New Jersey Stage

Thursday, October 28, 2010

State Theatre and AM Productions present BENISE: The Spanish Guitar

(New Brunswick, NJ) —- State Theatre and AM Productions present music star BENISE and his Emmy(R) Award-winning PBS Special Nights of Fire cast in the new music and dance spectacular, The Spanish Guitar on Saturday, November 13, 2010 at 8pm. Part of a 45-city tour, this event follows a PBS special and an acclaimed performance on Dancing with the Stars. Tickets range from $27-62.

The Spanish Guitar features Benise's guitar as protagonist in a story of lost love and mysterious workings where the enchanted Spanish Guitar can transport Benise to the far ends of the world. Hailed as the Latin equivalent of such beloved theatrical music and dance spectacles as Riverdance and Celtic Women, the show incorporates an ever-changing multi-media stage set with actual footage of Benise in his voyage across the globe. This epic tale was filmed over three years and across 10 countries with scenes from the cobblestone streets of Old Havana, an Arabian Desert, the romantic canals of Venice, the oldest bullring in Spain, a Parisian café, and a 2,000 year-old sacred Buddhist temple in India.

The Spanish Guitar is directed by Raj Kapoor (Josh Groban, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars and Britney Spears) and choreographed by Alex Magno (Madonna, Yanni, Pussycat Dolls, Ballet Hispanico) with lighting design by Bud Horowitz (Bette Midler, Natalie Cole, Yanni).  Benise's band is made up of such world-class musicians as violinist Karen Briggs (Yanni), percussionist Daniel de los Reyes (Sting, Shakara, Jennifer Lopez), and Latin jazz singer, Karina Nuvo. The Gitanas, Benise's female dancers in The Spanish Guitar, were carefully handpicked from a global pool of some of the most brilliantly diverse talent to be found including traditional Flamenco dancers, Broadway dancers, and featured soloists from Madonna, Celine Dion, and Ricky Martin. Breathtaking couture fashion and the unparalleled beauty of the dancers themselves complement the beautiful Spanish dancing.

Accompanying the tour is the release of The Spanish Guitar CD and DVD via Rosanegra Music and PBS video.  Guest artists featured in the filming of The Spanish Guitar include smooth jazz icon Dave Koz; from her own PBS special, Giorgia Fumanti singing Evermore ("The Wedding Song"); American Idol's Kimberly Locke with the Los Angeles Gospel choir singing "Spanish Guitar;" and a Parisian waltz by Dancing with the Stars couple Nick Kosovich and Lena Bacheva. The Spanish Guitar is Benise's eighth CD, third DVD and second PBS special (he won an Emmy(R) for his first, Nights of Fire).

A former street musician, Benise began composing original works with powerfully emotional arrangements that are both wild and refined, producing a sound that is as edgy and exotic as it is romantic and sensual.  Benise redefined the ordinary and started to promote his own concerts. His grassroots approach led to sold out 2000-seat theaters and now to multi-city national tours.

For tickets or more information, call the State Theatre ticket office at 732-246-SHOW (7469), or visit us online at www.StateTheatreNJ.org. The State Theatre ticket office, located at 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick NJ, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 10am to 6pm; Wednesday 11am to 7pm; Saturday 1pm to 5pm; and at least one hour prior to curtain on performance dates. For information on group outings and discounts, call 732-247-7200, ext. 517.

The State Theatre, a premier nonprofit venue for the performing arts and entertainment. The theater exists to enrich people's lives, contribute to a vital urban environment, and build future audiences by presenting the finest performing artists and entertainers and fostering lifetime appreciation for the performing arts through education. The State Theatre's programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals. Continental Airlines is the official airline of the State Theatre. The Heldrich is the official hotel of the State Theatre. Magic 98. 3 is the official radio station of the State Theatre. The Star-Ledger is the official newspaper of the State Theatre.

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