APRIL 2008
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CARNEGIE HALL: Fred's symphonic orchestration of Billy Joel's "She's Got A Way" will be performed by Michael Cavanaugh and the New York Pops Orchestra, Monday, April 28, at Carnegie Hall. The concert celebrates the 25th anniversary of the New York Pops, and will be conducted by maestro Steve Reineke. |
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In May, Fred will appear as a top banana in the workshop performances of Phillip George's new burlesque revue, Burly-Q, in development at the AMAS Theatre. Fred is writing a new title song, and his song "I'm Of Two Minds" (depicting Siamese Twins with a bisexual identity crisis) will return, along with his 11:00 number, "I Loved The Cruise" (a paean to Old Gay New York, when it was fun.) The latter was written 24 hours before the first public reading, and brought down the house. |
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THE TWO SVENGALIS (music & lyrics by Fred, book by Fred and Toni DiBuono) will be presented by The Richmond Triangle Players in May-June, 2008. The Richmond Triangle Players previously produced a production of Fred's MISS GULCH RETURNS!, and states in their latest publicity: "Robert Throckmorton in Miss Gulch Returns! was one of our most successful and hilarious productions." |
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Sheila Nevins and Patti Kaplan produced this musical special, with musical numbers staged by Fred's longtime collaborator, Scott Thompson. Fred played, led the band, and even sang a duet with... well, see the DVD. Note: NOT for children of any ages! |
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FRED'S LATEST TELEVISION WORK:
• The Magic Schoolbus continues to air world-wide, scored by Fred and head composer Peter Lurye (produced by Scholastic.) |
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THE TWO SVENGALIS (music & lyrics by Fred, book by Fred and Toni DiBuono) will be presented by The Richmond Triangle Players in May-June, 2008. The Richmond Triangle Players previously produced a production of Fred's MISS GULCH RETURNS!, and states in their latest publicity: "Robert Throckmorton in Miss Gulch Returns! was one of our most successful and hilarious productions." |
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THE INDIANAPOLIS POPS ORCHESTRA: • Fred just completed orchestrations for a new concert of Billy Joel music, starring Michael Cavanaugh of Broadway's Movin' Out. The concert premiered with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in early April, was greeted with a standing ovation, and is booked for fifteen cities around the country in the upcoming months. Fred orchestrated a number of the best-known pop songs, as well as Billy Joel's "Waltz No. 1" from "Fantasies And Delusions." • Fred is currently preparing orchestrations for the Indianapolis Pops' new concert production, "Disco Days and Boogie Nights," which premieres the first week in May, and highlights the pop music of the Seventies. • Fred recently contributed three major orchestrations for the Indianapolis Pops' annual Yuletide Celebration starring Sandi Patty and the African Children's Choir, playing through Christmas. Fred arranged and orchestrated "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" for Sandi Patty and Ben Utecht, the starting tight end of the Indianapolis Colts (and he sings even better than he plays.) This annual event is an enormous show, with a large chorus, guest artists, sets, costumes, tap-dancing Santas – and it snows in the house... Fred is also at work orchestrating the 2008 concerts, which include a symphonic tribute to Billy Joel, starring Michael Cavanaugh, with a new concert of Seventies pop music premiering in May. • Last April, Fred appeared as featured performer in the Indy Pops production Pops Goes British, with Jack Everly conducting the Edmonton Symphony. Fred's fellow performers were Judy McLane (Mamma Mia, Johnny Guitar), Ted Keegan (The Phantom Of The Opera), Jennifer Schrader (Beauty And The Beast), and a howlingly funny Gwendolyn Jones. Fred sang Ivor Novello's "And Her Mother Came To," "The Lambeth Walk," "Don't Put Your Daughter On The Stage, Mrs. Worthington," and launched Act Two with a seven-minute medley of songs about London, bringing the vast theatre to a hush with Noel Coward's "London Pride." The sold-out houses greeted the concert with immediate standing ovations.
