Hitsville: Celebrating Motown

The New York Pops and Steven Reineke bring Motown to Carnegie Hall with a program of classic pop songs from the ’60s, ’70s, and beyond, including unforgettable hits from Diana Ross and the Supremes, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and Martha and the Vandellas. Join the orchestra and guest singers Bryan Terrell Clark and Valisia LeKae on a sonic trip to Hitsville, U.S.A. with songs that include "My Girl," "I Heard it through the Grapevine," "Sir Duke," "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)," "What's Going On," "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," and many more.

 

Bryan Terrell Clark can currently be seen in “Saint X" on Hulu and in the Disney+ musical film “Sneakerella.” He will be seen next as a lead in “Diarra From Detroit” on Bet+.  

 

Broadway: Originated the role of Happiness in Thoughts of A Colored Man, George Washington in Hamilton, Originated the role of Marvin Gaye in Motown the Musical (Grammy Nomination). Theatre: Fences(Corey) opposite Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett, Immediate Family directed by Phylicia Rashad. Additional Film & TV: Collateral Beauty (Warner Bros), Inventing Ana and When They See Us (Netflix), Snowpiercer (TNT/Netflix), Queen Sugar and Cherish the Day (OWN), Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC), The New Edition Story (BET), Empire (FOX), NCIS: New Orleans and Blue Bloods (CBS) among others.

 

Bryan is the recipient of the Icon Talks 2021 Visionary Award, Family Houston 2021 Pillar of Strength Award, Temple University’s 2019 Gallery of Success Award and the Rutgers University 2018 Voice for Social Justice Award. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and Temple University.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grammy and Tony nominated singer & actress Valisia LeKae is thrilled to be making her Carnegie Hall debut with The New York Pops.  Valisia is an award winning actress who has graced the Broadway stage in numerous Tony nominated productions such as The Three Penny Opera, 110 in the Shade, Ragtime and The Book of Mormon. Her starring role as Diana Ross in Motown the Musical garnered her a Grammy Nomination, Tony Nomination, Theatre World Award, Drama League Nomination and an Outer Critics Circle Nomination.  Valisia won a Joseph Jefferson Award and was nominated for a Black Theatre Alliance Award for her portrayal of Sarah in Ragtime at the Drury Lane Theatre in Chicago. Valisia’s Off-Broadway credits include Rock and Roll Man (Lavern Baker), Superhero (Mom, Audelco Award Nomination Best Ensemble) and Almost Heaven, The John Denver Musical, as well as Sweet Lorraine, in which she starred as Lorraine Hansberry.  In 2020, Valisia Executive Produced & starred as Lorraine Hansberry in the virtual production of Scenes From Sweet Lorraine, a benefit for Stand Up To Cancer and the Equity in the Arts & Culture Committee of the Brooklyn NAACP. Some of her regional credits include Mark Twain’s River of Song, Oklahoma (Laurey), Caroline or Change (Emmie), Dreamgirls (Deena Jones), Godspell (Joanne), Big River (Alice's Daughter), and Little Shop of Horrors (Chiffon), for which she was nominated for a Kevin Kline Award. She has toured with the USO and the National touring companies of All Shook Up (Lorraine) and Mamma Mia (Lisa). She has been a part of countless workshops and readings in the New York City area. Some of her Television credits include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,  FBI: Most Wanted, The Blacklist, Blue Bloods, Live at Lincoln Center (Camelot) and the 60th and 67th Annual Tony Awards. Valisia is an ovarian cancer survivor and has been honored by the NOCC, OCRA and Look Good Feel Better. She also served as the spokesperson for the NOCC and has been the keynote speaker for cancer organizations across the country. Her journey has been featured in Elle.com, Vogue.com, Vanity Fair Magazine, Essence Magazine, Parade Magazine, USA Today, NY Times and many other publications. She has been honored three times by her alma mater, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  twitter/instagram @valisialekae. www.valisialekae.com .

 

 

Photo of Valisia LeKae by Antonio Navas. Header photo by Richard Termine.