NewsPHOTO EXCLUSIVE: On the Road With Messiah Rocks' Mike Eldred, Marty Thomas and Ramona KellerBroadway regulars Marty Thomas, Mike Eldred and Ramona Keller are currently touring the country as the lead vocalists in Handel's Messiah Rocks: A Joyful Noise, a rockin' contemporary re-conception of the classic work.
By
Matthew Blank
December 07, 2010
Thomas (Xanadu) sings the Baritone role, with Eldred (Les Miserables, The Civil War) as the Tenor and Keller (Smokey Joe's Café; Caroline, or Change) as the Woman. The tour incorporates a local choir for each of its stops.
As the tour bus full of singers, musicians and crew prepared for its Houston engagement last week, Eldred brought out his camera to offer Playbill.com an exclusive look at life on the road.
Eldred takes us onto the bus and into the theatre with this in-depth photo journal:
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PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: On the Road With Messiah Rocks' Mike Eldred, Marty Thomas and Ramona Keller
PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: On the Road With Messiah Rocks' Mike Eldred, Marty Thomas and Ramona Keller
Broadway regulars Marty Thomas, Mike Eldred and Ramona Keller lead the cast of Handel's Messiah Rocks: A Joyful Noise, currently in the middle of a North American holiday tour. Eldred, who sings the Tenor, takes us onto the tour bus and into the theatre with this in-depth photo journal.
44 PHOTOS
The Bus Ride to Houston...
On the road with "Justin" Rocks!
Mike Eldred
Our home away from home, away from home...
Mike Eldred
Greg is frustrated with traffic in Houston.
Mike Eldred
Is that, could that be? No! It’s Megan O’Malley, HMR’s bass trombone player!
Mike Eldred
Melinda Bass O’Neill... always happy to be here!
Mike Eldred
The Bus life of a lonely trumpet player...
Mike Eldred
Flat Iron Friday on the bus.
Mike Eldred
Clearly, the flat iron Friday is now long gone...
Mike Eldred
The essentials of bus travel... "Mad Men"!
Mike Eldred
Someone needs some quiet time.
Mike Eldred
Nothing like a good meal on the bus... by the Easy Bake Oven. Is something burning?
Mike Eldred
Sunday mornings on tour! We randomly passed this "Mobile Chapel."
Mike Eldred
Early morning call for the crew...
Donut surfing with HMR’s conductor, Lance Horne
Mike Eldred
We love the Handel’s Messiah Rocks road crew!
Mike Eldred
Bliss!
Mike Eldred
Mike Eldred takes the first swig!
Mike Eldred
Road Crew Appreciation Day!
Mike Eldred
It’s way too early at Jones Hall.
Mike Eldred
Clearly security is not doing its job at Jones Hall!
Mike Eldred
Surprise! Do you realize how difficult it is to make the crew smile at 6 AM?
Messiah Rocks, according to NETworks, promises "visual effects, thrilling songs, an orchestra, rock band, adult and children's choirs and some of the most powerful voices in stage and screen." Among the songs featured are "Overture," "Comfort Ye," "He'll Come in Glory," "He is Fire" and "Hallelujah."
NETworks is presenting the tour of Messiah Rocks, which was adapted by Jason Howland (Little Women) and features a libretto adapted by Dani Davis. Davis also serves as director of the three-part, 90-minute oratorio.
The contemporary concept is based on the original 18th-century work by George Frederick Handel, which has a libretto by Charles Jennens.
The Messiah Rocks tour itinerary follows:
Wilmington, DE (Dec. 7-12) Williamsport, PA (Dec. 13) Toledo, OH (Dec. 14) Mississauga, ON (Dec. 16-17) Wiles-Barre, PA (Dec. 18) Newark, NJ (Dec. 19) Schenectady, NY (Dec. 21) Hershey, PA (Dec. 22-23)
A PBS special and cast album features Tony Award-winning actress LaChanze (The Color Purple, Once On This Island) and Tony nominee J. Robert Spencer (Next to Normal, Jersey Boys). The recording earned two Emmy Awards.
