PROGRAM

ACT I

1. Broadway Baby

From Follies
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Arranged by Mac Huff

Dancers
Karen Dowling
Natalie Grandison
Kristina Kelly
Elvira Martinez
Ashley Ridlon
Rachel Schotz
Leah Shedrow

Choreography by Jennifer Hopkins

2. Nowadays

From Chicago
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb

Bill Riggins & Warren Turner, soloists

3. Maybe This Time

From Cabaret
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb

Megan Stoddard, soloist

4. A Summer in Ohio

From The Last Five Years
Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown

Abigail McDonough, soloist

5. The Light in the Piazza – Choral Highlights

From The Light in the Piazza
Music and Lyrics by Adam Guettel
Arranged by John Purifoy

6. Getting Married Today

From Company
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Rachel Schotz as AMY
Asha Iyer as JENNY
John Lemen as PAUL

7. Agony

From Into the Woods
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Justin Murdock as CINDERELLA’S PRINCE
Aaron Satyanarayana as RAPUNZEL’S PRINCE

8. There's a Fine, Fine Line

From Avenue Q
Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx

Kristina Kelly as KATE MONSTER

9. Wait for Me

From Hadestown
Music and Lyrics by Anaïs Mitchell
Arranged by Evan Ramos

Performed by Congressional Chorus Chamber Ensemble

Max Toscano as ORPHEUS
Jon Saxton as HERMES
Serra Schlanger as FATE 1
Michelle Kannan as FATE 2
Hayley Fleming as FATE 3

10. No One Is Alone

From Into the Woods
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Arranged by Mark Brymer

11. Make Them Hear You

From Ragtime
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens

Jon Saxton, soloist

12. Do You Hear the People Sing

From Les Misérables
Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg
Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer
Arranged by Ed Lojeski

Michael Steelman & Ryan Howard, soloists

13. You'll Be Back

From Hamilton
Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Brian Nido as KING GEORGE III

14. Freak Flag

From Shrek the Musical
Music by Jeanine Tesori
Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire
Arranged by Allan Laiño

Elyse Bressler, Mama Bear 1
Kristina Kelly, Pinocchio
Carolyn Robbins, Mama Bear 2
Humpty Dumpty, Dani Gomez
Will Melendez, Little Pig
Mike Krause, Papa Bear
Natalie Grandison, White Rabbit
Sarah Havlicek, Roxy from Chicago
Jean Godwin, Garden Gnome
Aaron Satyanarayana, Big Bad Wolf

Dancers
Robbie Angarone
Karen Dowling
Natalie Grandison
Kelly Griffin
Devon Gunn
Mike Krause
Elvira Martinez
Noel Nazario
Ashley Ridlon

Choreography by Jennifer Hopkins

INTERMISSION

15 Minutes

ACT II

1. Seize the Day

From Newsies
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Jack Feldman
Arranged by Roger Emerson

Dancers
Robbie Angarone
Elyse Bressler
Karen Dowling
Kelly Griffin
Kristina Kelly
Brian Nido

Choreography by Jennifer Hopkins

2. When He Sees Me

From Waitress
Music and Lyrics by Sara Bareilles

Asha Iyer as DAWN

3. On the Steps of the Palace

From Into the Woods
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Hayley Fleming as CINDERELLA

4. Before It's Over

From Dogfight
Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

Paden Tranter, soloist

5. Forget About the Boy

From Thoroughly Modern Millie
Music by Jeanine Tesori
Lyrics by Dick Scanlan

Rachel Schotz as MILLIE

Tap Ensemble
Robbie Angarone
Karen Dowling
Kelly Griffin
Sarah Havlicek
Ashley Ridlon
Ali Ruth,

Choreography by Rachel Schotz

6. Answer Me

From The Band's Visit
Music and Lyrics by David Yazbek
Arranged by Mark Brymer

Serra Schlanger, soloist

7. You Will Be Found

From Dear Evan Hansen
Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Arranged by Mac Huff

Katy Constantinides & Lyn Donaghy, soloists

8. For Good

From Wicked
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

Devon Gunn as GLINDA
Michelle Kannan as ELPHABA

9. Sunday

From Sunday in the Park with George
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Arranged by Mac Huff

10. Brand New You

From 13
Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Arranged by Roger Emerson

Natalie Grandison and Karen Dowling, soloists

Dancers
Steven Boyd
Natalie Grandison
Kelly Griffin
Mike Krause
Brian Nido
Ashley Ridlon
Rachel Schotz
Chris Valentine

Choreography by Jennifer Hopkins

11. You Can't Stop the Beat

From Hairspray
Music by Marc Shaiman
Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman
Arranged by Ed Lojeski

Elyse Bressler, soloist
Cary Gibson, soloist
Carolyn Robbins, soloist

Dancers
Robbie Angarone
Steven Boyd
Elyse Bressler
Karen Dowling
Natalie Grandison
Kelly Griffin
Elvira Martinez
Noel Nazario
Rachel Schotz
Leah Shedrow

Choreography by Jennifer Hopkins

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

American Prize winner Allan Laiño (“lah-EE-nyoh” or  / la ‘ʔi njo / ) is the fourth Artistic Director of the Congressional Chorus. As a second-generation Filipino-American with wide-ranging musical influences, he aims to reshape the landscape of American choral artistry by creating an environment in which all voices can flourish. 

