ROME — Singer, recording artist and Beatlemania Broadway legend Tony Kishman will perform a concert at the newly-renovated Capitol Theatre at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 to benefit the Project Fibonacci Foundation.
The foundation is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to STEM plus Arts (STEAM) leadership education with an entrepreneurial focus to grow the STEM workforce.
Kishman has been performing his award-winning show around the globe for several decades spotlighting one of the most influential songwriters and singers of the best-known band of all time. His show brings the music and the magic of both the Beatles and Paul McCartney to a new generation, earning raves by “Beatlemaniacs” for his uncanny resemblance both visually and vocally to the beloved Beatle, who recently turned 80.
A former Roman, Kishman was aware of the foundation’s charitable mission and its positive impact on youth STEAM education for STEM workforce preparedness. Kishman said he wanted to become involved in the foundation’s work and offered to perform at a benefit concert where all proceeds from ticket sales would go in support of its youth projects particularly, on behalf of launching the Multiversity of Science, Art and Technology (MOSART) Center coming to downtown Rome in 2023.
MOSART will be a hub for art- and science-themed exhibits, events, and activities consistent with the foundation’s mission to introduce youth to a culture of interdisciplinary, interactive STEAM learning, teaching them to become creative, independent leaders of community resurgence.
“The Downtown Arts District is a perfect location for our vision, and the opportunity to work with the City of Rome, other local organizations and non-profits as we move forward is extremely important to us,” said Michelle Minicozzi, a member of the Project Fibonacci core team.
According to core team member Amy Singletary, the benefit concert will certainly help in achieving the MOSART vision.
“We first considered doing a benefit concert in Syracuse to maximize on a larger metropolitan population and then bring it locally, but the pandemic made that difficult. In fact, we had planned a concert in Syracuse on June 4, but as fate and luck would have it, the real Paul McCartney decided to hold his concert, ‘Got Back,’ on the same date so, it made perfect sense to bring it to Rome, and we are looking forward to working with the Rome Capitol Theatre on this exciting event,” said Kishman. “Now is a prime time to share in the music of Paul McCartney and celebrate the Beatles’ rich legacy of music and pop culture history.”
Project Fibonacci Foundation founder and chairman, Dr. Andrew Drozd, cited the recent Beatles nostalgia craze with books like “The Beatles: Get Back” authored by Peter Jackson and Hanif Kureishi and director Peter Jackson’s Emmy-nominated documentary film of the same name.
The Oct. 22 Rock N’ Roll tribute is sponsored in part by Nascentia Health, Rapke Law Firm, and Worthington Industries and includes additional supporters C&S Companies, Community Bank and Bond Schoenek & King Attorneys. Other pending sponsors will be announced in the future.
Kishman will perform for 90 minutes spanning McCartney’s music from his days with the Beatles, Wings, and during his solo career, including the Paul McCartney Band.
“We are fortunate, grateful and humbled to have a talent like Tony performing a world-class show in our back yard,” said Drozd.
Read the full story here: Rome Sentinel
