Great news for Ann Hampton Callaway fans.
The award-winning singer, actor, and songwriter has resumed her planned concert tour schedule after eight weeks on vocal rest due to a throat ailment.
Several of her scheduled concerts in the interim were performed by her sister, Tony nominee and Emmy winner Liz Callaway. The sisters performed together June 19 on Fran Drescher’s fundraising Cancer Schmancer Cabaret Cruise, Ann’s return to the concert stage, and Liz reported that her sister “sounded great.”
For someone who has been singing nearly every day of her adult life, Ann told Playbill, “Being mostly silent for almost two months was a mixture of many experiences. I was aware of the fact that if I were to get sick again and have the coughing attacks that are thought to have caused the ulceration on my vocal cord, that it might do permanent damage to my instrument. So my silence was surrounded by the thought of absolute devotion to my wellness and making choices to do only what would heal me and strengthen me.”
She said the time off helped put life in perspective. “In order to be faithful to my doctor’s orders I had to carry around a pad and pen or text anything I wanted to say. I couldn’t answer the phone. I only went to doctor’s appointments and occasional errands often with a face mask on. It was a bit lonely. I was still weak and tired and could do very little. When I’d hear beautiful singing I would cry. I missed singing so much. I realized how essential it is to who I am and how I connect with life, with people and with my spirituality. What was very comforting was hearing from numerous singers I admired what trials they had gone through and how they were able to get back to singing. My wife Kari was enormous support for me and compassionate about my silence. My sister Liz helped cover for a few Important concerts and did other supportive things so I could rest. Friends from all over touched my heart with good wishes and thoughtful words of advice.”
She said her June 19 return to singing was a revelation for her. “Last night, singing my peace anthem ‘At the Same Time’ to close Fran Drescher’s Cancer Schmancer Cabaret Cruise was...scary and thrilling. Scary because I wasn’t sure what would come out. Thrilling because I was finally able to sing and share my heart in the way I love most. I was me again. And I must say after all of this, I am more grateful than ever to live my life in service of music.”
Her next scheduled concert is the July 8 An Evening with Ann Hampton Callaway at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, New York.
“My summer tour begins in Bethel, goes on to Tucson, Phoenix, Las Vegas and beyond. Fortunately, my first concerts are all one-woman shows where I can fine-tune everything at every moment and not be overwhelmed by a loud band as I build back up to 100 percent Ann. And when I am finally there you will hear a shout of joy to the world! My voice doctor, Dr. Courey (who was chosen by The Actor’s Fund), is very happy with how I have healed completely and progressed. And I love practicing for my upcoming shows as I look forward to sharing great songs for great audiences.”
Here are highlights from her upcoming scheduled appearances:
July 15-16 The Ella Century at the Invisible Theater, Tucson, Arizona
July 19 The Ella Century at the Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix, Arizona
July 22 The Ella Century at the Smith Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
August 3 The Ella Century at the City Winery, Chicago, Illinois
August 30-31 Ann Hampton Callaway in Concert at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, New York, New York
October 3-4 Feminine Persuasion: Ann Hampton Callaway Celebrates Women Songwriters at Martini’s Above Fourth, San Diego, California
October 5-7 Divalicious! with Amanda McBroom at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, California
October 24-26 The Ella Century at The Pheasantry, London, United Kingdom
October 31 Ann Hampton Callaway in Concert at Birdland, New York
December 15-16 Christmas with The Callaway Sisters, North Carolina Pops Series" Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh, North Carolina
Check out Ann Hampton Callaway’s complete concert schedule, through September 2018.
Liz Callaway has been a special guest performer on three of Playbill’s Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Cabins are available for Playbill’s Rhine River cruise in August 2017, featuring Seth Rudetsky, Andréa Burns, Faith Prince, Terrence Mann, Charlotte d’Amboise, and Santino Fontana. Playbill Travel is now also booking Broadway on the Danube River with Michael Feinstein for November 2017, also featuring Carmen Cusack, Julia Murney, Christopher Fitzgerald, Marc Kudisch, Christopher Sieber, Brandon Uranowitz, and Rudetsky, as well as other exciting talent to be announced. Visit PlaybillTravel.com for booking and information.
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