At the Gallery: Cy Coleman

Cy Coleman was a musical prodigy who gave piano recitals at Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, and Steinway Hall before the age of nine. Despite early success in jazz and classical music, Coleman decided to build his career in popular music, teaming up with many of the day’s best songwriters. Early hits include “Witchcraft” and “The Best is Yet To Come.” Coleman would join the Broadway scenes in 1960 with “Wildcat,” starring at the time unknown Lucille Ball. His career and involvement in Broadway would last in his death in 2004. Notable songs from his catalog include  “Hey Look Me Over,”  “Big Spender,” “Where Am I Going,” and “The Colors of My Life.”

Andrea Owens is a singing, songwriting, actress and fiber artist.  A native of Rockport, Massachusetts, she studied dramatic arts and vocal performance at Emerson College in Boston and the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Recently she was the Managing Director of Ratio Theatre Company, where she was also a member of the acting ensemble and was featured in the casts of Let’s Fly Away, Songs for a New World, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris and Side by Side by Sondheim.  Most recently Andrea played the role of Abuela Claudia in New Bern Civic Theater’s production of In the Heights.

Phil Owens studied guitar with Mick Goodrick of the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts, where he was a featured performer in many Boston area jazz clubs in the 1970’s.  He was a frequent performer at the Central New York Jazz Fest during the 1980’s and 90’s and has been performing jazz standards and original music with wife Andrea in ENC since moving here in 1998.

Andrea and Phil Owens continue to perform concerts of original and standard jazz music throughout the Crystal Coast region.  They have been featured performers for the Syracuse Jazz Festival, The New Bern Jazz and Preservation Jazz Festival, and the Cape Fear Jazz Society.  In 2010, Andrea and Phil wrote and produced their own musical, F.I.S.H.  They own and operate The Red Shoe Studio Gallery in downtown New Bern.  Together they raised two musician children and continue to live in New Bern.

Judy Harrison has performed with the Ratio Theatre’s “Side by Side by Sondheim,” “Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris,” and “Songs for a New World” programs.  Judy first came to the Old North State as a graduate student.  While at UNC-Chapel Hill she was keyboardist with the University Symphony.  Then at UNC-Greensboro, she was opera and music theater accompanist.  Most of her professional career was spent in the Washington, DC, area in teaching and church music.  She was music director of the Washington Revels for 15 years, with performances at Lisner Auditorium and appearances at the Smithsonian and the White House.  Upon hearing Phil and Andrea Owens making music in 2009, Judy realized that New Bern would be the perfect place for permanent residence.  She is pianist and music director at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of New Bern.