A rowdy and ready crowd turned out to the White Oak Amphitheatre last Friday, braving the windy weather in coats and scarves on the last evening of September to hear Wicked Divas with Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. It was the orchestra’s second performance in the brand new venue. Gracing our stage this evening were the larger-than-life personalities of Broadway actresses Alli Mauzey and Nicole Parker.

Nicole and I had been college friends at Indiana University and performed together in a variety of obscure rural venues before she went off and got famous on MadTV, as Elphaba in Wicked, in Europe with Full Frontal Comedy, and a variety of other exciting projects. Alli was new to me on this concert, but two bars into accompanying her at the piano rehearsal I was an instant fan. The program (from John Such’s Bravo Broadway series) included music from Gypsy, Chicago, Ragtime, Phantom of the Opera, and Wicked.

The excellent musicians of the Greensboro Symphony were able to parlay a rehearsal plagued by blowing music pages and collapsing stands into a most energetic and exciting concert. Thanks to Alex Forsyth for this great photography and to United Arts Council for permission to use. More can be seen on Alex’s Facebook album.