Wood brings show to Iowa

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Kevin Wood, formerly of Traer, IA, continues to share his heart-warming cabaret show, “Sentimental Journeys: A Cabaret Travelogue” with audiences throughout the country. Based on Kevin’s life-long love of travel, he brings “his all, including wit and charm” to a program featuring a wide variety of standards – both poignant and comedic.

Wood says he’s committed to bringing the art of cabaret to audiences of all ages and interests. “This particular show is a combination of real travel experiences I’ve had and some fictional ones as well, but I’ll leave it to you, the audience, to figure out which is which!”

Having studied voice and performing, primarily operatic and classical repertoire at Luther College (Decorah, IA) and the University of Illinois (Urbana, IL), Wood embraces the challenges of cabaret which include the close proximity of the audience as well as the necessity of being a good story-teller as well as a vocalist. “I love the way audiences respond to the ‘one on one’ feel and I get to see the reaction in the eyes of my audience, and hear their sighs and laughter. And I know, I’m bringing them a chance to enjoy old and new songs, a bit of parody and lots of humor. It’s a privilege to be with at the Opus Concert Cafe to do this and I am looking forward to seeing everyone there,” Wood said.

Wood brings a comedic flair to this ‘all ages welcome to this adult-themed show’ Kevin Wood is looking forward to entertaining the audience at the Cedar Rapids venue on Friday, November 21 and hopes people will come with the idea of joining him, for a ‘cabaret staycation’ with him as their “tour guide,” as he enjoys to explain at the start of the evening’s show.

Recently, in addition to his work in cabaret, Kevin created the roles of the Senator and Professor Walsh in a new musical, “Manuel Versus the Statue of Liberty” with book/lyrics by Noemi de la Puente, music by Howard Post and directed by Jose Zayas at the 2014 NYMF Festival held in New York City. After a successful limited run this past July, the show was selected to be remounted next summer as a mainstage production at the festival.

Joining Wood is pianist Andrew Blendermann, who mostly hangs out in piano bars (as a performer, not as a barfly), where his repertoire spans over 2000 songs. He has entertained regularly at The Signature Room at the 95th, Mastro’s in Chicago, and Big Shot in Arlington Heights, IL He spent a decade banging on grand pianos at Howl At The Moon in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Cleveland. He has played dates at Davenport’s Piano Bar And Cabaret, the Drake Hotel, Billy Berk’s, Daddy-O’s, and the Red Head Piano Bar. Andrew has also been involved in the theater: onstage (“L.M.” in Pump Boys & Dinettes – twice), offstage (music-directing Five Guys Named Moe at Drury Lane Evergreen Park), and in the orchestra pit (a year at the Marriott Theatre In Lincolnshire). He also accompanies almost every major audition in Chicago.

General admission tickets for Kevin Wood’s “Sentimental Journeys: A Cabaret Travelogue” on Friday, November 21 are $20.00 each and available by contacting the Opus Concert Cafe at (319) 366-8203 or at www.ArtsIowa.com/Opus

Seating is limited so purchasing your tickets early for this one-night event is recommended!