‘Brown’s 80th Roast and Toast’ tapped for Nov. 15

Ask Brown Bradley about marking his octogintennial milestone and what he first foresaw with his life, and he’ll give you an array of answers to finish the line, “I never envisioned ... .”

Join Bradley, who has sung with U.S Air Force bands and with operas around the world, and who founded and directs the “FPC Concerts” series – about to start its 30th season in January – at 3 p.m. Sunday for “Brown’s 80th Roast and Toast.” The public is invited to the celebration, at First Presbyterian Church, 1300 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, where local performers will entertain with song and others will roast the honoree about his accomplishments on stage.

Remembering the interval after he earned his pre-med degree from Furman University in Greenville, Bradley said he then made “a 180-degree turn and go back to my first love” at minor in music while at Furman.

“I immediately left for the Big Apple and auditioned for the Broadway company of the musical ‘Most Happy Fella,’ ” Bradley said. “This was a lucky break because I not only got a small part, but also was able to join Actors Equity, the performers’ union. Membership is required to perform on Broadway or professionally.”

So, cue up the list what he never expected, to:

▪ Perform minor roles in eight Broadway musicals, be a national finalist and scholarship winner in the Metropolitan Opera auditions, and sing worldwide as the tenor soloist for the Air Force Singing Sergeants and U.S. Air Force Band while stationed in Washington, D.C.

▪ Moving to New York, earning a masters of music degree from New York University and The Juilliard School, and getting married to “a fabulous ballet dancer,” Mary Ludu, who would perform with me in two Broadway shows: “Half A Sixpence” and “Cabaret.” (“We were actually married between the matinee and evening performance of ‘Cabaret’ ... 47 years ago.”)

▪ Having two children who would do extensive TV commercial work “and have great careers” in film music and needlepoint design.

Moving back in the 1980s to South Carolina and on to Myrtle Beach, Bradley, an Orangeburg native, became director of music and fine arts at First Presbyterian Church, a position, he said, “ I have enjoyed these last 30 years.”

Q. | How did you first learn of planning for “Brown’s 80th Roast and Toast’?

A. | From my closest friends, Diane and Chuck Stokes. These two have filled such a void in our lives when we miss our New York Y lifestyle and friends. There is never a dull moment when we are together. Diane was definitely a vital force in suggesting this celebration to the First Presbyterian Church committee.

Q. | With the 30th anniversary this winter of FPC Concerts, which have included such colossal guests as Susan Graham, Angela Meade, Joshua Bell, and the Lincoln Center Chamber Orchestra in the past decade, how has this series grown and gained such longevity, and become one of Myrtle Beach’s treasures and traditions of stage?

A. | There is always a need for outstanding cultural offerings in a community to keep our cultural heritage alive. Our young people should be exposed to the best artists in the world. Music is the international language that unites all people. Affordable ticket costs and internationally known artists have kept our series sold out each year. We also appreciate an arts grant from the city of Myrtle Beach.

Q. | What musical work or show remains your favorite to hear or experience?

A. | I never get tired of any Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. I guess “Carousel,” “Mame,” and Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story” hold special memories for me.

Q. | Thinking back to your tenures as a tenor in Air Force – and in light of how the Grand Strand remains a popular place for military bands to include on tours for free concerts for the public – then going on to perform in so many other operatic and orchestral settings around the world, how has a lifetime and career in music proven that like sunrises and sunsets, and with every generation, the music never truly stops?

A. | Continually looking for new approaches to different composers’ music keeps the creative process alive and eternal. There is always a new idea around the corner. I thank daily my mentors – DuPre Rhame at Furman, Todd Duncan in Washington, and Oren Brown at Juilliard – for keeping my voice in shape and for showing their encouragement all during my career.

Q. | What has been your favorite concert or Broadway musical where you’ve lent your voice?

A. | Five stand out:

▪ Soloing at the New York City Opera under Bernstein.

▪ Singing on the old Metropolitan Opera stage.

▪ Performing the leading role in the opera “Don Pasquale” for six weeks in Hong Kong.

▪ Singing as a soloist at the White House on many occasions for the Kennedys, who were very gracious hosts to the Singing Sergeants.

▪ Performing the singing waiter solo in the musical “Cabaret” on Broadway and on tour for two years with my wife.

Q. | With operas commanding their own continued,consistent presence with live performances and encores on the silver screen, including Cinemark at Coastal Grand mall in Myrtle Beach, how does that outlet extend the exposure for more youth to opera, and give opera fans another avenue to enjoy a genre unlike any other?

A. | Opera embraces all of the fine arts: music, drama, poetry, acting, history, dance, and art. It is so very important to expose our younger generation to this all-important art form. If they give the cultural arts a chance, they will find enormous benefits and changes in their lives. The Met: Live in HD” series at the Cinemark theater is the best seat in the house for an opera lover, and you’re seeing the opera live.

Q. | In your decades on the Grand Strand – and with the Long Bay Symphony, Carolina Master Chorale and Theatre of the Republic in their 28th, 33th and 46th seasons, respectively – what trends and development in performing arts have you made you smile the most as our local year-round population continues to grow?

A. | I’m still waiting for a much needed cultural arts center. We can then take the cultural arts to a new and higher level. These groups have proved their worth and contribution to locals and tourists. Now we need a state-of-the-art performing arts space to complete our growth.

This story was originally published November 8, 2015 at 7:00 AM with the headline "‘Brown’s 80th Roast and Toast’ tapped for Nov. 15."