Unchained Melodies

October 3, 2018 - February 2, 2019 | John C. Court Cabaret
March 6 - 23, 2019 | Keating Theatre

Unchained Melodies by Richard Hopkins and Rebecca Hopkins with arrangements by Jim Prosser.

Under the streetlamps of East Coast cities, doo-wop emerged, bringing tight harmony to the soundtrack of the 1950s. Beginning with doo-wop groups like The Drifters and The Platters, Unchained Melodies celebrates the swingin’ harmonies of the ‘50s and ‘60s. Featuring songs like “Blue Moon,” “16 Candles,” “Save The Last Dance,” and “Working My Way Back To You.”

Run Time: 90 minutes with 15 minute intermission

To view a large print version of our playbill, click here.

CAST
Nick Anastasia
Nathaniel P. Claridad
James LaRosa
David Marmanillo
Piano | Jim Prosser

NICK ANASTASIA is stoked to be returning to FST for Unchained Melodies! Nick was most recently seen at FST in last year's Burt & Me (Jerry) and 2016's Laughing Matters (vol. 5). Past professional credits also include Hair (Claude, International Tour), Voca People, (Tenoro, Off-Broadway*/National/International Tours, *Lucille Lortel Award), Monster Jam (Host/Announcer, Fox Sports 1), The Love Note (Adam, Original Off-Broadway Cast), In The Heights (Sonny, Regional Premiere), Scab (featuring Alice Ripley), Disney Cruise Line (Disney Fantasy), and bare (Jason, Licensed Premiere). Instagram: @nottherussianprincess

NATHANIEL P. CLARIDAD Off-Broadway/NYC credits include Here Lies Love (The Public Theater), Taylor Mac's 24-Decade History of Popular Music (St. Ann's Warehouse), The Awesome 80’s Prom, work with NYShakespeare Exchange, NYMF, PS122, N.A.A.P.; International: Laser Beak Man (Dead Puppet Society, Brisbane Festival), Taylor Mac’s…(The Forum, Melbourne Festival); National Tour: Alice (The Kennedy Center); Regional: The Kennedy Center, PlayMakers Repertory Company, Folger Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Cape Fear Regional, Imagination Stage, Hangar Theatre, Barrington Stage. Directing credits include The One Minute Play Festival, ShakesBEER, The Drama League. MFA: UNC-CH

JAMES LAROSA FST: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Man #3), Next to Normal (Henry) and Altar Boyz (Abraham). Select theatre: Leo Bloom in The Producers (American Stage), Stewpot in South Paciﬁc (Triad Stage), Gus in Saturday Night Fever (NSMT), Mark Cohen in RENT (BRT), Malone in Mr. Conﬁdential (Signature Center), and his award-winning portrayal of Abraham in Altar Boyz (Zach Scott). TV: NBC’s Saturday Night Live, ABC’s WWYD?, A&E’s Fugitive Chronicles. VO: Rockstar Games, MTV, Nickelodeon, TRW. AEA proud and graduate of NYU Tisch and the High School for Performing Arts. TheJamesLaRosa.com

DAVID MARMANILLO Off-Broadway/NYC Credits: Three Amigos (Jefé) — Lincoln Center, SLAM: A Hip Hop Musical (Geo) — New York Theatre Barn, Through Andrew’s Eyes (Andrew) — INTAR Theatre, Cole Porter’s Mexican Hayride (Lombo) — Musicals Tonight. Regional: Murder Among Friends w/ Loretta Swit (Larry, Alhambra Dinner Theatre), Lincoln In Love (Shields) — Goodspeed Opera House, Man of La Mancha (José, Pioneer Theatre Company), A Cappella Humana (Original Cast. Bass, Delaware Theatre Company), RENT (Benny, Forestburgh Playhouse). Instagram: @davemarm

JIM PROSSER This season marks Jim’s 23rd season as resident pianist in FST’s Cabaret, where he has arranged and co-developed many shows including: Dancing In The Street, By Gershwin, European Cabaret, That’s Life Again, British Invasion, Too Darn Hot, Older Than Dirt, and last season’s Mack the Knife and Blue Suede Shoes. He has served as Composer/Music Director for FST’s Education department, writing numerous scores for children’s shows such as Androcles and the Lion, RAP-Punzel, The Velveteen Rabbit, and the WRITE A PLAY Elementary Tours. Jim is also a Music Director for FST Improv, for which he has played many shows including the improvised musical, When X Meets Y.

"Fast paced jog down memory lane"

"Delightful"

"Deliciously engaging"

Sarasota Herald Tribune

"Memorable"

"Surprising"

"Catchy"

"A 'must' for those who like music of the era celebrated"

The cast of Unchained Melodies performed "Little Darling" on ABC 7's Suncoast View. I WATCH

When he's not performing in Unchained Melodies, Nick Anastasia volunteers at the Sarasota Humane Society. I WATCH

INTERVIEWS

Get to Know the Know-It-All | READ

Meet the Jersey Boy - Nick Anastasia I READ

ARTICLES BY FST

From Under the Street Lamps and Into the Spotlight by Becca Jennings | READ

From Under the Boardwalk to the Top of the Charts by TJ Lewis | READ

Behind the Songs by Mary Donofrio | READ

Guess Who? by Mary Donofrio | READ

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES

Explore the musical roots of male harmony groups, starting with doo-wop. | LEARN

Discover more about the vocal group that “epitomized the sound of New York City,” The Drifters. | LEARN

The Four Tops helped define Detroit’s Motown sound of the 1960s, mixing soul, R&B, disco, doo-wop, jazz, and show tunes all into one distinct sound. Find out more about the legendary group led by Levi Stubbs. | LEARN

Unchained Melodies

INTERVIEWS

ARTICLES BY FST

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES

VIDEOS