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Vegas musicians team for Carpenters tribute
By Carl Hoover | Entertainment editor for the Waco Tribute-Herald, Waco, TX | July 11, 2019
The audience at Friday’s “The Carpenters Tribute” at the Waco Hippodrome will experience something many fans of pop duo Karen and Richard Carpenter in the 1960s and 1970s never saw: a live performance.
In fact, the show that’s recreated by Sally Olson and Ned Mills comes from the Carpenters’ 1976 tour of the United Kingdom after they had worked with stage professionals to make their concert more than a string of pop ballads.
“It’s their most lively and entertaining show,” explained Olson, who sings and drums as Karen in the tribute, with Mills on keyboards and singing Richard’s harmony vocals.
That means movement on stage, patter between songs and a musical variety that shows off the Carpenters’ musical skills. “A lot of people never had the opportunity to see the Carpenters live,” noted Mills, a veteran music director and conductor in Las Vegas. “The takeaway for many who see our show is, ‘I had no idea they could do so many different things.’”
For Olson, that meant learning how to drum. Karen, known for her silky, arresting alto, started as a drummer in her brother’s pop-jazz combo The Richard Carpenter Trio and for many years preferred to sing from behind a drum kit when onstage.
“Karen started out on drums and considered herself a drummer. For me, I’m doing it in the opposite order,” she said.
For Mills, who studied piano at North Texas State University, the tribute meant some brushing up to get Richard’s arrangements and playing style down. “I had to step up my chops a couple of notches,” he said. “He was so eclectic in his style.”
He also plays a tribute to pop arranger, trumpeter and producer Herb Albert, the man who gave the Carpenters their big break, and wanted to do justice to the arrangements of pop composer Burt Bacharach, who had written several of the Carpenters’ hits. “It took time and dedication to get it right,” he said.
For many Carpenters fans, it was Karen’s voice that was the duo’s signature, a voice that comes to mind when one runs through the titles of their best-known songs: “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “Superstar,” “Top of the World,” “Sing,” and “For All We Know.”
That part only needed polishing, said Olson. “For me, singing the Carpenters’ music was a natural and easy fit. The range and timbre of my voice is similar to Karen’s,” she said. “I had to study and be aware of all the inflections in her voice to fine-tune it . . . You can imagine she had experienced all these things she was singing about.”
The Carpenters’ time in the musical limelight ended abruptly in 1983 when Karen died of heart failure at age 32.
The tribute that Olson and Mills will lead debuted this spring before an exacting audience: a Carpenters 50th anniversary celebration in Thousand Oaks, California. Not only did they win acclaim for their performance, but subsequent shows sold out.
The two crossed paths after Olson, a Vermont native, had developed a 2015 cabaret show with Karen’s songs and secured the part as Karen Carpenter for the “Legends in Concert” show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, beginning in the fall. Mills, a seasoned arranger and music director who’s worked in Las Vegas for 19 years, connected with her to create the tribute for the Carpenters 50th annual celebration, a tribute they’re now taking on the road until “Legends ” begins.
Joining the two in Waco are Texas musicians - guitarist Dave Lincoln and horn player Greg Bashara, and Vegas drummer John Plows . Author Randy Schmidt, who wrote the Karen Carpenter biography “Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter,” also will be at Friday’s concert to meet fans and sign books.
Being Karen Carpenter: Olson channels iconic singer for tribute show
By B.J. Lisko | Staff writer for The Repository - Ticket Magazine, Canton, OH | Posted Aug 9, 2017 at 3:56 PM
Technically, Sally Olson was a child of the ’80s and ’90s. Spiritually, though, she found herself gravitating toward the music of the ’60s and ’70s. Olson’s mother exposed her to the likes of James Taylor, Carole King, The Mamas and the Papas and The Carpenters. Later on, as a student of vocal teacher and musician Bill Reed, Olson found her connection to the latter of those groups — specifically their singer Karen Carpenter — was far greater than she ever knew.
Sally Olson’s Carpenters Tribute Concert is set for Aug. 18 at the Meyers Lake Dinner Theatre. The Vermont native has toured the show nationally, earning rave reviews for its authenticity and meticulous attention to detail. Olson is backed by a full band, and the show features video segments and multiple costume changes.
“In all the research I did, I realized what a huge connection I had not only to The Carpenters but to Karen as a person,” Olson said of originally putting the show together after Reed’s suggestion in 2013. “I can relate to her story and her struggles. That’s a big component of the show.”
Olson is the managing director at Bill Reed Voice Studio, but as her tribute act gains acclaim, she is inching toward a full-time career honoring The Carpenters.
Olson recently discussed the origins of her show and her connection to all things Karen Carpenter ahead of her Canton appearance.
