above: Stamford resident Andrew Wilk at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, where he will conduct Broadway Scores May 17.
Stamford recently gained a creative and musical force: longtime producer and director Andrew Wilk. Last year, he and his wife, Heather, moved from Westport to a one-hundred-year-old house on Shippan Point—the five Emmy Awards on the mantle came along. When faced with a complete home remodeling project, naturally Wilk threw himself into a passion project—and those always evolve into spectacular, unforgettable events. Broadway Scores, a concert with the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra and Broadway stars, which Wilk will conduct on May 17, promises to be well worth the drive.
Why this concert? What makes it exciting?
Conducting has always been my first love. It’s how I met my wife, conducting Jesus Christ Superstar at Papermill Playhouse. I’ve conducted the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra with special guest star Art Garfunkel and the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. In my 20s and 30s, I had enough energy to direct television during the day and put on a tuxedo and conduct at night. But television became my full-time career. Last year, I attended a Cinema and Symphony concert in Waterbury, where the orchestra played live to the movie Home Alone. I was blown away. We started formulating a project to do together and decided on Broadway Scores, a concert featuring the past twenty years of musical theatre at The Palace in Waterbury to celebrate its twentieth year since reopening. The Palace Theater is an amazing hall—Art Deco brought back to life—and has some of the finest acoustics I’ve ever experienced. To conduct a full symphony orchestra with Broadway talent in a hall that looks and sounds this grand is as thrilling for me as it gets!
Tell us about your music background and career.
I studied piano for ten years, played guitar in a rock band and drums in the marching band. I went to NYU Tisch as a film major/music minor, which got me my first job in television with CBS. I was the only kid in the film school who could read a full conductor’s score. At one taping, the music coordinator for CBS was out sick. Opportunity knocked! I became the new music coordinator. I was eventually made the producer/director of the series and won my first Emmy at 28. While directing a new PBS series, I conducted a series of symphony concerts for Papermill. I then launched the National Geographic Channel. Later I was Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music Entertainment and then Executive Producer of Live From Lincoln Center on PBS—again because of my music background. In 2019, I began focusing on passion projects, including Stars on Stage—three PBS Concert Specials taped at the Westport Playhouse with Brandon Victor Dixon, Shoshana Bean and the late Gavin Creel. I am finally returning to the podium for Broadway Scores. With a company of eight incredible Broadway stars—Debbie Gravitte, Jess LeProtto, Andrea McArdle, Soara-Joye Ross, Antoine L. Smith, Allison Strong, Gene Taylor and Donna Vivino—accompanied by the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra, it will be a spectacular evening! Now, if I can just find my baton…
What goes into preparing for a concert like this?
So much, and I’m wearing two hats. As executive producer, I choose the repertoire and secure Broadway talent. I work very closely with my longtime assistant conductor and orchestrator, Gerard Chiusano, to create new arrangements and orchestrations that breathe life into well-known music.
Why should people come to the concert?
You will know these tunes. It’s Broadway music sung by some of the most talented performers on Broadway, accompanied by the powerhouse Waterbury Symphony Orchestra. Hearing these melodies with a full symphony orchestra is a very different experience — powerful beyond belief. I guarantee you will be moved!
When and why did you move to Stamford?
We always loved the peninsula that is Shippan Point but landed in Westport for 18 years. I love the city aspect of Stamford and the diversity with its arts scene, incredible restaurants and so much more.
Stamford favorites:
Cafe Silvium, The Wheel and Brennan’s—all close to our house, and Stamford’s own Palace Theatre.
Broadway Scores
The Palace Theater & Waterbury Symphony Orchestra
May 17 at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $35 – $150 (plus fees)
20th Anniversary Reception: $75 (in addition to ticket price)
palacetheaterct.org
(203) 346-2000
Waterbury, CT
A portion of proceeds from this event will benefit the Palace Theatre and WSO Education programs. This event is sponsored by Webster Bank, Ives Bank, ION Bank and Post University.