Center For Cultural Events
Written
by BY DAVE KURTZ
dkurtz@kpcnews.net
Monday,
06 July 2009 01:00
AUBURN
— Two performers on the brink of major career moves entertained a hometown
audience Friday night.
Josh Sassanella and Evan Bosworth, former Auburn residents, sang at a patriotic
concert at the DeKalb County Outdoor Theater.
The pair joined with two friends to perform “This is My America,” a new song
written by Sassanella.
Sassanella will leave soon for the Forestburgh Playhouse in the Catskill
Mountains, the longest-running summer stock playhouse in New York state. He’ll
play the lead role in the musical “Rent” from Aug. 4-16.
“It’s my dream role. I’m going to go out and put myself out there and see
how it goes,” Sassanella said.
“Usually I’m kind of standing in the background singing and dancing, so
it’ll be fun to actually be a featured part for a change,” Sassanella added.
“I’ve understudied stuff in professional theater, but this will be my first
big role, so it’s really exciting.”
In his most recent role, Sassanella performed in Atlanta in the world premier of
“High School Musical 2” on stage. He previously was part of the cast of
“Mama Mia” in Las Vegas, Nev.
Sassanella recently had a reading of his own script for a musical, “Empty
City,” set in Cambodia in late 1970s. He describes it as a tale of two lovers
caught in the Khmer Rouge revolution, and said he has been working on it for 2
1/2 years.
“I write pop music, of course, all the time” in his home studio, Sassanella
said.
Bosworth has been performing in a variety show at the Osmond Family Theater in
Branson, Mo. Now, he is preparing to leave for six months as featured vocalist
on a cruise ship, the Regent Seven Seas Navigator. On board the ship, he will
sing in shows with themes including Motown, Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack, country
music and Broadway tunes. The ship will tour the Mediterranean Sea, then the
Caribbean Ocean.
“In the four months in the Mediterranean, we go to 13 or 14 different
countries, places I’ve never seen before,” Bosworth said, “so I’m pretty
excited about that.”
Josh
Sassanella sings his own composition, “This is My America,” Friday night at
the DeKalb County Outdoor Theater in Auburn. DAVE KURTZ
Evan Bosworth sings during a patriotic concert Friday night at the DeKalb County Outdoor Theater. DAVE KURTZ
