‘Joyful Jubilee’ – March 29

The Cumberland County Playhouse will kick off its 2014 concert series Saturday, March 29, with a “Joyful Jubilee” raised by more than 200 voices.

The evening of choral music was conceived and developed by soprano Brenda Frye, along with Playhouse star and Broadway touring veteran Weslie Webster. Also performing are Playhouse artists Ron Murphy, Lauren Marshall, Daniel Black and Britt Hancock.

They’ll be joined by the combined choirs of the University of Tennessee Men’s Chorale (directed by Dr. Gene Peterson), Tennessee Tech Chorale (directed by Dr. Craig Zamer) and the Cumberland County Community Chorus (directed by Marty Gibson).

In addition to performances of major choral and solo works by classical and theatrical composers, the concert will premiere two new works by Tennessee composers.

¦ Maestro Michael Ching, former artistic director of Opera Memphis, where Frye sang for several seasons, was commissioned to create a choral work based upon the poem “Come Up Higher,” a touchstone of Dr. May Cravath Wharton, founder of Cumberland Medical Center and the retirement community Uplands Village, the concert’s sponsor. Debra Graham will portray “Dr. May” during the concert. Ching, music director of Nickel City Opera in Buffalo, N.Y., will accompany and conduct his work.

¦ Dr. Dennis Davenport, composer of Playhouse “Living History” works and now chair of music at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, has created a new choral arrangement of the song “Born Long Ago” from “A Homestead Album.” Lyrics are by Playhouse producing director Jim Crabtree, who wrote the book and lyrics for the show, which premiered at the Crossville, Tenn., theater in 1984.

The production marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of Cumberland Homesteads, launched during the Roosevelt administration in 1934.

The new choral edition will help celebrate the Playhouse’s 50th birthday, coming up in 2015.