Duncan Theatre

Palm Beach Community College

93 SUMMER SERIES
HOTTER
THAN
EVER

 

 

 

 

Duncan Theatre
presents

 

MELANIE
August 7, 1993

Tonight's performance is sponsored in part by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Palm Beach Hilton Oceanside Resort.

An infrared system is available for the hearing impaired. Please see house manager.

MELANIE

MELANIE, born Melanie Safka in New York on February 3, 1947, has recorded twenty-seven albums and sold over 25 million records. She is still the only female artist over the past twenty years to have three singles in the Top 40 Record Charts at the same time.

 

Melanie's professional career began at age four when she sang and played a ukulele on a radio show called, "LIVE LIKE A MILLIONAIRE." Melanie grew up in southern New Jersey and graduated from Red Bank High School. At age seventeen, she enrolled at the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts, and while there, she honed her musical skills by playing clubs in Long Branch, New Jersey and coffee houses in Greenwich Village. After graduating from the Academy in 1967, Melanie enrolled in North Carolina's Penland School of Crafts where she became heavily involved in acting and summer stock.

 

Melanie's first major club appearance was in New York City at the Bitter End, followed by Town Hall. In 1969, Melanie was the first Pop solo artist to play Carnegie Hall. Melanie then went on to perform at Woodstock and numerous other festivals throughout the world. In 1970, Melanie followed THE WHO at the Isle of Wight Festival in England. Keith Moon personally introduced her, and she received four standing ovations at the conclusion of her performance. Three weeks later, Melanie had two top ten albums in England. From there, her career soared to reach phenomenal heights.

 

Also in 1970, Melanie released "Candles In The Rain" in the United States. In just six months, the album went platinum and helped her garner Top Female Vocalist of the Year awards from Billboard, Cashbox, Record World, Melody Maker and Bravo.

 

Prior to Stevie Wonder's performance, Melanie had been the first and only artist to perform in front of the United Nations General Assembly for UNICEF. She became UNICEF's chief spokeswoman and, for sixteen months, toured the world on their behalf (donating all of her proceeds). Other firsts in Melanie's distinguished career include being the first Pop solo artist to perform at London's Royal Albert Hall, first Pop solo performer at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, and the first Pop artist to perform on Broadway at the Demille Theatre. Melanie is still the only Pop female vocalist to have three records simultaneously in Billboard's Top 40 Charts.

 

Throughout the eighties, Melanie recorded several albums of new material that were released in various European markets. Melanie sang her hit song "Brand New Key," for the Fisher Price Toy Company, in a television commercial. In May 1988, Melanie was invited to perform at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow during the historical Peace Summit. Nineteen hundred and eighty-nine marked the 20th Anniversary of Woodstock, and Melanie took part in The Woodstock Reunion Tour that took her throughout the United States and Europe. Ultimately, the most inspiring event for Melanie as an artist was receiving the 1989 Emmy Award for writing the lyrics to "The First Time I Loved Forever," for the television show "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST".

 

Melanie has championed many charitable events throughout her career. In 1991 alone, she reworked the lyrics to Ben E. King's ballad which she called (We) Stand by You. She sang it at McDill Air Force Base in a heart-warming show of support and as a salute to America's men and women who served in the Mideast War. Melanie is on the Board of The Rock and Roll Foundation which provides assistance to artists who were victimized by the Music Industry. She performed at Straub Park (St. Petersburg, Florida) to approximately 70,000 people for the All Children's Hospital Telethon. She played the dramatic role of hospice worker in the play "As Is" which was written by William H. Hoffman and presented at the Beacham Theatre (Orlando, Florida). All proceeds were donated to AIDS Research. After being approached by Robert M. Montague, Jr., Vice President of "Just Say NO" International, Melanie became their Official Spokeswoman.

 

Ever faithful to her music and her fans, Melanie is releasing her first domestic album in almost ten years called "Silence is King." The album was produced and directed by her husband Peter Schekeryk. Her children, Leilah, Jeordie and Beau Jarred are not only featured on the album singing background harmonies, but are also touring with her in the U.S. and abroad..


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