BWW Chicago Contributor Paul W. Thompson Performs SONGS I'VE NEVER SUNG BEFORE, June 21 & June 28!

BroadwayWorld Chicago contributor Paul W. Thompson, author of the popular weekly column, THE SHOWTUNE MOSH PIT, will be performing his 2012 solo show, SONGS I'VE NEVER SUNG BEFORE, on the afternoons of June 21 and June 28, 2012 (both Thursdays). Both concerts last about an hour, and both concerts are FREE!! 

On June 21 at 3:00 pm, he'll be performing at the DePaul Concert Hall, 800 W. Belden (near Halsted) in Chicago, as part of the Make Music Chicago festival. http://www.makemusicchicago.com/

On June 28 at 5:30 pm, he'll be performing in the South Garden as St. James Cathedral, 671 N. Wabash (near Huron), as part of the Music In The Neighborhood At St. James Cafe series. http://www.saintjamescathedral.org/outreach-and-missions/arts-and-music/music-in-the-neighborhood-at-the-st-james-cafe/

The show is an outgrowth of his desire to learn entirely new performance repertoire for the new phase of his life--undeniable middle age. And the available literature, and the songs he's chosen, are revealing of a mature artist tackling a new side of his lifelong love and passion, the American Musical Theater.

Mr. Thompson will also debut a new cabaret song he's written this spring, "A Little Thing," in these performances. "It's definitely a character song--it's not me singing--but it's not from a show, at least, not yet!," Thompson stated. "It's someone who, in the course of singing the song, realizes the way out of a slowly revealed, slowly shattered relationship, and hints at the possibility of a new one, or at least, of it's place in some future time. I hope you like it!"

Paul W. Thompson is a professional singer, actor, pianist, musical director, vocal coach, teacher, composer and commentator. With a bachelor's degree in theater, and master's degrees in both music and business, he moves easily between the worlds of classical music, religious music, classic pop and musical theater. He has appeared onstage or in the orchestra pit in concerts, musicals, operettas and operas in 30 states, in a career spanning more than 35 years.

A Chicago resident for 24 years, Paul is in his 17th season as a member of the Grammy Award-winning Chicago Symphony Chorus. A member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the American Guild of Musical Artists and the Actors' Equity Association, he writes the weekly column, "The Showtune Mosh Pit" forhttp://Chicago.BroadwayWorld.com/. He composes music for the church and the theater, and is excited to teach the great songs of Broadway to the next generation of musical theater performers.

Paul W. Thompson's career as a performer, teacher and writer for the theater, church and concert hall is centered at Paul W. Thompson Music, located in Chicago's historic Fine Arts Building and licensed by the City of Chicago. Paul can be reached via the Paul W. Thompson Music page on Facebook, or you can send him a message through BroadwayWorld.com.

Set List for SONGS I'VE NEVER SUNG BEFORE:

A. Summer In The City

1. “What You’d Call A Dream” (1991) from DIAMONDS, by Craig Carnelia

2. “It’s A Lovely Day Today” (1950) from CALL ME MADAM, by Irving Berlin

B. Songs Of Travel

1. “Why Do The Wrong People Travel?” (1961) from SAIL AWAY, by Noel Coward

2. “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)” (1943) from THE SKY’S THE LIMIT, by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer

C. Songs Of Proximity

1. “You’re Nearer” (1937) from BABES IN ARMS, by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart

2. “You Walk With Me” (2000) from THE FULL MONTY, by David Yazbek

D. Love In Middle Age

1. “What Can You Lose?” (1990) from DICK TRACY, by Stephen Sondheim

2. “I Am The One” (2009) from NEXT TO NORMAL, by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey

3. “A Little Thing” (2012), by Paul W. Thompson (PREMIERE PERFORMANCES)

E. Facing The Finale

1. “I’d Rather Be Sailing” (1998) from A NEW BRAIN, by William Finn

2. “How Glory Goes” (1997) from FLOYD COLLINS, by Adam Guettel

3. “The Kid Inside” (1983) from IS THERE LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL?, by Craig Carnelia

Photo of Paul W. Thompson by Brandon Dahlquist Photography