Henry County native Jared Bradshaw said an upcoming holiday performance will enable him to come home and portray one of his musical heroes – Bing Crosby.
“It’s more than just a Christmas concert,” said Bradshaw. “This show is about his legacy, his life and my life.”
The Broadway veteran will take the stage for “A Bing Crosby Christmas,” December 21 at 7 p.m., at the Henry County Performing Arts Center, 37 Lemon St., in McDonough.
Bradshaw said it was in McDonough that he first discovered a passion for performing, and fondly recalls his first shows in the cafeteria at Henry County High School. He got his first taste of the theater in 1991, courtesy of a Henry Players production of “The Music Man,” and knew what he wanted to do with his life.
“That’s when I got the bug,” he said. “I was probably 11 or 12 years old. I saw my mom perform and said ‘I wanna do that.’”
Bradshaw’s roots in Henry County run deep. His father, Jim, was the pastor at First Baptist Church McDonough from 1979-2001. At that time, Jared’s mother, Susan, was a counselor at Stockbridge, Eagles Landing, and Austin Road Middle Schools.
Since making it to the Big Apple, Jared Bradshaw’s baritone voice and stage talents have landed him roles in such Broadway shows as “Jersey Boys” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” He now lives in Manhattan but said he looks forward returning to Henry County to portray Crosby in the holiday production.
“I’m a McDonough kid who made it to Broadway,” said Bradshaw, 39. “It’s been a dream to get to work on Broadway for the last 10 years.
“I haven’t performed in McDonough since 2001,” he continued. “I’m thrilled to come home and perform in McDonough again with this classic music.”
Bradshaw said Crosby has had an immeasurable impact on the music industry. He added that the production provides a “touching” and “poignant” take on Crosby, who recorded 1,900 songs in his career – more than Michael Jackson, the Beatles, or Frank Sinatra.
“There’s a lot for people who think they know Bing Crosby,” said Bradshaw. “There’s a lot that people don’t know. It’s for Bing Crosby fans, old and new. Kids today just think he sang Christmas songs, but he was the biggest star for 30 years. He was the first multimedia superstar — TV, film and radio. He really put radio on the map. He invented crooning on the radio.”
“A Bing Crosby Christmas” features holiday songs including “Jingle Bells,” “Christmas in Killarney,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and “White Christmas.” The Andrews Sisters will be portrayed by Maggie Salley, Molly Wiley, and Jess Berzack, who each recently performed with Bradshaw in the musical “Parade” in Marietta.
“We have a fantastic band made up of Atlanta’s best musicians,” said Bradshaw. “It’s a feel-good evening of family entertainment and nostalgia — a great throwback to the way things used to be.”
Tickets for “A Bing Crosby Christmas” are $40 per person. For more information, call 1-800-838-3006, or visit wallace buicetheatre.com or jaredbradshaw.com
