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Micah Burgess Continues New York City Career; Making Music with Broadway Stars

By Julie Perine on August 20, 2017 via Connect-Bridgeport.com

Since living in Queens, Micah Burgess has played a lot of guitar. He regularly subs in orchestras for Broadway Shows like “Beautiful” The Carole King Musical” and “School of Rock,” as well as various New York City gigs – recently with Kim Garfunkel. Yes, that’s the wife of Art.
 
His work has garnered the approval of many, including Carole King herself.
 
One of the 1995 Bridgeport High School graduate’s latest projects is an acoustic music video with Abby Mueller, who plays the lead in the Broadway hit show “Beautiful.” Burgess accompanies the actor/vocalist in singing “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?” in an arrangement he wrote himself.
 
“It’s based on the show and the original version of the song,” he said.
 
As the piece is one of King’s many pop/soul hits of the 1970s, the songwriter/artist legend had to approve the arrangement before Burgess and Mueller performed it in the video.
 
“That was a little nerve-racking,” Burgess said. “But I sent a demo of my arrangement to her and she liked it.”
 
Though he has subbed in the “Beautiful” orchestra – playing electric, acoustic and 12-string guitar - for the past three and a half years, the show wasn’t his connection to the music video.
 
“It’s just a coincidence that I happened to sub for ‘Beautiful,’” Burgess said. “I’ve done a show for Tyler Mount – the video blogger for Playbill. He’s producing videos and basically indicated to me that he was doing a series of unplugged videos with Broadway leads.”
 
The Tyler Mount Vlog, which features celebrity artists and columnists - Gloria Estefan and Perez Hilton, included - has been viewed by over a million people in 168 countries. Known as “The King of Broadway Gossip,” Mount produced a show at Feinstein’s 54 Below, Broadway’s supper club. Burgess worked with the show and the music director of the show recommended him or the videos.
 
The first proposed video in the series was recorded a few months ago, but the composer – who had previously granted permission to use the song – pulled the permission and they had to nix the project.
 
But this one – which can be seen on the Playbill Web site – is a go.
 
Mueller was great to work with and the acoustic video was wrapped up in three takes over the course of about 30 minutes.
 
“Beautiful” opened on Broadway in January of 2014. The original lead was Jessie Mueller, who won a Tony Award for her performance. After starring in the show for about a year and a half, she went on to play in another show – “Waitress.”
 
Chilina Kennedy finished her run with the show and eventually Abby Mueller, Jessie’s older sister took over the role as the show went on tour.
                                                     
“When a show on Broadway is successful, after a while, it goes on tour but typically continues to run as a Broadway show,” Burgess said.
Subbing in Broadway show orchestras keeps Burgess busy and it is “a blast,” he said.
 
In “School of Rock,” Burgess plays electric guitar, acoustic guitar and recorder. In another show – “Newsies” – he played tenor banjo and nylon string guitar. Besides the musical versatility, the shows sometimes provide celebrity sightings.
 
Though King has been known to pop in at “Beautiful,” Burgess said he never encountered her during any of his performances.
 
“But Eugene Levy came by and came backstage and Taylor Swift came to one of the shows,” he said. “Jon Voight was once sitting in the front row and leaned over and said hi.”
 
Burgess’ work has also been featured in a couple of recent recording projects. He served as arranger and music director for singer/songwriter/guitarist Jack Mosbacher’s “Sunny Songs for Shady People,” available on Spotify and iTunes.
 
Released just this past Friday was “Legally Bound – Live at Feinstein’s/54.” Burgess is included in the instrumentalists who accompanied artists Andy and Orfeh Karl.
 
“They are two Broadway actors I work with,” Burgess said. “We did alive album and it just came out (Friday.)”
 
In the not so distant future – October – he will likely play guitar and sing back-up again for Kim Garfunkel at The Cutting Room. The last time the two performed together, Art Garfunkel showed up at rehearsal and the three of them did a little “Bleeker Street” together.
 
Needless to say, Burgess is enjoying his music career. And he continues to give young people opportunity to pursue their own musical dreams. He and his wife Jane own and operate Art House Astoria, a 501©3 company.
 
“We have private lessons and group classes for kids age three up through adults,” Burgess said. “We have some free programs and we do a concert every year. We’re also starting to offer scholarships and financial assistance.”
 
The couple – parents to Charlie, almost 7, and Pete, age one and a half - also works in local schools, helping to fill the gap where arts classes have been drastically cut, Burgess said.
 
See the video, which will be featured on Playbill.com, below.
 
Visit Playbill.com HERE
 
Visit Art Houe Astoria HERE.
 
Editor's Note: Burgess is pictured top/cover with Abby Mueller, lead in "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" and just above with wife Jane.


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