Production Credits

It's a Grand Night for Singing!

Executive Producer & MUSIC DIRECTOR
Everett McCorvey

director
Peggy Stamps

CHOREOGRAPHER
Grady Bowman

ASSOCIATE MUSIC DIRECTOR
Tedrin Blair Lindsay

ASSISTANT MUSIC Director
Nan McSwain 

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER
Megh Jennings-Posner

CONDUCTOR
Robert Baldwin

ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
Robert Seebacher

SET DESIGNER
Robert Pickering

LIGHTING DESIGNER
Tanya Harper 

COSTUME Coordinator
Mary Kate Knight

TECHNICAL PRODUCTION MANAGER
Aaron Bowling

Production Sponsors

Welcome to the 34th annual It’s a Grand Night for Singing! 

Thirty-four years ago, Jim Rogers and I set out with a simple idea: create a place where voice majors, theatre students, dancers, instrumentalists, and community members could come together each summer to build something joyful, fast-paced, and new. What began as an experiment has become one of Kentucky’s most beloved theatrical traditions. Tonight, you are part of that story. 

One of the things I treasure most about Grand Night is the community that surrounds it. Some of you have attended for decades, bringing children, grandchildren, neighbors, and friends. Others are here for the first time. No matter how long you’ve been part of the Grand Night family, we are grateful you’re here. 

Every year, I’m amazed by what this company accomplishes in just five short weeks. The Monday after graduation, the cast gathers for the first time. Music is distributed, choreography begins, scenes take shape, and pieces begin to connect. Then, around week three, the magic happens: harmonies lock in, dances fill the stage, and costumes, lights, scenery, and orchestra merge into one production. Suddenly, what seemed impossible becomes Grand Night. 

This show has endured for more than three decades because of its variety. Each year, we search through hundreds of songs to create a mix of beloved classics and contemporary musicals. That blend keeps Grand Night fresh and surprising. I love hearing from audience members who send suggestions, many of which find their way into future productions. That ongoing conversation helps shape this tradition. 

Grand Night has always been about more than entertainment. It is mentorship, collaboration, artistry, and connection. For many students, this is their first experience in a professional-scale summer process. They learn discipline, flexibility, teamwork, and the exhilaration of creating live theatre at an extraordinary pace.  

None of this happens without the people behind the scenes. I am fortunate to have an incredible team supporting our show, and I thank each of them. And thank you, our audience. Your energy, applause, and laughter complete the circle between artist and community. 

We live in a world where the arts continue to face challenges, but I remain convinced that music and storytelling are essential. Years ago, a program ad featured a young person holding a clarinet with the caption: “Instrument of Change.” That phrase has stayed with me because the arts are instruments of change. 

For me, it was the trumpet. I first heard one the summer before third grade. From the moment I picked it up, I knew instantly that music would shape my life. Many of the performers you see tonight felt that same spark, and now, they share it with all of us. 

As we celebrate 34 years of Grand Night, let us continue supporting the arts, uplifting young artists, and creating spaces where joy and creativity can thrive. Let’s keep the music going. 

With heartfelt gratitude,

Everett McCorvey

____

Everett McCorvey is a tenor, conductor, producer, teacher, and the founder and director of the American Spiritual Ensemble. He serves as Director of Opera at the University of Kentucky and is the visionary behind It’s a Grand Night for Singing!, now in its 33rd year. A passionate advocate for the arts, Dr. McCorvey has dedicated his career to education, excellence in performance, and creating platforms for artists to shine.

It's a Grand Night for Singing! from the 1945 film, State Fair
by Rodgers and Hammerstein

SING ALONG WITH US!

All:
It’s a Grand Night for Singing,
The moon is flying high,
And somewhere a bird who is bound to be heard,
Is throwing his heart at the sky!
It’s a Grand Night for Singing,
The stars are bright above,
The earth is aglow and to add to the show,
I think I am falling in love!

Low Voices:
Maybe it’s more than the moon,
Maybe it’s more than the birds,
Maybe it’s more than the sight of the night
In a light too lovely for words.

High Voices:
Maybe it’s more than the Earth,
Shiny and silvery blue,
Maybe the reason I’m feeling this way
Has something to do with you!

All:
It’s a Grand Night for Singing,
The stars are bright above,
The earth is aglow and to add to the show,
I think I am falling in love!
Falling, falling in love!

