Now-The Songs of Karen Carpenter

A new original musical revue created by Ruth Condon of Brave Horse Music which will premiere at Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA on June 9th, and run through the 19th of 2016.

Now will explore the musical life of Karen & Richard Carpenter through their music, interspersed with audio & video recordings and projected images. The title of the show comes from Karen’s last recording session in the spring of 1982 which was released posthumously on her album “Voice of the Heart” in the fall of 1983.

During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded 11 albums, 31 singles, five television specials, and a short-lived television series. Their career ended in 1983 by Karen's death from heart failure brought on by complications of anorexia. The Carpenters had three No. 1 singles and album and single sales total more than 100 million units.

The musical revue will showcase Richard’s gorgeous compositions written with longtime collaborator John Bettis along with the hits that catapulted them to fame and made them a household name.

Richard’s rich vocal and instrumental arrangements highlighted this duo’s collaboration revealing the talent that contributed to Karen’s success and popular music.

We will delve into many of their recorded demos, some that were created in bassist Joe Osborn’s garage, in the mid-sixties while other materials sat on shelves from recorded TV specials or discarded from completed albums.

We will explore her lovely solo album that she recorded in 1979-80 with producer Phil Ramone that A & M shelved, much to her dismay & devastation which remained unreleased till 1996.   

In the subsequent 18 years after Karen’s death, Richard remixed and released these finished demos on multiple albums.  

The performers are singer songwriter Jordan Renzi, theater pop singer Kristin Fehlau, theater veteran singer Anthony Teixeira and creator Ruth Condon. All vocal and music arrangements will be written by Musical Director Malcolm Granger who will also lead and be part of the 4 piece band.    

The show will be directed by Anthony Teixeira and produced by Brave Horse Music.