HARLINGEN — Great entertainment is on tap for Harlingen this week — both literally and figuratively — as Two on Tap, featuring Broadway veterans Melissa Giattino and Ron DeStefano, takes the stage.
This talented duo will showcase their gorgeous vocals, exciting choreography and unique musical arrangements at the Harlingen Municipal Auditorium on Thursday, Jan. 11, at 7:30 p.m., courtesy of the Harlingen Concert Association (HCA).
And, as a special treat, students from three Harlingen dance studios will join the professionals on stage during the show.
Since its debut in February 2010, Two On Tap has entertained tens of thousands at countless theatrical concerts and gala events across the United States, and enjoyed headliner status aboard luxury cruise liners.
Heralded by presenters and critics alike, Giattino and DeStefano breathe new life into classic song-and-dance with clever arrangements, a meaningful connection to the audience, and high-energy routines.
“Our audience absolutely loved the show,” said the Executive Director of the Grand Opera House in Dubuque, Iowa. “I’ve never heard such universal praise and thanks for an attraction!”
A reviewer with the New Orleans Times-Picayune agreed.
“From the sizzling opening of I Got Rhythm, the pair showed throughout the 80-minute show that they certainly do — rhythm, style, humor and a Broadway flair left the audience elated,” he wrote.
In addition to presenting a variety of live performances, the nonprofit Harlingen Concert Association seeks to spark interest in the performing arts among local students.
The touring artists HCA brings to the Valley sometimes give mini-concerts or conduct master classes with students prior to their evening shows.
In this case, Two on Tap sent a teaching video in advance to local dance studios, who have been practicing the soft shoe classic, Tea for Two.
On Thursday, students from Rio Grand Valley Arts Studio, Monarch Dance Studio, and Palm Valley Gymnastics and Dance will meet and rehearse with Giattino and DeStefano in the afternoon, then join them on stage at the Municipal Auditorium that evening.