All musical numbers arranged and orchestrated by Johnie Dean, unless otherwise noted.

masquerade

The Phantom of the Opera / Andrew Lloyd Webber

Everett McCorvey, Dylon Crain
& Company

sara lee

And the World Goes Round / John Kander, Fred Ebb

Robert Bosworth
& Bridget Fisher, Courtney Smith, Rachel Crain, Magnolia Hardt, Rumi Chang, Zaria Forrester

gee, officer krupke

West Side Story / Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim

Dylon Crain, Liam Schippers, Daniel Amaral, Jackson Cleland, Eli Robinson
& CoryOn Brooks, Mike Cooper, Ted Daniels, Eugene Kim, Nico Lucas, Jay McNamee, Elijah Merricks, Marc Pavan, Andrew Scott, Toby Steely, Michael White

i could have danced ALL NIGHT

My Fair Lady / Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe

Kelli Evans, Bizhou Chang, Emily Wicker

wait for me

Hadestown / Anaïs Mitchell

Na’imah Muhammad, Jay McNamee, Alicia Helm, Ashley Phillips, Alison McReynolds
& Rumi Chang, Morgan Chojnacki, Jackson Cleland, Zaria Forrester, Magnolia Hardt, Marc Pavan, Gillian Perry, Eli Robinson, Andrew Scott, Courtney Smith, Michael White, Jaila Yeast

only us

Dear Evan Hansen / Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Steven Levenson

Hailey Wells, Lindy Coolbear, Dylon Crain, Elijah Merricks

the man I love 

Lady, Be Good / George and Ira Gershwin

Alicia Helm

can you feel the love tonight?

The Lion King / Elton John and Tim Rice, as performed by Pentatonix

Jay McNamee, Elijah Merricks, Hailey Wells, & Rumi Chang, Lindy Coolbear, Na’imah Muhammad, Jackson Cleland, Marc Pavan, Aaron Bowling, Andrew Scott, Daniel Amaral

your daddy’s son

Ragtime / Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty

Jaila Yeast

the trolley song

Meet Me in St. Louis / Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane

Magnolia Hardt
& Company

new york

Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York / Kit Buchan, Jim Barne

Eli Robinson, Zaria Forrester, Liam Schippers, Courtney Smith, Dylon Crain, Jaila Yeast

‘till we reach that day

Ragtime / Terrance McNally, Stephen Flaherty

Na’imah Muhammad, Courtney Smith, Jaila Yeast
& Company

the wind beneath my wings

Beaches: The Musical / Jeff Silbar, Larry Henley

Arranged & Orchestrated by Tedrin Blair Lindsay

Tedrin Blair Lindsay
& Orchestra

ex-wives

Six / Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss

Jaila Yeast, Rumi Chang, Morgan Chojnacki, Lindy Coolbear, Magnolia Hardt, Courtney Smith

do you hear the people sing?

Les Miserables / Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer with original French lyrics by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel

Dylon Crain, Jackson Cleland, Frank Espinosa, Nico Lucas, Liam Schippers
& Company

journey to the past

Anastasia / Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty

Hailey Wells, Magnolia Hardt, Ashley Phillips, Lindy Coolbear, Sofia Martinez

ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE

Brigadoon / Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe

Dylon Crain

keep marching

Suffs / Shaina Taub

Jaila Yeast, Lindy Coolbear, Hailey Wells
& CoryOn Brooks, Bizhou Chang, Rumi Chang, Morgan Chojnacki, Rachel Crain, Frank Espinosa, Kelli Evans, Bridget Fisher, Zaria Forrester, Katie Greene, Bella Griffin, Magnolia Hardt, Alicia Helm, Janeway Howard, Makenzie Little, Sofia Martinez, Alison McReynolds, Rachel Moore, Cassidy Moss, Na’imah Muhammad, Shiloh Nsaku, Gillian Perry, Ashley Phillips, Courtney Smith, Ameila Thomas, Emily Wicker

mr. cellophane

Chicago / John Kander, Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse

Marc Pavan

Blues Brothers medley

Blues Brothers / Aretha Franklin, Solomon Burke, Bert Berns, Jerry Wexler, Ray Charles, Ted White

(Think - Aretha Franklin & Ted White), (Everybody - Solomon Burke, Beret Burns, Jerry Wexler), (Shake Your Tail Feathers - Andre Williams, Otha Hayes, Verlie Rice)

Na’imah Muhammad, Jaila Yeast, Lindy Coolbear, Jay McNamee, Elijah Merricks, Dylon Crain
& Company

if ever i would leave you

Camelot / Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe

Alicia Helm & Everett McCorvey

the room where it happens

Hamilton / Lin-Manuel Miranda

Elijah Merricks, Marc Pavan, Michael White, Jackson Cleland
& Rumi Chang, Morgan Chojnacki, Lindy Coolbear, Bridget Fisher, Zaria Forrester, Magnolia Hardt, Jay McNamee, Alison McReynolds, Gillian Perry, Ashley Phillips, Eli Robinson, Courtney Smith, Jaila Yeast

anthem

Chess / Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Tim Rice

Christopher Burchett

you can’t stop the beat

Hairspray / Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman

Lindy Coolbear, Marc Pavan, Magnolia Hardt, Elijah Merricks, Jaila Yeast, Rumi Chang, Emily Wicker
& Company

