The Southern Stars Symphonic Brass (SSSB), a 30-piece instrumental music ensemble, is returning to present a Mainstage concert themed From Big Band to Broadway on Saturday, May 25 at 7:30pm. at the Cumberland Countp Playhouse.

The SSSB wowed the capacity audience last May and the patrons fortunate to hear this premier ensemble provided accolades and many testimonials to how impressed they were with the talent and outstanding program that was presented.

SSSB founder and Artistic Director, Dwight Wages, has programmed a concert full of selections that will impress the audience with the variety of music and the the list of featured soloists.

Big band selections will include: “Bill Bailey,” “Birdland,” “The Peanut Vendor,” “When the Saints” (go marching in), “Route 66 theme,” “American Patrol,” and “Swing Legends.”

From Broadway, selections include:  “Wicked” (the musical), which will feature vocalist Erica Birmingham performing hit songs “Defying Gravity” and “Popular” in addition to “I Dreamed a Dream” (from Les Miserables), “Hushabye Mountain” (from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) – Eb alto horn soloist (Lisa Burden),  “You’ll Never Walk Alone” (from Carousel) sung by vocalist Emily McCormick, “Broadway!,” “Evermore” (from Beauty and the Beast) – Euphonium soloist (Briana Engelbert – Vogt), and “The Greatest Show on Earth!”

The SSSB are pleased to present two guest vocalists for this concert. Emily McCormick holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Memphis, where she appeared in several mainstage productions. University credits include Next to Normal, Nine, Spring Awakening, and Oklahoma! She has also worked with Tennessee Shakespeare Company, Merry-Go-Round Youth Theatre, and Ohio Light Opera, were she performed six shows in rep throughout the summer. Emily is the daughter of SSSB musician Chris McCormick (jazz professor at TTU).

Erica Birmingham is currently finishing her sophomore year at Belmont University. She is a Commercial Voice major with an emphasis in Music Performance. Next fall, she will perform with Pops, one of Belmont’s top commercial ensembles. Erica has been cast in several musicals within the community, such as The Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland, Phantom Tollbooth, and many others. She has performed in multiple venues, including McMinnville’s Park Theatre, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, and the Gaylord Convention Center. This summer, she will be studying music abroad in Ghana, Africa as well as German Humanities in Berlin. Upon graduation from Belmont, Erica aspires to be a professional performer, with her sights set on one day performing on Broadway.

Tickets are $25 and are available thru the Playhouse box-office (phone 931-484-5000), or on-line at www.ccplayhouse.com.