Broadway’s golden era comes alive in “Some Enchanted Evening,” a spectacular tribute to iconic composers and timeless show tunes. Conductor Gregor Reid leads the English Musical Theatre Orchestra in this critically acclaimed production, featuring a 26-piece orchestra and two outstanding vocalists.
The show promises an unforgettable journey through the works of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Lerner & Loewe, and other legendary Broadway composers. Audiences can expect to hear beloved classics from Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, South Pacific, and many more award-winning musicals.
“Some Enchanted Evening” will be performed at Richmond Theatre on Saturday, April 5, 2025, and at Grand Opera House York on Saturday, April 20, 2025. Tickets start from £25 and can be booked at https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/some-enchanted-evening/.
You’re bringing “Some Enchanted Evening” to Richmond Theatre and Grand Opera House York. What can you tell us about the show?
Some Enchanted Evening is my passion project, and it oozes celebration for the Golden Age of musical theatre. You’ll hear so many of your favourite tunes from those rainy-day “Sunday afternoon” films. Oklahoma, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, and so many more. I grew up with these incredible melodies, and I always longed to hear them done properly, LIVE. It’s so rare to hear these scores in their original splendour nowadays, so it’s such a pleasure to present them with a full orchestra!
How does this production celebrate the legacy of Broadway’s greatest composers?
If your favourite golden-age shows had a “Greatest Hits” album, it would be this show. We touch on all the greatest shows of the period, and showcase the most memorable songs from each. Songs like “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, “Getting To Know You”, “I could have danced all night” and the title song from The Sound of Music. We also made a conscious choice to honour the composers, and orchestrators of these shows, by not cutting or abridging any parts. Each instrument that was in the original Broadway pit will be seen on stage. All totally live – no click, track or keyboards!
Can you share some insights into the selection process for the songs featured in the show?
I wanted to make sure our audiences didn’t leave thinking “I wish they’d done my favourite song from _____”. So all the firm family-favourites are well represented. But also, we’ve made a few changes since our preview performance in 2024. I was blown away by the musicianship of the English Musical Theatre Orchestra, so I’ve included a few more challenging pieces, to show off the true virtuosity of the orchestra. This includes a new arrangement of “June Is Bustin Out All Over”, and a finale medley of songs from The Sound of Music. We also decided to add some comedy, in the form of a gender-switched “I Enjoy Being a Girl”, which promises to be hilarious!
What makes Lisa Jane Kelsey and Roy Locke the perfect vocalists for this production?
Lisa and I have worked together on many occasions before, and I find her to be the most versatile performer I’ve ever encountered. It’s such a challenge for any performer to have the range that Lisa brings to the stage, she matches the incredible emotional complexity of the music and lyrics with an unforgettable performance. Once Lisa had confirmed she’d join us, we were tasked with finding a talent to match her, so Roy was a perfect choice. The pair share a brilliant chemistry on stage. Roy brings his decades of experience on the West End, and in Opera Houses across Europe. Roy breathes and inhabits the music so beautifully, he makes my job as the conductor effortless.
How does conducting a 26-piece orchestra for this show differ from your other conducting experiences?
The material we’re performing makes the biggest difference. There was a moment during our preview performance in Manchester, during our selections from West Side Story, which will always be an emotional highlight of the show for me. Very little compares to conducting a piece of music by Leonard Bernstein, hearing the lyrics of Steven Sondheim while the greatest orchestrators of the 20th century make each instrument sing in harmony, utterly effortlessly.
As a conductor, to be a small part of that wonderful sound is such a perfect experience. The music is alive, in that moment, in your palm. It’s different each night, depending on how Lisa and Roy interpret the music, and on the audience we have. And the best part, is my team of 26 musicians are in front of me, ready to make it sound truly brilliant for every audience member in attendance.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see “Some Enchanted Evening”?
Bring tissues! You’ll laugh and you’ll cry, and then you’ll laugh again. Be prepared for the music to hit you in the face, clear as crystal, when the “My Fair Lady” Overture begins. You’ll feel goosebumps as the curtain slowly rises for the second half, and we play the haunting “Carousel Waltz”. You’ll love seeing Roy parading about in a feather-boa for “I enjoy being a girl”, and Lisa’s “You’ll never walk alone” will move you to tears. It’s an evening not to be missed, and you’ll find it hard to hear so many incredible performers for the ticket price!
