Barry Manilow tribute brings ‘one voice’ to Raue
An Illinois native who discovered a love for singing songs by one of the great performers of our time is returning to his home state for a matinee performance.
Mark Sanders, a Broadway actor and recording artist, presents “One Voice: The Music of Barry Manilow” at 2 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake.
Sanders was born in Addison and lived in Streamwood, Naperville and Marion — where he graduated from high school — and went to college at Eastern Illinois University. He lives in Florida now, but is proud of his Illinois roots.
“I’m kind of a local boy up there,” he said.
He promises Raue audiences an excellent show filled with Manilow hits like “It’s a Miracle,” “I Am Your Child,” “Copacabana,” “I Write the Songs,” “Even Now” and “Mandy.”
“You are going to hear some of Manilow’s best music,” he said. “I’ve always been inspired by the words of his songs. I was connected to his entire catalog because he has a song for everything.”
Sanders will tell anecdotes and stories about some of the songs and Manilow’s career.
“You’ll hear some favorites and some of the stories that go along with them,” he said. “Hopefully, (it will be) like you’re hearing them for the first time. I don’t try to imitate or sound like or be Barry Manilow.
“I connected so much to the words and to the songs and to the music and I saw what it did to the audiences — it just changed their moods. Each song brings you to a certain place in life. His melodies are incredible.”
Sanders started putting the show together in 2019 with his band and did their first big show in 2020. It’s more than a tribute, it’s a theater experience, he said.
“I think … a lot of people are secretly Barry Manilow fans, or ‘Fanilows.’ It’s really (about) reintroducing and keeping his music and his words alive,” he said. “People have really taken to it. As Manilow says, ‘It’s nice to have a melody.’ They are really meaningful songs. He’s got such a huge catalog, it’s difficult to put the show together.”
He added a couple of deep tracks for the true fans, like
“One Voice,” which has always spoken to him, he said.
“And ‘I Made it Through the Rain’ has kind of become my anthem,” he said. “As a theater guy, with auditions, we go through ups and downs, peaks and valleys. A lot of valleys. We will make it through, whether it’s a personal issue or a pandemic. When it doesn’t seem like we can go on and walk out the door the next day, that song is a reassurance that we will make it through. It’s really powerful.”
Going on a deep dive in Manilow’s catalog cemented his songwriting ability in Sanders’ mind, he said. He tries to weave his set list to tell a narrative with the songs.
“You craft it to see what story you can tell, rather than just throwing a bunch of songs together. What are the songs saying and how is it going to speak to the audience and how is it going to go into the next song?” he said. “I try not to talk too much, because it’s really all about his music.”
He’s seen Barry Manilow several times in concert and continues to be inspired by him.
“There’s not greater showman of our time than Barry,” he said. “It’s not just his music, it’s his artistry and his devotion to his fans. He’s just authentic with this music. He knows what made him the icon that he is, while still being humble and giving the audience a journey as well.”