “Footloose,” performed her in 2019.

Laura McGowan, who graduated over 15 years ago, will be back tonight to sing “What I Did For Love,” from “Chorus Line.” She will be accompanied on piano.

Mitchell Jensen will sing the light-hearted “I’m Allergic to Cats,” from “Theory of Relativity,” never performed here.

Another familiar face on the local stage in recent years will be Saide Johnson, performing “Dandelions.”

Laura and Bryce will sing a duet, “I’ll Cover You” from the Broadway hit, “Rent.”

Laura will also be singing with her friend Redia Spada the familiar “Stepsisters Lament” from “Cinderella,” performed here a decade ago.

“Dear Theodosia” from the Broadway musical “Hamilton” will be sung by another duo, Abby St. Onge and Kendall Davison.

Another local pair, Stephanie Fortune and Sophia Martin will put their voices together in harmony when they perform “By My Side,” from “Godspell,” performed here in 2017.

The trio of Annachristi Cordes, Danielle LaMere and Kirsten Denis, accompanied by Mrs. Cordes, will perform “Ladies Who Lunch” from the musical “Company.”

Vocalists Melissa Savage, Morgan Facteau, Jamie Gachowski, Allison Sexton, Maurice Fortune and Amy Wilson are expected to have a lot of fun with “Kids” from “Bye, Bye Birdie,” last performed on stage here 15 years ago.

Rounding out what is expected to be a wonderful musical evening here are two familiar pieces, “Anything Goes” and “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” that will be sung by ensembles of two dozen or more, who will include (not mentioned above) Karen Bujold, Billie Gadway, Andrew Trudeau, Lowden Pratt, Jenna Switzer, Mitchell Baker, Emileigh Smith, Breanna Trombley and Nolan Savage.

While there won’t be an admission charge, the event is actually a fundraiser for needed musical supplies and equipment that the Red & Black Players generally provides its young musicians.

Microphones and head sets for the young performers are in short supply and so all proceeds from the concert will be to buy more of those, according to Liz Cordes, who will be directing the concert with husband George.

Donations of every size are most welcome and together they will go a long ways to helping our students this year and in future years when they are performing on the school stage, Mrs. Cordes told the Free Press in recent weeks.