Thu 12/21 @ 8PM
Cleveland native vocalist/dancer/actor Reggie Kelly was scheduled to do a pre-holiday show at the BOP STOP. Unexpectedly, the beloved 63-year-old entertainer passed away on November 19.
So now that show has become a celebration of his life, hosted by his longtime friend, local jazz/pop/soul singer Evelyn Wright. She’ll perform backed by a small jazz ensemble consisting of pianist Joe Hunter, bassist Peter Dominguez and drummer Anthony Taddeo; members of Karamu House will perform as well and Dr. Clarence Taylor will talk about Kelly’s recordings.
There’s a lot to celebrate. For 40 years, Kelly traveled across the U.S. and overseas as a performer, director, choreographer in Phoenix, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Buffalo, Washington D.C. and Cleveland’s Karamu House. He was the first Black choreographer at the Cleveland Playhouse and the Cleveland Orchestra. He appeared in productions of shows such as Dream Girls, Showboat, Once on this Island and Five Guys Named Moe. After semi-retiring from theater, he focused more on singing in a pop/jazz style and continued to do some touring as well as local performing
A portion of the $20 ticket from this show will go to Reggie’s family for funeral costs. Get tickets here.
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