CHARISMA WOOTEN, STEF SCAGGIARI, MARK RUSSELL
An evening of Electic Songs
From Cole Porter, Thomas “ Fats” Waller, Billy Holiday, Ira & George Gershwin, Ted Koehler and Harold Arlen, Bessie Smith, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein to Hal David and Burt Bacharach; just to name a few.
Tickets: $20/$10 students
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Charisma Wooten
Charisma Wooten was nominated the Best Cabaret Theatre by the Washington Area Music
Award 2011. Charisma Wooten is a Helen Hayes nominated playwright and performing artist
who has performed in countless background vocal ensembles for artists Alexandra Lajoux, Pat
Boone, Earth, Wind and Fire; Myrna Summers, Deniece Williams, Bernard Mavritte and Aretha
Franklin to name a few. She is also a proud member of the Maryland Choral Society; member of
Refreshing Spring Church of God in Christ and a Licensed Missionary Minister. Charisma is the
former stage manager for KanKouran West African Dance Company and the Artistic Managing
Director for Mary's First Child, a.d. She is also a Board Member of Jah Kente, Inc.
This veteran actor/singer/playwright has performed throughout the United States, Europe and
Africa. Her local performances include Blues Alley, Charlie’s Georgetown, The Marquee
Lounge, the Baltimore Museum of Art, The Corcoran Gallery, Source Theatre, Studio Theatre,
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National Theatre, the historic Ford’s Theatre and
Germano's Cabaret Theatre in Little Italy, Baltimore, MD.
Charisma teaches theatre to children and senior citizens; and performs regularly for individuals
with special needs. When Charisma is not touring her one woman Helen Hayes nominated show
“A Night With Jackie ‘Moms’ Mabley” or acting in other shows, she sings with the Maryland
Choral Society, the A. D. Headen Choir, various venues and as a special guest soloist.
“...her voice has a warm earthy sound with a slight raspiness of a blues singer (some might
classify as contralto); but she can reach the clear soprano spinto clarity... this voice invites you
into the story, as if she is telling you a secret...”
Hami Harris, The Washington Post
“...Charisma’s performances are considered ‘edu-tainment’ ... you will be compelled to think”.
Philip E. Pannell, The Washington Informer
“...Charisma has more facial expressions than a Shakespearan actor...”
Ernest P. White, Washington Living
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Stefan Scaggiari
Stefan Scaggiari, pianist, composer, recording artist, has been an active professional in the
music industry for over three decades. His career has taken him to Turkey (the International
Music Festival); to the Netherlands (the Rotterdam Music Festival); to Italy for the Salluzo
Festival, to Japan for the Concord/Fujitsu Festival Tour, traveling and performing with the Carol
Sloane Group, the Modern Jazz Quartet, the Count Basie All-Stars and Mel Torme.
Highlights as both jazz and classical pianist include the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Concord
Pavilion, Baltimore’s Artscape Festival; soloist with the Kansas City Symphony, the Evansville
Philharmonic, the Florida Orchestra, the Annapolis Chorale and Chamber Orchestra; crossover
classical/jazz concerts with his trio at the Shriver Hall Concert Series (Johns Hopkins University)
and the Kilbourn Hall Series (Eastman School of Music).
Stefan Scaggiari’s discography is impressive - over 30 recordings and counting, including 9 for
Concord Records. Stef Scaggiari, his name and his music, is heard by millions every week on
National Public Radio’s Week-End Edition Sunday--now in its 13th year. Mr. Scaggiari has
composed theme music for ABC Sports; commercial music for the I.R.S., the Rouse Corporation,
including America’s 1st Planned Urban Development - Columbia, Maryland; Baltimore’s Inner
Harbour and Bayside Marketplace in Miami. Mr. Scaggiari also writes and performs his own
arrangements for piano trio and symphony orchestra throughout the U.S.A.
A graduate of the Eastman School, a Masters’ from Peabody, Mr. Scaggiari has deep roots in the
classical tradition. His teachers include Eugene List, Earl Wild and Leon Fleisher. Stefan
Scaggiari is an experienced artist with dazzling versatility-- at home with Ellington, Gershwin,
Mozart or Rachmaninoff.
“From the Kennedy Center with Dizzy Gillespie, to Carnegie Hall with Eugene List, to the
Concord Pavilion with the STEFAN SCAGGIARI TRIO… STEF does it all. Stephane Grapelli
does it on fiddle, STEFAN SCAGGIARI does it on piano.”
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Mark Russell
Mark Russell of Baltimore, MD, engineered and played bass on Cabo Frio's
Late Return. From working with Spike Lee, to Bob Fosses Dancin, and A
Chorus Line, 3 Mo' Tenors Mark Russell is a multi-talented individual.
Some more of the artists he has worked with include Melba Moore, Ken
Navarro, Stephanie Mills, Cab Calloway, Lloyd Price (Personality), Dave
Valentine (flute), Cissy Houston, Della Reese (Touched By an Angel), Kevin
Toney, Eugene Wilde (Ooh Baby, Gotta Get You Home with me tonight),
Dennis Chambers, Alexander O'Neal (If You Were Here Tonight, Fake),
Bernard Purdie ("The World's most recorded drummer"), Ted Curson (Jazz
Trumpeter), Ethel Ennis (Jazz Vocalist), and Ozzie Davis & Ruby Dee
(Actors)and many more. . .Ethel Ennis, Dave Valentine, Cab Calloway,
Dennis Chambers, Melba Moore, Kim Waters, Alexander O'Neal, Ken
Navarro, Della Reese, Cabo Frio, Maysa, Cissy Houston, Bernard Purdie,
Kevin Toney, Pamela Williams, Gary Thomas, Kirk Lightsey, Ted Curson,
Jimmy Witherspoon, Chuck Jackson, Eugene Wilde, Cyrus Chesnut,
Stephanie Mills, Gary Bartz, Lloyd Price, Gene Chandler, Unifics, Softtones,
Al Johnson, Jerry Butler, Ben E. King, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Three
Mo' Tenors, Gary US Bonds and CHARISMA WOOTEN.
