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The Carpenters
Karen Carpenter is one of the most distinctive and instantly recognizable voices in pop music history.
Karen passed away much too soon (after a lengthy struggle with anorexia), but with more than 100 million records sold worldwide, The Carpenters are one of the most successful and beloved recording acts of the 1970s.
The Carpenters Songbook: A Live Celebration, an all-new production from the creative team behind “The Simon & Garfunkel Story,” brings the brother-sister duo’s unforgettable music back to the stage, inviting audiences to sing along, reminisce, and fall in love with The Carpenters all over again.
Part concert, part celebration, and part journey through one of popular music's most treasured catalogs, The Carpenters Songbook 50-city tour stops at the Marcus Center’s Uihlein Hall. The show brings their unforgettable songs, remarkable story and enduring legacy back to the stage with a full live band, stunning vocals, and captivating narration.
The production stars acclaimed vocalist and actress Christina Hélène Braa singing Karen Carpenter’s incredible catalog of hits and Kevin Lausche (the show’s Music Director) performing key moments from Richard Carpenter’s music career.
As she headed into rehearsals for the launch of the tour, the Shepherd Express talked with Braa about the challenges of singing songs from their catalog.
“It's definitely a lot of pressure,” said Braa. “She's very well-known and very loved, so, there are a lot of expectations. We're trying to avoid creating a caricature of Karen and working to just evoke the warmth that she has and reminding the audience of her character, rather than imitating her.”
Braa shares both a March 2 birthday and birth state (Connecticut) with Karen Carpenter. Raised in San Francisco, she earned a BA in Theater from the University of Southern California and has performed in the national tour of Peter Pan and aboard Norwegian Cruise Line in Beetlejuice and Icons.
She said the show can be described as “sort of a docu-concert—bringing the music back to life so people can have an experience similar to what it would have been like to see the Carpenters live, but with a bit of narration about their story. It's more of a tribute than a musical.”
Favorite Songs
Immersing herself deeply into the Carpenters catalog in preparation for the tour, what are Braa’s Carpenters favorites? “There are many, so it's hard to choose just one. But I love ‘Goodbye to Love’ and ‘We've Only Just Begun.’ ‘Close to You’ is also really good. We will be doing all of those and more.
“I think now is a great time for this show because people who grew up with The Carpenters get a chance to experience their music live in a way that will bring back a lot of really, really warm and sweet memories,” said Braa.
“Even people who are not familiar with them, like younger generations, also have the opportunity to experience The Carpenters in a way that they have never been able to before. It's going to be an intimate and nostalgic experience.”
The Carpenter Songbook: A Live Celebration
7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center’s Uihlein Hall
