A Match Made in Musical Heaven

The Diablo Symphony is nearing its 50th year performing music, while the Diablo Theatre Company has already passed its half-century mark putting on big Broadway musicals. These two companies, which have been entertaining central Contra Costa County audiences all this time, will pair up Saturday night to celebrate another milestone.

Actually, the two groups are getting a head start on this milestone: the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Lesher Center for the Arts. 

For Saturday night's performance, the Diablo Symphony,  a volunteer community orchestra under the direction of  Maestro Joyce Johnson Hamilton, will present a concert of music from five award-winning Broadway shows 

The concert will feature a tribute to Stephen Sondheim with songs from West Side Story and Gypsy, and selections from the operatic musicals, Evita and The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Weber. 

Also on the bill: a symphonic suite from Les Miserables.  

Diablo Theatre Company performers are Rena Wilson, now appearing in San Francisco's Beach Blanket Babylon; Nephi Speer, who has performed on area stages for 15 years;  Kerry Chapman, who will make her debut with Diablo Theatre Company in Irving Berlin's White Christmas in November; and Derrick Silva , whose latest show for the company was Curtains earlier this year. Silva is also the artistic director of the Contra Costa Civic Theatre in El Cerrito.

The Lesher Center opened in October 1990, and a big gala party is scheduled for Saturday, October. 9. 

Saturday night's concert starts at 8 p.m. For tickets and information, call 925-943-7469 or visit www.lesherartscenter.org.