ONCE, the Northeast Florida Premiere

Sunday, May 1^st, 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Guy meets Girl in the SMASH-HIT, MULTI-AWARD WINNING MUSICAL ONCE

ONCE  is a truly original Broadway experience. It was the winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards® including BEST MUSICAL.  With an ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, ONCE is the charming tale of a Dublin street musician who’s ready to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes an interest in his love songs. The chemistry between them grows, and his music soars to powerful new heights. However, their unlikely connection turns out to be deep and complex. ONCE draws you in from the first note and never lets go.

Guy is played by Sam Cieri. He was born in Boca Raton, Fla. After high school, Sam went from being a dueling piano player at The Mirage in Las Vegas to playing music in the New York City subways to pay the bills. After a quick stint as a mo­torcycle salesman, he decided to come to the theatre. Most recently Sam was seen in Rock of Ages as Drew. He is very excited to be involved in Once and would like to thank his friends and family for their love and support.

Girl is played by Mackenzie Lesser-Roy. She is a NY-based actor/singer/musician/dancer. She feels honored to join the cast and crew of Once. Her experience in regional theatre includes Spring Awakening (Wendla), Swee­ney Todd (Beggar Woman), The Threepenny Opera (Jenny). She received much of her training at The Boston Conservatory.

In 2007, a charming, off-beat Irish film titled Once opened to glowing reviews and soon developed a fervent following. This touching musical tells the story of two down-on-their-luck musicians, a Dublin street singer/songwriter who repairs vacuums, and a Czech immigrant who supports herself and her family by selling flowers. Girl initiates a friendship with Guy. In one week they make music together, fall in love, and part ways. The stars of the movie, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, also wrote much of the score. One of their songs, Falling Slowly, and received an Oscar.

Prior to the start of the show, the audience is invited to come onto the stage while the cast is having a jam session. As the show unfolds, the focus is, of course, on the relationship between Guy and Girl, but the audience also catches glimpses of the lives of the other characters. Once has proven to be as powerful onstage as it is on film. “I think what’s very moving about the piece is how sometimes we meet people who we don’t necessarily stay with forever, but they give us the resources to move on to the next part of our life,” says Director John Tiffany. 

Reviews of Once, The Musical

“Once uses song and dance in a way I’ve never experienced in an American musical.” New York Times

“Once is unusually fun and heartfelt musical theatre. The cast is on fire.” The New Yorker

“A love story played with fierce sincerity and unexpected honesty.” Wall Street Journal

“There are plenty of romantic Broadway musicals, but Once is part of a much smaller and rarefied group: musicals that are actually wise about the joys and anguish of love and life.” Chicago Tribune

“Unbridled Joy!” Vogue

“Pure, moving, inventive, and irresistible. Once makes a lasting connection.” Associated Press

“A rhapsodic unique musical that’s tender, funny, and soaring.” Variety

“Once charms us with a rare combination of intelligence, warmth, and musicality.” Bloomburg News

“A new musical to celebrate. Wonderful and enchanting.” Newsday

“Once in a blue moon, perhaps once in a decade or so, a new Broadway musical breaks the rules, challenges expectations, and delights audiences with something they didn’t realize they were longing for. Once is that musical.” Columbus Dispatch

Once has been produced in Dublin, London, Melbourne, and Seoul. The second North American touring production began in January of this year. This production has been to Kalamazoo, New Haven, Wausau, Burlington, and many other cities. See Once at the Thrasher-Horne Center on Sunday, May 1^st.

Get tickets for the Northeast Florida Premiere of Once.  

Just Another Day in Paradise with Phil Vassar

Country music singer and songwriter Phil Vassar is known as one of Nashville’s top tunesmiths. He has been described as, “A piano-pounding powerhouse on stage.” Playing over 135 shows per year, he taps into his audiences via social media for song requests. His chart-topping hits include ten No. 1 singles and 26 Top 40 hits. Among those are "Carlene," "Six-Pack Summer," "That's When I Love You," and "Just Another Day in Paradise."

Phil Vassar was honored as ASCAP's Country Songwriter of the Year in 1999. He’s one of country music’s great singer/songwriters, and he continues to turn out music that captures the heart and soul.  His upcoming appearance at Thrasher-Horne Center is one event no fan of country music will want to miss. Special guest Russell Dickerson will appear with Phil Vassar at the Thrasher-Horne Center.

Get tickets to see Phil Vassar with special guest Russell Dickerson.

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In this article, I’ve written about the upcoming Northeast Florida Premiere of the acclaimed musical Once. The performance will be at the Thrasher-Horne Center on Sunday, May 1^st.  I’ve also noted the upcoming performance by Phil Vassar.

Tickets for these events and others are on sale now on the Thrasher-Horne Center’s website.

The Thrasher-Horne Center is one of the nicest venues of its type in Northeast Florida. From concerts by renowned artists, to live theatre, to dance, to magic and other fantastic shows, you can see it all at the Thrasher Horne-Center! 

Spread the word about one of Northeast Florida’s best kept secrets! Tell your family and friends about the Thrasher-Horne Center. People will appreciate learning about what they have been missing.

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