New Year's Eve with the Des Moines Symphony is a tradition for many, and we hope you'll join us this year! Stars from the Broadway shows Jersey Boys, Motown, Beautiful and Hairspraytake the stage with the Orchestra for an unforgettable night of music that will have you tapping your toes. The Doo Wop Project traces the inception of group singing to the biggest hits on the radio today. From the tunes of The Drifters and The Four Seasons to reimagined favorites by Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz and Maroon 5, this is the hottest New Year’s Eve ticket in town!
The Doo Wop Project, America's premiere group dedicated to preserving and expanding the genre of this great music we know and love, Doo Wop! This supergroup features some of the world's most talented performers from Broadway and beyond. With a hit PBS Special airing all over the country, four albums streaming on all major music platforms, and more than ten years of playing sold out shows all over the country and the world, you won't want to miss their one-night-only performance in Des Moines!
The Doo Wop Project's live show starts at the beginning, five guys on a street corner singing tight harmonies. From there, this epic show expands the genre by incorporating the sounds of today's top artists such as Amy Winehouse, Maroon 5, Garth Brooks, Jason Mraz, and Adele, to name a few. The boys of DWP then take these contemporary songs and give them a Doo Wop twist, something they like to call, “Doo Wopify”. Thanks to this exciting approach, DWP appeals to every generation.
DOMINIC NOLFI
Dominic Nolfi was last seen on Broadway in Chazz Palminteri's A Bronx Tale - The Musical, directed by Robert DeNiro and Jerry Zaks. As an Original Cast member of A Bronx Tale - The Musical, Motown: The Musical (Grammy nominated) and Jersey Boys (Grammy Award for Best Cast Album, Tony Award for Best Musical), he can be heard on all three soundtracks. Dominic also performed in the World Premiere productions of A Bronx Tale and Jersey Boys at the Paper Mill Playhouse and the La Jolla Playhouse. Dom was born and raised in San Francisco where he studied youth acting at the acclaimed American Conservatory Theatre. He studied Voice at the San Francisco Conservatory and attended the Boston Conservatory on scholarship where he graduated with a BFA in Theater. Upon graduation Dominic joined the European production of Grease. It was there that he met his future wife Sonia Iannetti; they have a daughter Vivienne. Dominic studies Brazilian Jiujitsu at Brooklyn Martial Arts. He's currently a Blue Belt.
SANTINO PALADINO
Currently Sonny is the Music Supervisor for the Broadway Musical, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, as well as Music Director for the upcoming Broadway revival of Smokey Joe’s Café. Sonny’s recent credits include: Associate Conductor, The Last Ship (written by 16 time Grammy Award winner, Sting), and the Tony-winning revival of Pippin. Other Broadway credits include, Jesus Christ Superstar, Billy Elliot, Grease, Priscilla - Queen of the Desert, Guys and Dolls, Mama Mia, Promises, Promises, Addams Family, and Women on the Verge. Sonny was the Music Supervisor for Disney’s High School Musical Italian tour and his national tour credits include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Grease. His arrangements and orchestrations have been performed by the The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and he has worked with the likes of Alicia Keys, Ke$ha, and Matthew Morrison. Sonny’s work for television has been featured on The X-Factor Australia and The Next Big Thing. He earned his B.F.A. in Jazz Piano from CUNY City College, New York.
DWAYNE COOPER
Dwayne (The Bass) is from Florence, SC and currently lives in New York City. He first began singing with a Christian A capella group called, "The Cunningham Singers" where he learned how to sing in tight harmonies. Often referred to as a modern day Sammy Davis Jr. meets Barry White, he is what the industry calls a "triple threat" and has performed in the Broadway Casts of MOTOWN: The musical, HAIRSPRAY, the NY Revival/Off- Broadway production of SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE and has done several National tours. As a songwriter, he has charted on Billboard,s Top Ten Dance Chart and as a sketch comedy writer, his Youtube videos have been seen by over 1 million people. Dwayne's tv/film credits include Law and Order, Difficult People, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and RuPaul's Drag Race. You find him @itsdwaynecooper on all his social media handles.
JOHN MICHAEL DIAS
John Michael Dias recently appeared on Broadway as Neil Sedaka in the Tony and Grammy Award-winning hit Beautiful: The Carol King Musical. He originated the same role for the Beautiful First National Tour. Originally from Tiverton, RI, Dias earned a BFA in musical theatre from Boston Conservatory. John gained a nationwide following starring as Frankie Valli of the Four Seasons in the smash hit Jersey Boys, playing the role on Broadway, as well as in the First National Tour, Vegas, and Chicago companies. Concerts: Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: Neil Sedaka's Greatest Hits! And Get Happy (a celebration of songs made famous by Judy Garland) With friend/collaborator Jacqueline Carnahan. Johns’ solo album, Write This Way, which features intimate takes on Broadway and pop favorites like “Can’t Take My Eyes off of You” and “New York State of Mind” is available on iTunes.
CHARL BROWN
Charl was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as “Smokey Robinson” in “Motown The Musical” on Broadway and he reprised this role opening London’s West End production in 2016. He is also featured on the Grammy Nominated Original Broadway Cast recording. Credits include; Jersey Boys Broadway & Las Vegas (Hal Miller) Sister Act Broadway (Officer Eddie Souther, TJ, Pablo U/S, Ensemble) Hair (Hud) European Tour, “The Who’s Tommy” (Captain Walker) Denver Center, (specialist) Kennedy Center “Ever After” (Captain Laurent) Papermill Playhouse, Johnny Baseball (Tim Wyatt) ART, Dreamgirls (Curtis Taylor Jr.) SDMT, Ragtime (Coalhouse) Performance Riverside, Six Degrees of Separation (Paul) Long Beach Playhouse, JC Superstar (Judas) Music at Westwood Theater, A Chorus Line (Richie) Starlight Theater, Star Wars Trilogy in 30 Minutes (Lando Calrissian) Edinburgh Fringe Festival. TV; “Evil,” “Madam Secretary,” “America's Got Talent” US & UK,Macy's 85th & 87th Thanksgiving Day Parade, The 63rd Annual Tony Awards, A Capitol 4th 2013. Charl is a proud Graduate of the University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts where he currently sits on the advisory board for the inaugural BFA in Musical Theater Class.
RUSSELL FISCHER
Russell was cast in the Broadway company of Jersey Boys on his 22nd birthday, marking his Broadway debut. Fischer starred in the second national tour of Big: The Musical. His latest NYC credit was in Baby Fat, Act 1: A Rock Opera at LaMama Experimental Theater Club. Regional credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Music Man at Chautauqua Opera, the American premiere of Children of Eden at Papermill Playhouse and most recently, the Atlanta Musical Theatre Festival premiere of The Collins Boy. Fischer was a featured vocalist on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and in the HBO documentary, The Bronx, USA. He has appeared on the live broadcasts of the 2015 Belmont Stakes, the 2009 Tony Awards, and several spots for TV Land’s 60 Second Sitcoms. He enjoys sharing Doo-Wop music with audiences around the world.