Laiño has prepared choral ensembles for the National Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Marin Alsop, BSO Pops and Jack Everly, NSO Pops and Steven Reineke, Piedmont Symphony Orchestra, Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience, and the Josh Groban Live National Tour. He has conducted onstage at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Kennedy Center Opera House, and Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center. His performances have been televised on programs such as the 2018 Kennedy Center Honors, CNN’s Live from the Capitol: January 6, One Year Later, and EWTN’s Annual Christmas Concert for Charity broadcast to over 140 countries worldwide.

As Co-Artistic Director of Bridge, Laiño produced, edited, directed, and sang in America, You’re Beautiful, a short film that merged spoken word and choral music to examine racism in America. The film won the Black Truth Film Festival, Queens Underground International Black and Brown Film Festival, and Shortie Film Festival. As Co-Conductor of the Sunday Night Singers in 2012, he earned First Prize at the World Choir Games in the Mixed Chamber Choir Champions Division. He is the 2018 winner of The American Prize—Community Chorus Division, and was a finalist in two categories for the 2020 The American Prize in Composition. In 2021, Laiño was the music awardee for The Outstanding Filipinos in America presented at Carnegie Hall.

Sean Burns is a Philadelphia-area native who relocated to Washington, DC in 2021. In addition to his work as Principal Pianist for Congressional Chorus, he currently serves as the organist at First Baptist Church of Washington, DC as well as Collaborative Pianist at Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

Sean completed formal organ study at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ in 2016, where he studied with Alan Morrison and earned a Master of Music in Organ Performance. Before moving to DC, he served as the principal organist first at Corpus Christi Church and later at Abington Presbyterian Church, both in suburban Philadelphia.

Beyond the walls of the church, Sean has used his extensive love and knowledge of opera to serve as an accompanist for young singers who are either pursuing upper-level studies or who are at the forefront of a professional career. At the academic level, Sean has worked with voice students at Westminster as well as Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. Professionally, he worked at Sarasota Opera House in Florida along with the summer programs CoOOPERative in Princeton, NJ and Canto in Louisville, Kentucky.

Sean also holds a JD from Georgetown University Law Center and pursues occasional pro bono opportunities.

GUEST ARTISTS

Dwayne T. Holton, a native Washingtonian, has been playing the drums since the age of 3. Coming from a family of musicians, he's always had a love for music. He studied music at the University of the District of Columbia, under his mentor, the great Kenneth W. Louis. His love for all generes of music has afforded him the opportunity to play for and travel with a diverse group of artists. To name a few,  Ken Professor Filmore, Daryl Coley,  Phyllis Hyman, Tramaine Hawkins, Dianne Reeves and Yolanda Adams. He also ministers with several local church gospel choirs, most notably;  St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church Gospel Choir and the Bladensburg Seventh Day Adventist Church Choir. In 1999, he gathered a group of musician friends and formed his own group, Nod Factor. They performed original songs and covers in local venues across the DMV. Dwayne has traveled across the states and internationally with  some of the groups that he has performed with. Paris, France was his favorite experience. While maintaining a career outside of music, he uses his time to teach drumming, DIY projects and mentoring young men in the DMV, where he resides with his wife, of 20 years, Marcia.

Ahren Field Buchheister (pronunciation: “R&B”) is a sought after multi-instrumentalist, singer, award winning songwriter, recording/mixing engineer, studio musician, teacher, producer, arranger, from Annapolis, MD.

He is the frontman/lead singer for the groups Black Rhinoceros and Pompeii Graffiti. His songs can be heard on radio stations such as 103.1 WRNR, 89.7 WTMD, 98 Rock, WLOY and more. He is also a member of bands: DoubleSpeak, Ambien Blackout, Doc Pine & The Respect He Deserves, Diving Horses, Cats Domino, The Shroom Pickers, Pigeon Kings, and Pony Bones

He can be found playing any night of the week playing any of his instruments (Guitar, Dobro, Pedal Steel, Mandolin, Classical Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Keyboard, Violin, Viola, Cello) in any kind of situation from rock to country, square dance to wedding band, classical ensemble or swing.

Ahren performs with a breadth of musical groups as a sideman; Peterbuilt, Gary & Leah, Swampcandy, Mend The Hollow, Big Hoax, Bumper Jacksons, Cadillac Mule, Cole Cash,  Caleb Stine, Haint Blue, Letitia VanSant, etc. or as a pit musician in a musical theater production (RENT, Spring Awakening, Godspell, Patsy Cline, etc).

Besides music Ahren loves Podcasts, any Sci-Fi, good coffee, funky socks, and chocolate.

CONGRESSIONAL CHORUS

* Section Leader

† Chamber Ensemble

‡ Dance Team

Board of Directors

Kristina Caggiano Kelly, President
LeighAnne Markaity, Vice President
Jahnissi Tirado, Treasurer
Elizabeth Kaehler, Secretary

Ihamna Cubillos Valencia, member
Serra Schlanger, member
Amit Singh, member

Allan Laiño, Artistic Director, ex officio
Arman Amini, Executive Director, ex officio

Production

LeighAnne Markaity, Artistic Administrator
Alexander Aloisio, Production Assistant
TSE Live, Audio Engineering
TSE Live, Lighting Design
Media Cure Productions, Audio & Video Recording
Chila Design, Graphic Design
Allan Laiño, Digital Program Design
All Stage & Sound, Choral Risers
Sugar Rim Bar
Capital Percussion & Backline Rentals

Credits and Acknowledgements

This concert is made possible in part by support from

A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation
Capitol Hill Community Foundation
DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities
Eugene M. Lang Foundation
Menezes Jennings Family Charitable Fund
Nora Roberts Foundation
Share Fund
Texas Instruments Foundation
Congressional Chorus members
& loyal supporters