It’s not hard to understand why Ashley Brown is a big star on Broadway.

The local native had a crowd of more than 2,300 people in the palm of her hand for two hours Saturday night at a homecoming concert with our Symphony Orchestra and the Children’s Chorus in concert.

After the Symphony, under the direction of Peter Rubardt, set the tone for the evening with an exuberant performance of the overture from “Gypsy,” Brown, looking chic in a crisp, white pantsuit, took the stage to a standing ovation. A grateful, emotional look – clearly visible to all in the auditorium thanks to video screens set up above the stage – crossed her face as she strolled out and effortlessly launched into her opening number of the evening, “You There in the Back Row” from the musical “13 Days on Broadway.”



Brown’s talent was clear from the opening notes, her strong, crystal-clear soprano soaring out over the crowd, touching hearts and raising goosebumps.

But it was more than talent, and more than the feeling of “hometown girl made good” that made the performance special. Brown possesses that ineffable quality that can only be called “star power,” bringing character and heart to every song she performed. Whether belting out a version of “Reflection” that easily rivaled Christina Aguilera’s hit version or bringing comic sass to the humorous “The Girl in 14G,” songs simply came to life in Brown’s capable hands.

Between tunes, Brown’s banter with the crowd was bubbly, effusive, funny and humble, joking about song selections and telling stories about her life in New York City. She also expressed her thanks for the support she’s received from the hometown folks during her Broadway success, noting how many area residents had traveled to see her perform.

“I thought it was about time for me to come to home to show my appreciation,” she said.

Brown pulled off a quick costume change between songs in a medley of “Tonight at 8” and “Look at That Face,” emerging from behind a screen in a stunning lemon-colored dress, having prepared for the blind date on which the character singing “Tonight at 8” was set to go.

Then, showing her personality once again, she sat at the edge of the stage to sing “Times Like These,” a touching ode to … a dog. When the subject of the song revealed itself at the end of the first verse, the video screens switched to a slide show of photos of Brown and her dog, “Eddie Elizabeth Brown.”

Brown introduced the evening’s musical director, Brad Haak, before performing a trio of selections from “December Songs.” Haak, who is also the musical director for Brown’s current Broadway hit, “Mary Poppins,” performed on piano for the trio of songs, her only accompaniment for the intimate numbers.

The first act of the show wrapped up with three numbers that showcased the magic of Disney. Brown introduced the members of the ensemble where she got her start, the Children’s Chorus, and ceded the stage to the young singers for two songs from Disney’s “Aladdin,” “A Whole New World” and “Prince Ali.” As magical as Brown’s performance had been to this point, the Children’s Chorus proved almost as magical, raising plenty of goosebumps of their own.

Brown then raised the ante with one of the signature songs from “Marry Poppins,” “Feed the Birds.” Most of us know the song best from Dame Julie Andrews’ Oscar-winning performance, of course, but Brown more than filled those considerable shoes with a truly moving performance.

After an intermission, the Symphony again took the stage to set the tone for the second act with a stirring rendition of the overture from “Funny Girl.” Brown returned in a flowing, ruffled black dress with a high collar and a vamp-ish hairdo, looking something like a better-dressed version of Catherine Zeta-Jones’ character in “Chicago.”

A jazzy medley from another pair of musical theater legends, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, followed, with Brown backed by a small jazz combo including Haak on piano, drummer Kevin Connell and bass player Jeb Stuart.

Tears came to Brown’s eyes as she dedicated “My Heart is So Full of You” to her family.

“I have the best family in the whole world and the best hometown in the whole world,” she said.

She credited those connections for keeping her “normal,” recalling her father’s advice, “remember where you came from.”

Those emotions carried over to Brown’s performance of the lovely ballad, and she seemed nearly overcome during her breathtaking rendition.

She misted up again while talking about her beginnings with the Children’s Chorus, who she brought back to the stage for the evening’s closing numbers, Sondheim’s “Our Time” and “Children Will Listen,” the latter of which Brown performed with the Chorus.

The crowd leapt to its feet for another standing ovation, and Brown was nearly buried in bouquets from admirers. She moved to stage right, but didn’t leave, and cracked to the audience, “keep applauding, there’s an encore … I’m so discreet.”

She wasn’t kidding about the encore, though, and came back to the center stage for a heartfelt version of “Tomorrow” from “Annie.”

“I had the best time tonight,” Brown exclaimed as she finished the song and said goodnight.

Judging by their roaring applause, 2,300 other people did, too.