• Fred served as Associate Orchestrator and Music Associate for the Indianapolis Pops' new concert, Sandi Patty's Broadway, featuring the terrific Sandi Patty, backed by the shimmering Indianapolis Pops Orchestra and Chorus (Jack Everly, conductor.) Fred arranged and orchestrated a new medley called "Doll Sings The Guys," in which Sandi Patty sang all the male roles she'll never get to play; and the Steve & Eydie version of "Together Wherever We Go," performed by Sandy and her husband. • Fred's three major orchestrations for the Indianapolis Pops Orchestra's Baby Boomers concert continue to be played by symphony orchestras around the country in 2008. Fred's thirty minutes of orchestration include a massive Four Seasons medley, a Girl Group medley, and Fred created a six-minute Entr'acte, "Symphonic Sounds Of The Sixties," which brings down the house at the top of Act Two. • Jack Everly continues to conduct Fred's arrangement and orchestration of "How Did He Look/Cry Me A River" (sung by Karen Murphy) with Pops orchestras around the country, as part of the Indianapolis Pops' Nifty Fifties production. |
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Fred arranged and music-directed Scott Siegel's sell-out concert Broadway Originals at New York's Town Hall on October 21. The program featured twenty Broadway personalities recreating songs they introduced in the original productions or Broadway revivals. Anita Gillette recreated Irving Berlin's "Secret Service" from Mr. President, 1962, and at Fred's urging, the zany "Oh Gee!" from 1970's Jimmy. The indomitable George S. Irving recreated "I'm A-Tingle, I'm Aglow" which he introduced in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes a mere 58 years ago; he encored with "The Butler's Song" from So Long, 174th St. (1976). The exquisite Taina Elg recreated the title song from Nine (1982); Jill O'Hara sang her hit "I'll Never Fall In Love Again," which she introduced almost 40 years ago in Promises, Promises. André De Shields recreated "So You Wanted To See The Wizard" from The Wiz (1974), and time stood still as Susan Bigelow recreated her intense performancte of "Just A Housewife" from Working (1978). George S. Irving wasn't the only original cast member of Oklahoma! in the house; Celeste Holm was introduced in the audience and greeted with a standing ovation. Among the other Broadway Originals were Alan Campbell, Karen Mason, Ken Jennings, Jerry Dixon, Joan Copeland, Barbara Walsh, David Miller, Brad Oscar, Jill O'Hara, Willy Falk, and Martin Vidnovic with Catherine Cox. Fred completed all the arrangements for his five-piece band in six days. |
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Fred, Nora Mae, and Gerard appeared on Sirius Radio in January, performing unrecorded songs from the original 1982 production and telling anecdotes from that distant day when a trio of friends put on a club act in a piano bar and created a show business phenomenon. |
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Rave reviews greeted Fred's work as arranger and music director of A Night At The Operetta at New York's Town Hall on July 16, the first of three concerts comprising Scott Siegel's Broadway Summer Festival. Performers included Marc Kudisch, Christiane Noll, Rebecca Eichenberger, Mark Jacoby, Sarah Jane McMahon, Karen Murphy, John Easterlin, Paul Schoeffler, Doug Ladnier, William Michals, Milla Ilieva, Manu Narayan, and Gavin Lee. The evening was directed by Dan Foster. |
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MISS GULCH RETURNS! • Fred Barton's acclaimed CD of his show Miss Gulch Returns! is now available on i-Tunes and thirty other digital download services, including Napster, MP3tunes, and EMusic. It continues to sell at Amazon.com and CD Baby, and at Footlight.com, and you can also find it in selected stores nationwide, and at Dress Circle in London. The liner notes and photographs can be viewed on the Miss Gulch Returns! pages of this site. |
Fred made his HBO debut throughout January, appearing as himself in 
• Fred currently orchestrates and conducts for Nickelodeon's Emmy-nominatted hit show 
• Last June, Fred contributed four huge new orchestrations for the Indianapolis Pops Orchestra's new production, Pops Goes Vegas (Jack Everly, conductor, directed by David Levi and produced by Ty Johnson.) Fred arranged Jerry Herman's "Las Vegas" from Miss Spectacular, a show-stopping orchestral version of "Big Spender," a massive twelve-minute medley of Vegas hits called "Songs From The Strip," and for an 11:00 number, a combination of "My Way" and "I Gotta Be Me" which brought down the house with the sensational Joe Cassidy on the vocal. Cast members also included Allison Briner (Mamma Mia), Martin Preston (with his stunning Liberace act), Brian Dupres (of The Rat Pack Is Back in Vegas), and Scott Beck. Like all the Indy Pops original concerts, Pops Goes Vegas is booked for cities around the country and Canada.