Michael Cavanaugh is the new voice of the American Rock & Roll Songbook and a charismatic performer and musician made famous for his piano/lead vocals in the Broadway musical Movin’ Out. Handpicked by Billy Joel to star in Movin’ Out, Cavanaugh evokes a style rivaling the Piano Man. He appeared in the show for three years with over 1,200 performances and received multiple accolades. The show culminated in 2003 with both Grammy and Tony award nominations.
With the close of Movin’ Out at the end of 2005, Michael began touring in his own right, creating a show that reinterprets the modern pop/rock songbook. Michael soon became one of the hottest artists for symphony shows and private events. In 2020, Michael Cavanaugh reached the POLLSTAR Live75 – the top 75 active touring acts in the country.
Matt Vee, along with cousins Jeff and Tommy Vee, local music scene veterans and sons of the legendary Bobby Vee, join forces with their family and friends as The Killer Vees to celebrate the timeless music catalog of Neil Diamond. With songs like "Cracklin’ Rosie," "America," and "Sweet Caroline," Neil Diamond sold over 100 million records worldwide with hits spanning five decades.
"This is not a tribute show," says Tommy Vee. "This is a celebration of an amazing musical icon, one we all love and respect. We have been fans since we were in grade school and first learning our respective instruments, and we played many of these tunes over the years in various bands. It’s a Rockin’ show!"
Six Appeal is an award-winning a cappella ensemble with members from across the USA. Started in 2006 at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, and grown into a professional ensemble based in Minneapolis in 2010, Six Appeal transformed their sound and style, adding new full-time members and expanding their area of influence.
In 2012, they won the title National Harmony Sweepstakes Champions, securing their place in the a cappella community. In the spring of 2018, the group competed and won the Grand Prize of the world’s largest a cappella competition. The following year, they successfully defended their title surpassing 196 groups from at least 26 different countries. Six Appeal started 2020 with their first female members, advancing into the new decade with a wider range of songs, talent, and voices.
Grammy Award nominated Irish-American supergroup Cherish The Ladies was formed in 1985 to celebrate the rise of extraordinary women in what had been a male-dominated Celtic music scene. They’ve brought their signature blend of virtuosic instrumental talents, beautiful vocals, and stunning step dancing to the White House, the Olympics and to their Emmy® Award-winning PBS television special, An Irish Homecoming.
Their new album, Heart of the Home, embraces the gift of music passed down from generations. As their reputation and admiration from both fans and critics alike continues to grow, Cherish The Ladies blazes forward into another decade of music making.
A Kodachrome Christmas, written and directed by former Seinfeld writer, Pat Hazell, stars Milwaukee’s own John McGivern, best known for his Emmy® Award-winning work on PBS. John and Pat are also the producing team that brought the hit comedies, The Wonder Bread Years, Bunk Bed Brothers and Shear Madness.
John’s likable delivery shines as the audience enters the colorful world of cable access TV hostess, Earlene Hoople, the self-proclaimed "Queen of Rural Media," while she records her Christmas special before a live studio audience. Fresh baked Christmas cookies, Letters to Mrs. Claus, an outrageous slide show, and a visit from the local church hand bell choir set the stage for a picture-perfect evening of theater.
Small-town sibling trio Girl Named Tom seeks to create harmony in a world divided. With their distinctive harmonies and heartfelt performances, Bekah, Joshua and Caleb Liechty won the hearts of America while becoming the only group to ever win NBC’s "The Voice." In addition to their chart-topping covers like "River," "The Chain," and "Dust in the Wind," GNT writes original music that will almost certainly drive them to become the best-known harmony trio of their generation.
With their debut EP, Another World, Girl Named Tom sweeps the listener into a reflective space, exploring fond memories, global issues, and intimate conversations. Audiences say they’ve been "…blown away by their musicality and harmonies, creativity, honesty, beauty." Now, after winning "The Voice," they cannot wait to hit the road and visit new fans!
Anthony Crivello, a native of Milwaukee, has starred in many Broadway musicals and regional theatres plays. He won a Tony Award® for Best Featured Actor as Valentin in Kiss of the Spider Woman. He has had roles in Broadway hits like Golden Boy, Marie Christine, Evita, Les Misérables, The News, Measure For Measure, and Heathers: The Musical. He has appeared in numerous feature films and made for TV movies. And, his voice can be heard on a variety of audio recordings of popular musicals.
Ben Tajnai, also from Milwaukee, is a world-renown, award-winning singer. He won the Broadway World’s Best Actor award for his performance in Les Misérables as Jean Valjean. He received nationwide attention for his rendition of "We are the Champions" at the parade celebrating the Milwaukee Bucks 2021 NBA Championship.
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is considered one of the finest orchestras in the country. Since its inception in 1959, the MSO has continued to find new ways to deliver innovative music for area audiences, help young people develop an appreciation for music, and elevate Milwaukee’s reputation as an orchestral hub. Once again this season, the Cedarburg-Grafton Rotary Club presents the MSO’s holiday concert at Cedarburg PAC. (A student performance, funded by the Cedarburg PAC, Inc., with a grant from the Rita Edquist Memorial Fund at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, is also being offered by the MSO.)
