“O’Hara expresses herself through a very particular prism: She makes us feel that, no matter what conflicts tear at the seams of the story being told, it somehow relates to all of us.”—The New Yorker
UGA Presents welcomes Tony Award-winning Broadway star Kelli O’Hara to Hodgson Concert Hall Thursday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m. One of Broadway’s most celebrated leading ladies, O’Hara brings her luminous voice and distinctive artistry to an evening of Great American Songbook classics and Broadway favorites.
Known for combining extraordinary vocal technique with emotional depth, warmth, and a natural theatricality, O’Hara has captivated audiences on Broadway, at the Metropolitan Opera, in concert halls across the country, and on television. O’Hara won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her acclaimed performance as Anna Leonowens in the Lincoln Center production of The King and I. The role also earned her Grammy, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle recognition.
She has received eight Tony Award nominations during her career, with Broadway credits that include Kiss Me, Kate, The Bridges of Madison County, Nice Work If You Can Get It, South Pacific, The Pajama Game, The Light in the Piazza, Sweet Smell of Success, Follies, Dracula, and Jekyll & Hyde.
Beyond Broadway, O’Hara has built an unusually broad career. In 2015, she made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Hanna Glawari in Lehár’s The Merry Widow opposite Renée Fleming. She returned to the Met in 2018 as Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte and later starred as Laura Brown in the world premiere of Kevin Puts’s The Hours, a production that earned a Grammy nomination for best opera recording.
Television audiences may recognize O’Hara from HBO’s acclaimed series The Gilded Age, as well as appearances in The Accidental Wolf, Masters of Sex, 13 Reasons Why, Blue Bloods, The Good Fight, Peter Pan Live! and other film and television productions. She has also been a frequent performer on PBS broadcasts, The Kennedy Center Honors, and with major ensembles including the New York Philharmonic and The New York Pops.
For her UGA Presents appearance, O’Hara will be joined by longtime music director Dan Lipton. He conducted the Broadway productions of The Band’s Visit and Sting’s The Last Ship and has arranged music and led bands for performers including Mandy Gonzalez, Santino Fontana, Judy Kuhn, Brian d’Arcy James, Martha Plimpton, John Lithgow, and Audra McDonald.
A versatile music director, arranger, orchestrator, pianist, and composer, Lipton has performed at the White House, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and on PBS Great Performances, as well as with symphony orchestras throughout the country. His piano playing can be heard on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Rebecca Hall’s film Passing, and three Grammy-nominated albums.
An Evening with Kelli O’Hara is part of American Panorama: Voices of a Nation at 250, a UGA Presents series celebrating the diverse voices, stories, and artistic traditions that have helped shape the American experience.
SUPPORTERS
The performance is supported by Scott and Gale Wilson and Stacy and David Jones.
MASTERCLASS
O’Hara will conduct a masterclass for UGA students Sept. 24 from 3:00-4:30 p.m. in Ramsey Concert Hall. Admission is free and the public is welcome.
TICKETS
Securing tickets for UGA Presents performances couldn’t be easier. There are three ways to choose from:
- Purchase tickets online 24/7 here.
- Call the Performing Arts Center Box Office at (706) 542-4400, Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
- Visit the UGA Performing Arts Center Box Office, Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
You may also create your own series of three or more performances and receive 10% off. UGA Presents single tickets start at just $30 with promo code PAC30, and UGA student tickets are $15. Information about accessibility and venue amenities is available on the PAC website. Parking is free.
(Photo: Emilio Madrid)
