Plans are underway for Lenoir Community College’s 17th annual Broadway and Beyond to be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday, in the Waller Building Auditorium. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with pre-concert entertainment provided by LCC Music faculty Timothy Maddox. Admission at the door is $7. The show is produced and directed by LCC Music Faculty Carolyn Crossland. Crossland and Rick Vernon will co-host the event.
According to Crossland, there will be plenty of surprises throughout the evening, so you will want to be a part of this high-energy, fast–paced musical event that is sure to be fun for the entire family.
Performing are Josh Allen, “I’m Not That Smart” from 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and “Lullaby of Broadway”; Shanda Maddox and Chris Raines, “Suddenly Seymour” from Little Shop of Horrors; Clay Raines, “What Do I Do?” from Barely Legal Showtune Extravaganza; Noteworthy, “The Magic Touch” and “Sherry” from Jersey Boys; Antuan Hawkins, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from Carousel; Shanda Maddox, “I Get a Kick Out of You” from Anything Goes; Kimmie Scott, “The Girl in 14G”; Micah Fields, “Wall Lovin’ ” and “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” from Les Miserables; Chris Raines, “The Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha; L’Academie de Danse members Cara Jett and Gracie Jett, choreographed by Nora Parker, “Sisters” from White Christmas; and Susan Leigh, “I’m Not That Girl” from Wicked.
Crossland joined the LCC faculty in 1992. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Campbell University, and Masters of Music degree from East Carolina University. In addition to postgraduate work in the United States, Crossland has studied at the Royal School of Church Music in London, England; the Italian Organ Academy in Pistoia, Italy; the Classical Music Conservatory in Eisenstadt, Austria; and at King’s College, Cambridge University in Cambridge, England.
Previous work experience includes positions on the music faculty at East Carolina University and Mount Olive College, and Choirmaster/Organist at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Raleigh, and Minister of Music at Westminster United Methodist Church in Kinston.
Crossland is listed in the “International Who’s Who in Business and Professional Women.” She has received numerous awards, including the Distinguished Leadership Award in the Teaching Profession, LCC President’s Award for Service and Innovation, the Phi Theta Kappa International Paragon Award, and the 2002 Teaching Excellence Award at LCC.
Crossland is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, Hymn Society of America, and the National Pastoral Musicians. For 10 years, she performed and managed “The Fabulous Four,” a beach and oldie rock and roll group that performed to large and enthusiastic audiences in the US and abroad. The group recorded two albums, “Take One!” and “Finally Four.”
Vernon has enjoyed the stage for more than 40 years performing professionally and semi-professionally for local, regional and national stages and television audiences. Retired, he was the minister at Southwood Memorial Christian Church in Kinston and served the church for more than 10 years.
He still performs professionally for the dinner theatre at the Duplin Bistro where he appears monthly with a troupe of seven musicians and five singers. Vernon performs a variety of styles of music including popular songs and songs of the great crooners from Frank Sinatra to Bobby Darlin; stage musicals such as “Hello Dolly”; Country Classic; Rock n’ Roll greats and Gospel. He currently hosts the local morning television talk show “Down East Today” which airs on NBC affiliate WITN-My TV Channel 7.2; TACC-9 TV and on several cables television markets across 27 counties in eastern North Carolina. He is married to Jane Vernon, a retired elementary school music teacher, who also performs with Vernon on many occasions. They have two married sons and three grandchildren.
For more information, contact Crossland at 527-6223, ext. 919, or ccrossland@lenoircc.edu