Acclaimed Karen Carpenter sound-alike and look-alike Sally Olson will appear in concert on Saturday, April 29 at 9:30 pm at the famed Triad Theatre on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The show will include signature covers and hits by the Carpenters, such as “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “(They Long To Be) Close To You,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “Superstar,” and more. Sally offers commentary on the history behind the Carpenters’ music, as well as Karen Carpenter’s rise to fame and her sudden and tragic death at the age of 32. This Carpenters Tribute Concert debuted in January 2015 and was conceived by Bill Reed (arranger, music director & piano) and Sally Olson (artistic director & lead vocals).
Randy Schmidt, author of Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter, has said that “Sally’s tribute to Karen Carpenter is heartfelt and honest, and the attention to detail in the costumes and hairstyles is admirable” and Lane Gibson, recording studio owner, producer and engineer, claims that Sally has “an uncanny resemblance” and looks and sounds “just like Karen!” Sally is unsurpassed in her startling representation of Karen Carpenter, and her voice, appearance, and stage presence will have you convinced that the 1970s songstress lives on. Sally’s stunning vocals combined with state-of-the-art video projection, vintage costumes, historical commentary, lovely arrangements, and accompaniment by Jeffrey Klitz will take you on an incredible journey into the world of Karen and Richard Carpenter.
Sally Olson has studied voice with Bill Reed since 2009 and is the managing director at Bill Reed Voice Studio in South Burlington, Vermont. She is a graduate of Middlebury College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Studio Art and French. Sally also attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Florence Academy of Art in Italy, and the acclaimed Circle in the Square Theatre School in NYC. She has been acting and singing since childhood and can be seen in local/regional commercials, film, theatre, and cabaret performances. Sally starred in the commercial Emily’s Bridge for Heritage Automotive Group, written and produced by Mt. Mansfield Media, which was awarded “Television Agency-Produced Most Creative Commercial” of 2011. Her Carpenters Tribute Concert was recently accepted to be a featured member of Vermont Arts 2017, part of the Vermont Arts Council, a year-long celebration highlighting the stunning array of arts events — concerts, festivals, exhibits, and openings — that take place all across the state.
Jeffrey Klitz is a highly regarded New York music director, arranger and orchestrator. On Broadway, he has been music director/conductor for Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Guys & Dolls, Hot Feet and Lennon, conductor and choral arranger for Song and Dance and On Your Toes. Jeffrey’s other Broadway credits include Chicago, Grand Hotel and Stardust. He has been music director and pianist for, among others, Judy Collins, Joel Grey, Betty Buckley, Tommy Tune, and Judy Kuhn. Jeffrey is a recipient of the Joseph Jefferson Award in music direction for The House of Martin Guerre. His credits as arranger and orchestrator include work with the New York Philharmonic, The Chicago Symphony, and Disney. He has been producer/arranger with Paul McCartney’s publishing house MPL. Jeffrey is a Yale graduate.
Bill Reed has dedicated his professional life to guiding singers in their quest to realize their potential as performing artists. Bill was born into a show business family, the son of Vernon Reed of The Buffalo Bills, the acclaimed barbershop quartet. He began his vocal music education at the University of Wisconsin (Madison), where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree. (Bill is a proud member of the Badger Ice Hockey Hall of Fame). He completed his studies at Columbia University, where he earned a doctorate in vocal music education. After a busy and rewarding career as a college choral director, studio voice teacher, and concert singer, Bill established a private voice studio in New York City near Lincoln Center, and began his 25-year career as singing teacher at the renowned Circle in the Square Theatre School. For over 30 years, he was privileged to work with singers from all over the world, whose specialties ranged from opera to pop and rock, and Broadway to folk and country. He has consulted on a number of Hollywood movies and commercial recordings, and his students have performed at the Metropolitan Opera, City Opera, many European opera houses, and in hundreds of Broadway shows and national tours. Bill’s students have won Oscar Hammerstein, MAC, Drama Desk, Emmy and Tony Awards.
In Vermont, Bill’s adult students have had leading roles in numerous local community and professional musical theatre productions. His college and school-aged students have performed extensively in school productions and have gone on to study singing and musical theatre at many of the most prestigious colleges, universities, and conservatories in the country. A number of Bill’s Vermont students are working professionals and have recently performed in leading roles at the New York City Opera and on Broadway. Bill is in demand nationally as a clinician, and has been invited to give workshops at many colleges, universities, and meetings of professional organizations.
Tickets: $25 in advance | $30 day of show. Available at the door or online at www.triadnyc.com. The Triad Theatre, 158 West 72nd Street New York, NY 10023 | (212) 279-4200
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