It’s a Grand Night for Singing

State Fair / Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II

Company

Soprano

Bizhou Chang+
Rumi Chang
Morgan Chojnacki
Kelli Evans*
Bridget Fisher
Katie Greene
Magnolia Hardt=
Alicia Helm
Janeway Howard
Sofia Martinez
Rachel Moore
Cassidy Moss
Shiloh Nsaku
Courtney Smith
Amelia Thomas
Hailey Wells
Emily Wicker+

Alto

Lindy Coolbear
Rachel Crain
Frank Espinosa*
Zaria Forrester
Bella Griffin
Makenzie Little
Alison McReynolds
Na’imah Muhammad
Gillian Perry
Ashley Phillips
Jaila Yeast+=

Tenor

Daniel Amaral
CoryOn Brooks+
Mike Cooper
Dylon Crain
Ted Daniels
Jay McNamee+
Elijah Merricks
Eli Robinson
Liam Schippers
Michael White

Baritone / BASSES

Aaron Bowling
Jackson Cleland+
Eugene Kim
Nico Lucas
Marc Pavan
Andrew Scott
Toby Steely

SOLOISTS

Robert Bosworth
Christopher Burchett

* Young Scholars

+ Rosenstein Scholars

= Dance Captains

Robert Baldwin, Conductor

Robert J. Seebacher, Assistant Conductor

Violin

Julie Lastinger
Julie Foster
Sarah Padgett
Charles Lockhart
Dorottya Gal
Amber Knight
Ashley Powell

Viola

Lubitza Hershberger
Elizabeth Jones
Reza Rahmati

Cello

Rebecca Price
Katheryn Fister

Bass

Danny Cecil

Flute

Katie Campbell

Oboe

Emily Maxey

Clarinet

Joseph Dennis

SAXOPHONe

Jimmy O’Donnell

Trumpet

Jonathan Stites

HORN

Robert Seebacher

Tenor Trombone

Kai Miller

Bass Trombone

Colby Norton

Drum Set

Matthew Skaggs

PIANO

Tedrin Blair Lindsay
Nan McSwain

keyboard

Nan McSwain

Producer / Music Director
Everett McCorvey

Program Coordinator
Megh Jennings-Posner

Production Manager
Aaron Bowling

Director 
Peggy Stamps

Choreographer
Grady Bowman

Production Stage Manager
Megh Jennings-Posner

Conductor
Robert Baldwin

Composer / Arranger
Johnie Dean

Associate Music Director
Tedrin Blair Lindsay

Assistant Music Director
Nan McSwain

Scenic Designer
Robert Pickering

Propsmaster
Aaron Bowling

Costume Coordinator
Mary Kate Knight

Lighting Designer
Tanya Harper

Sound Designer
John Mark Vanderpool

Technical Director
Aaron Bowling

Assistant Conductor
Robert Seebacher

Assistant Stage Managers
Noah Orberson, Merih Ozden

Assistant Lighting Designer
Daniel Bowling

Production Assistant
Michael Daniels

Scenic Carpenters
Troy Kleffman, Johnny Hines, Ed Vanoy, J. Scott Sherman, Ruby Wiggs, Boo McGinley, Brooke Hazelton

UK Costume Shop Manager
Lisa Wilson

UK Costume Stock Specialist
Andrea Richardson

UK Costume Cutter / Draper
Natalie Maynard

Wardrobe Run Crew
Susan Manning, Logan Benton, Ivory Besse, Elizabeth Loeffler, Forrest Loeffler, Michael Daniels

Deck Audio
Drew Raleigh

Spot Operators
Daniel Bowling, JP Moore, Seth Clark

This production is sponsored in part by:

Alltech
Vincent Lighting Systems
Studio 46
Bryant’s Rent-All
WKYT
Robert Rosenstein & Dr. Kim Clawson
Ben and Janet Kaufman
Ann Bakhaus and Family
Bill and Connie Collis
Ann and Ralph Mason

Robert Rosenstein and Dr. Kim Clawson
Rosenstein Scholars
OperaLex
Terry & Gail Bryant
Dr. Michael Morrill
Ouita Michel
Kelli Jo Summers
Bill Young, Jr. Family
UK Summer Support Staff