Toes will tap to Sun City’s ‘Pop Goes the Music!’

Magnolia Hall will rock Mother’s Day weekend when the Sun City Chorus and Concert Band present “Pop Goes the Music!” with a program of Broadway-style rock ’n’ roll, music by extraordinary singer-songwriters and a dash of street-corner harmony.

All performances are open to residents and nonresidents of Sun City Hilton Head and are at 7 p.m. May 11, 12 and 13 with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on May 14.

“You’ve got to get up every mornin’ with a smile on your face” rises from the voices in the rehearsal room.

“It’s all about the one beat!” music director Art Hansen tells the chorus. The 80-member group leans into the beat of songs from Carol King’s “Beautiful,” and individual voices melt together into four- and six-part harmonies to become one voice singing and moving with the beat.

“These songs take us back to where we were — to a time and place,” says baritone Nick Christopher.

When asked about the upcoming show, alto Lynn Krisko eagerly said how easy it is to get excited about the music because it brings back so many memories.

“The chorus gets audiences dancing in their seats because everyone can relate to the music. We love the ‘woo-hooers’ who hoot and holler in response to the high-energy numbers,” said Krisko. “The chorus feels the momentum and everyone just goes with the music.”

The dancing will continue when the chorus and band crank up the energy another notch with songs from Broadway’s “Mama Mia,” including “Take a Chance on Me,” “Dancing Queen” and “Waterloo.”

The fun keeps rolling for the audience, singers and musicians with songs “Working My Way Back to You,” “Stay” and “Let’s Hang On” from “Jersey Boys.”

Selections also highlight a time of social consciousness. The program features a Pete Seeger tribute with the iconic “If I Had a Hammer” and “We Shall Overcome.”

Paul Simon’s “The Sound of Silence” is presented in a haunting arrangement, and the stirring “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” is not to be missed. “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers combined with “We Shall Overcome” arranged by Mark Hayes, and the lovely “Evergreen” from “A Star is Born” round out the show.

Chorus members M.J. Wisniewski and Vern Conway explain that there is a significant commitment of time and energy in order to sing with this chorus. Each member must audition, dedicate many hours rehearsing and learning music inside and out as well as taking on production responsibilities. The result is an amazing feeling of accomplishment, comradery and pride, said Conway.

All of these dynamics — love of music, singing and being part of a shared experience — come together in “Pop Goes the Music!” and what will be a joyous and raucous concert of high energy voices and concert band music.

Tickets are $24 and go on sale at the Magnolia Hall Box Office from 9 to 11 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Beginning May 8, the box office will be open from 9 to 11 a.m. every day through Saturday and one hour before curtain.

A two-series subscription for both the spring and holiday concert is available for $44 per person. Call the Magnolia Box Office at 843-368-3153 or email Suncitytix@gmail.com.

This story was originally published May 4, 2017 at 12:08 PM with the headline "Toes will tap to Sun City’s ‘Pop Goes the Music!’."