Helen Welch will perform “Superstar: The Songs. The Stories. The Carpenters” in Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Herod Hall Auditorium at 7 p.m. on March 8 as part of the Northwest Oklahoma Concert Series. The public is welcome to attend the concert with a ticket that may be purchased at the door for $20 for general admission or $5 for students.
This production features more than 20 of the most memorable songs by The Carpenters, the brother and sister duo of Karen and Richard Carpenter, including such classics as “Close to You,” “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Top of the World.”
This show is not a tribute act. It is an original docu-musical with Richard Carpenter’s blessing featuring world-class musicians, fresh arrangements and fascinating backstage stories about the No. 1 American musical act of the 1970s.
Concert series director Kimberly Weast, professor of theatre arts and chair of the department of fine arts at Northwestern, said Welch was recommended by Maestro Douglas Newell, Enid Symphony Orchestra Music Director.
“Helen and I have known each other for about six years now,” Newell said. “She’s an extravagant performer. She performs a well-rounded, diverse performance that involves a wide variety of music.”
Welch is a native of England who began her career on television’s “Romper Room.” Since her early success, she has headlined with world-class organizations such as the BBC Big Band, Glenn Miller Europe, Opus One and others at some of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious venues including: The Ritz, The Savoy, Blenheim Palace, The Grosvenor House Great Room, Claridge’s and many theatres in London’s West End.
Ater a successful streak in the U.K., Welch relocated to the United States to guest star in a Broadway show called “Smokey Joe’s Café.” Following that performance, she landed countless vocalist roles in selected orchestras around the Chicago area. She has had world-class symphony pop arrangements for three of her productions and has performed with many different symphony orchestras throughout the United States and England.
Welch released “Spellbound” in 2016, which was an entry for the Traditional Pop Category of the Grammy Awards.
“She’s an excellent presenter,” Weast said. “Her presentation of ‘The Carpenters’ is even known internationally.”
The reserved seating section for season ticket holders at each concert will be held until five minutes before the performance.
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The Northwest Oklahoma Concert Series is supported by Northwestern, the Oklahoma Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Charles Morton Share Trust.
For more information on “Superstar” visit https://phoenixtalentagency.com/portfolio/superstar or by searching for her on YouTube. Additional information may be provided by Weast at (580) 327- 8462 or kkweast@nwosu.edu.
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