(Seguin) — A Seguin native and New York City transplant, will be traveling back to the Lone Star State this week to unpack a fun filled 90-minute concert at the historic Texas Theatre.
James Donegan, an Off-Broadway actor, will be taking over the stage at the Texas Theatre this Thursday to host “Songs You (Should) Know: A Benefit for the Texas Theater.”
Donegan, who just a few weeks ago wrapped up with the Off-Broadway musical, “I Spy A Spy,” says thanks to a number of local supporters and some long distance planning, the show for this Thursday is a go.
“The timing sort of worked out. I had not planned to visit home but I was working on some things up here. I was in an Off-Broadway musical this summer that unfortunately didn’t run as long as expected. That always stinks but the good news is it meant that I could come home for a little while and visit my family. So, I posted on Facebook that I was coming home, that I was excited to have that visit and Jeff Koehler just commented ‘why don’t you do a concert at the Texas?’ And, for some reason, I said yes and here we are. Now it’s now. It all kind of came together very quickly in the last few weeks really and I said these are the dates that I’m going to be there. I’d love to do it on Thursday, the 22nd. He checked with Steve Tschoepe at the Texas and said the space was available and that they would love to have me and I called Tom Engler. He was my first voice teacher that I ever had when I was in high school and asked if he would play the piano for me and accompany me and everyone said ‘yes.’ So, sometimes the universe says ‘You know what? Let’s do this,” said Donegan.
Over the past 20 years in New York, Donegan has continued his talent in both singing and acting. Among his most notable performances was the two year run of Forbidden Broadway. Forbidden Broadway is an Off-Broadway revue parodying musicals particularly Broadway musicals.
This week, Donegan says he invites all to come out and listen in as he reminisces his time here in Seguin and in New York with songs from various classic shows many of which hold special meaning for him.
“The first half of it, I’m really concentrating on shows that I did when I was in high school and in college there in Seguin. I sing some things from Oklahoma, from Annie, from Godspell which I did from when I was in junior high — from Guys and Dolls. So, that’s sort of the first part and then the second part, I focus a little bit more on my professional career. Since I’ve been in New York which has been 20 years now since I’ve moved and my work as a professional actor — kind of telling a few stories and singing some songs. I’m very happy my niece, Ellie Follis, is also going to join me on stage. She will sing a couple of songs. She just this last year, was the lead of Kiss Me Kate at Seguin High School right before she gradated which I got to see and she was wonderful so I asked if she would want to come and sing a couple of those songs and so I think it will be a well rounded night. It’s pretty much all Broadway because that’s the kind of music I sing and like I said, a few stories,” said Donegan.
A reception will follow in the Texas Theater’s Chandelier Room. Tickets are $15 each and can be purchased at Gift & Gourmet, Keepers, the Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce office or online at thetexas.org.
Tickets may also be purchased over the phone by calling 830-372-6168.