2020 SHOWCASE ARTISTS

Check back next year for more updates on our showcase submission portal and list of artists.

For artist questions, please email Ted Nagy at TedN@musichall.org

LEAR STAGE - SHOWCASE ARTISTS

Artists have been selected by a special showcase committee to pick the best of the best in Detroit talent. Artists spanning dance, theatre, music, and more will be located on two adjacent stages, and these are performances you don't want to miss.

Benicio - 2:15pm

Benicio is a blues man who is passionately mastering the guitar and stage under the instruction and coaching of former national rock band front man - Eddie Baranek. His public and commercial performances have garnered great audience acclaim. Growing up at Music Hall, has nurtured the love and respect he has for all of the performing arts. He is a disciplined performance pro who commands a room and lives by the motto of Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock: “The audience gives us their energy and we give them back even more.”

Take Root - 2:50pm

Take Root is a company-in-residence at OU comprised of six dancers and two musicians under the direction of Co-Founders/Co-Directors, Thayer Jonutz and Ali Woerner. In concert, Ali and Thayer look for stories about the deeper connections that join our individual experiences; their dance creates a bodily language – movements that are visceral, emotional and provocative, to examine and ultimately celebrate this common humanity. Take Root has performed at New Dance for Asia International Festival, Red Bull House of Art, Detroit Dance City Festival and more!

The Grand River Players - 3:25pm

The Grand River Players is a group named after the famous street Grand River Avenue, which stretches from Detroit, through Lansing and past Grand Rapids, MI. Specializing in traditional New Orleans and early Swing Jazz styles, the group celebrates the music, atmosphere and excitement associated with America's early Jazz. The Grand River Players features several of Detroit's top Jazz artists performing the music of Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Jelly Roll Morton, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Count Basie and many others.

Banjoelectric - 4:00pm

Shattering your idea of "banjo music," Gregory Mulkern performs high-energy original songs built with a texture of tones and percussion produced live with his electric banjo. Passionate and driving vocals, intricate arrangements, global sounds, and funky beats come together to deliver an exciting and fresh show: Americana, Updated for the 21st Century.

Pierre Anthony - 4:35pm

Pierre Anthony is a rapper/singer/songwriter from Detroit. Early in his career he began creating music with just a table, hotel room key and his voice making him a force to be reckoned with. Influenced by Dave Hollister, Andre 3000, James Brown and Green Day, his eclectic style has helped him create amazing music. With several singles under his belt he has become well know for the anthem “Motor City” and the ballad, “Don’t Love Me Like You Say You Do”. Pierre Anthony recently completed his debut album, To Know Me.

Stone Sound Collective - 5:10pm

Stone Sound Collective unites diverse musicians and instruments to create a new global soundscape. Led by multi-percussionist Mark Stone, the group brings together celebrated world percussion traditions of Africa and India with the lyricism of cello and saxophone. Stone Sound Collective performs new music drawing on Mark's wide-ranging compositional influences, stretching from American jazz to traditional African music and classical Indian music to European concert music.

Motor City Youth Theater - Bard BuMs - 5:45pm

Motor City Youth Theatre was organized in 1990 exclusively for educational purposes and to bring the excitement and magic of live theatre to young people and their families as performers and audience participants, regardless of their abilities and experience. MCYT educates, enriches and enlightens the lives of children and adults in the community and surrounding areas by offering plays, musicals and workshops which address literary and musical works, current issues and multiculturalism.

puppetart - 6:20pm

PuppetART has been delighting audiences in Downtown Detroit’s Entertainment District for 19 years, producing and performing puppet shows based on folktales from around the world. Their repertoire includes fan favorites like Snow Queen, Crane Maiden, Sleeping Beauty, and Oh, Ananse. In addition to their public performances, PuppetART also offers school field trip and workshops for participants of all ages.

Sami Mei - 7:30pm

Sami Mei is a vibrant singer/songwriter from Metro Detroit whose style blends the infectious catchiness of pop melodies with an acoustic indie flair. Mei’s powerful voice and lyrical introspection lend themselves to her upbeat arrangements, at times giving her music a timeless quality. Already working on recording her third CD of original music, Mei somehow finds time to work with charities, lending her talents to events for the Youth Action Board, Gleaner’s Food Bank, and Kids Kicking Cancer.

LEAR STAGE SHOWCASE ARTIST ARCHIVE

2017 SHOWCASE ARTISTS

Ballet Detroit - Randal V. Wilson & The ChoZen Few - De'Sean Jones - Jade Reynolds - Argentine Tango - Detroit Windsor Dance - Torch with a Twist - Joel Fluent Greene - Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit - Shakespeare in Detroit

BALLET DETROIT

Ballet Detroit is a development program for serious students of classical dance. Students are selected via audition and enter into year-long training program at the Detroit Opera House, under the direction of Sergey Rayevskiy.

RANDAL V WILSON & THE CHOZEN FEW

RANDAL “VELVET” WILSON & "The ChoZen Few" is a Detroit based, Progressive Jazz Quartet that features Original Music, and some cleverly arranged Jazz Standards. Randal was voted “Best Jazz Guitarist” by The Metro Times Readers Poll. This act has been labeled as “Far From Ordinary” and will indeed put a smile on your face.

MIKE MONFORD

Native Detroiter Mike Monford got an early start on his love for music. Armed with his experiences as a performer, composer, and arranger, "Perseverance," Mike Monford's debut CD as a band leader was released in 2012.

JADE REYNOLDS

Jade Reynolds has been making music since she could reach the keys on the piano. She loves to write music, began composing her own songs when she was thirteen, and is currently working on an album of all original material. Jade will be pursuing a degree in the arts at Grand Valley State University in the fall.

ARGENTINE TANGO DETROIT

Argentine Tango/United States Tango Champions- Daniel y Amanda both come from dancing families, and have joined to form a dynamic dream team. Together they are the essence of tango: romance, connection, and passion.

DETROIT WINDSOR DANCE

Detroit Windsor Dance Academy is located in Detroit’s New Center One and is celebrating 33 seasons of dance. Founded by Executive Director Bruce Hunt and Artistic Director Debra White-Hunt BA, M.Ed, this premier Detroit gem has performed around the world and taught over 15,000 students, many who are dancing professionally throughout the world.

TORCH WITH A TWIST

"Torch With Twist" is Detroit's quintessential Olde-Timey Vaudevillian Variety Extravaganza. They combine Classic Jazz Standards with a variety of Circus & Sideshow acts & depending on circumstances & availability we produce the show to suit each gig & particular venue.

JOEL FLUENT GREENE

JOEL FLUENT GREENE, acclaimed poet, presents a special performance with his father, veteran musician and composer, Charles Greene. A unique blend of spoken word, hip hop and jazz that you won't want to miss!

MOSAIC YOUTH THEATRE

Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit is one of Southeast Michigan’s most highly regarded cultural treasures. Founded by Rick Sperling in 1992 to address gaps in Metro Detroit arts education, Mosaic served 25 young artists in its inaugural year. Today, hundreds of youth from more than 50 Metro Detroit schools participate in Mosaic’s First, Second and Main Stage programs every year.

SHAKESPEARE IN DETROIT

Shakespeare in Detroit (SiD) aims to enhance and support the literacy, cultural, educational and financial growth of Detroit through outreach and site-specific performances. As pioneers of open-air Shakespeare in Detroit, the company produces exciting, live productions of Shakespeare’s works throughout the city to give access to both new and conventional theatre audiences.