Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota Presents Maria Wirries with Alan J. Corey

March 26, 2021 – Sarasota

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota concludes its Winter-Spring 2021 Outdoor season with a performance by local singing sensation Maria Wirries, Wednesday, April 21, outdoors at Plantation Golf & Country Club, 500 Rockley Blvd., Venice. Wirries, who now resides in New York and recently toured with the Tony Award-winning show “Dear Evan Hansen,” will team up once again with her longtime coach and music director Alan J. Corey for a program that includes tunes by Cole Porter and George Gershwin, as well as selections from South Pacific, Cabaret, The Light in the Piazza and more. The concert starts at 4 PM, followed by a sit-down dinner at 5 PM. To ensure the safety of audience members, musicians and staff, in addition to the outdoor setting, all seating (provided by Plantation Golf & Country Club), will be socially distanced and masks or face coverings will be required. As a further safeguard, there will be no will call and tickets must be purchased in advance.

For many area music enthusiasts, Maria Wirries needs no introduction. The 23 year-old singer has been charming local audiences with her wide-ranging, crystalline voice and effervescent personality ever since she made her debut with the Sarasota Orchestra at age 11. In addition to the Orchestra, Wirries has performed as a featured soloist with the Sarasota Orchestra Jazz Ensemble, at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and with Gloria Musicae (now Choral Artists of Sarasota). At age 16, she was accepted into the Musical Theatre program at Penn State University and in 2017 made her third appearance with Artist Series Concerts, this time alongside her Penn State colleagues in a successful production of “Hot n’ Cole” at the Sarasota Opera House. 

Immediately upon graduating from Penn State, Wirries won a grueling round of auditions to join the Broadway cast of the hit musical “Dear Evan Hansen,” before hitting the road three months later with the show’s first tour. Of course the pandemic has since put a halt to the tour, but that’s not slowing down Maria, who released her debut CD, “Just Keep Singing,” in October of last year. The album features Maria performing eight of her own compositions, reflecting her many influences that extend from Broadway to jazz, classical to country, and gospel to Americana.

“Maria Wirries has already had an astounding career, and she’s only 23,” says Marcy Miller, executive director of Artist Series Concerts. “And we both have enjoyed so much warmth and support from the community throughout the years. I can’t think of a better young artist to close out our 25^th season.” Artist Series Concerts’ director of artist programs Joseph Holt is thrilled to be collaborating with Maria once again. “I’ve had the privilege to work with Maria numerous times and have been following her career since the beginning,” says Holt. “With her talent and energy that seem to know no bounds, I do think the best is yet to come for Maria.” Meanwhile, Wirries herself is just looking forward to this dual “homecoming” of sorts. “I am so excited for this chance to come home and also to revisit some of my favorite pieces from Broadway and the Great American Songbook – it’ll be a lot of songs both by and for people I know and love.”

Tickets are $57 and are available online at ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or by calling 941-306-1202, Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.