YSO to perform Halloween concert

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Symphony Orchestra will present “Ghostly Stories,” a Halloween-themed pops concert, at 8 p.m. Saturday at Powers Auditorium.

The evening will begin at 7 p.m. with family-friendly entertainment in the lobby, including a costume contest judged by Hot 101 radio personalities A.C. and Kelly.

The concert will include guest vocalists with Broadway credentials: Darius de Haas, an original “Rent” cast member, and Morgan James, an original “Motown: The Musical” cast member. Local singers Eric McClellan, Janeen Williams and James McClellan will join de Haas and Morgan on vocals.

De Haas made his Broadway debut in “Kiss of the Spiderwoman,” followed by Lincoln Center’s revival of “Carousel.” As a concert artist, de Haas created and performed two tributes — the music of Billy Strayhorn and the music of Stevie Wonder — for the Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Series.

In addition to “Motown,” James’ Broadway credits include the revival of “Godspell,” Frank Wildhorn’s “Wonderland” and “The Addams Family.” She also performed with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra in its 2012 production of “Rocktopia.”

A.C. and Kelly also will join the concert for a rendering of the Dr. Seuss poem “What Was I Scared Of?” The audience will witness the disappearance of conductor Randall Craig Fleischer during Berlioz’ “March to the Scaffold” from Symphonie Fantastique.

Other selections on the program include “That Old Black Magic,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Old Devil Moon,” songs from the musicals “Wicked” and “Phantom of the Opera” and from the movies “Harry Potter” and “Psycho.”

Tickets for the concert are on sale at the DeYor Performing Arts Center box office, by phone at 330-744-0264 and online at youngstownsymphony.com.