Q. How did this show come together?
A. “I had been taking voice lessons with Bill Reed for a few years, and in 2013, he suggested I put together a one-woman show. I had been auditioning for a lot of things around the Burlington, Vt.,area. I would get some things, but a lot of the time I wouldn’t, and, by and large, I really wasn’t inspired by the projects or opportunities that were going on. Bill always encouraged his students to create their own opportunities. At some point, we started reading through The Carpenters’ music, and it was clear that it was a great fit for me.”
Q. How has the show evolved since you started?
A. “Two years ago, I connected with Randy Schmidt. He wrote ‘Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter.’ It’s the most recent and honest bio on her. Having read his book and having that dialogue with him, it gave me even more insight into her personal story. Being able to access her own experiences has informed the emotional and acting side of my show as well.”
Q. How do you personally relate to Karen?
A. “Karen died at the age of 32 from heart failure due to compilcations related to anorexia nervosa. I developed anorexia starting in 1998 as a senior in high school and continued to struggle with the disorder throughout my twenties. Having that common ground with Karen made me feel all the more connected to her and the music. It’s kind of eerie actually. I can really get into her mindset more than the average person, knowing what she went through physically, mentally and emotionally. Karen was also a drummer first, and because I’m so keen on being authentic, it only made sense I would learn to play the drums. I can also totally relate to Karen’s dry sense of humor. Studying her so much, I’ve also inadvertently acquired some of her speech patterns. When it comes to sounding like Karen, it has actually served me quite well.”
Q. What is your favorite part of the show?
A. “There’s more than one, actually. I’ve spent a ton of time with the costuming. I always loved vintage clothes shopping in high school, but that hobby has really been a positive influence on my show, because now I have an excuse to do it! (Laughs) When I started, the costumes were of the era and looked like something she might have worn. In the last few years, I’ve done a lot of work in re-creating exactly the iconic costumes she wore. That’s really satisfying for me, and people who are really diehard Carpenters fans, they recognize those costumes.
“The other part is being able to get up on stage and be in that moment — letting the songs tell the story. Because I am in a way becoming Karen Carpenter and telling her story through the words in the song. After a show I’ll talk to the audience, and they’ll say how I was able to bring them back to the ’70s or to a Carpenters concert they had seen. A lot of those people also met The Carpenters, and it’s been fun hearing those stories, because I was obviously too young to have met them.”
Q. Do you have a favorite Carpenters song? Or perhaps one that hits home for you a little more than others?
A. “It’s ‘I Need To Be In Love.’ It strikes a really personal chord. It’s that universal struggle that so many people go through in finding that right person and feeling like you’ll never find that right person. Also, I know how personally Karen connected to that song. It was a fact that she felt that it was written for her personally, because she was on tour all the time, it was very difficult for her or her brother to have lasting personal relationships. It’s an interesting song for me to sing, and one where I’m able to get into character as her the most.”
LIVE MUSIC
WHO: Sally Olson Carpenters Tribute Concert
WHEN: Aug. 18, 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Meyers Lake Dinner Theatre, 3218 Parkway Drive NW, Canton
TICKETS: $34 includes dinner and the show. Reservations required. Call 330-327-2087.
MORE INFO: carpenterstributeconcert.com
Reach B.J. at 330-580-8314 or bj.lisko@cantonrep.com
On Twitter: @BLiskoREP
6 Questions for Carpenters Tribute Show Star Sally Olson
Nite Life Exchange, April 27, 2017
By Rob Lester
“We’ve only just begun” to learn about Karen Carpenter and Carpenters’ music. At The Triad Theatre, Sally Olson’s April 29 show brings more info. We had some questions!
1. Of the many songs Karen and Richard Carpenter recorded, which is the first one you heard that piqued your interest in their music?
It was actually the first Carpenters song that I ever heard! –“(They Long to Be) Close to You.” I first heard it when I was a high school freshman in chorus back in 1995. It was part of a Carpenters medley that we performed for a spring concert. That was my first impression of the Carpenters and it made an indelible mark on my psyche. While it’s true that the song had been recorded by others – including Richard Chamberlain, Dionne Warwick, and even Herb Alpert — who signed Karen and Richard to his label, A&M Records, in 1969 and shortly thereafter suggested to Richard that they cover the song. It was the Carpenters’ rendition that really took off, with their unique shuffle tempo. Richard said of recording it,”Herb Alpert just gave me a lead sheet, and he said, ‘I have a recording of this, but I don’t want you to hear it. I don’t want anything to influence what you may come up with. Just keep, at the end of the first bridge, two piano quintuplets.’ ” Those elements — the shuffle tempo, two piano quintuplets and, of course, Karen’s pure and soulful voice that got me hooked, with this classic Burt Bacharach/Hal David song.
2. Costuming authenticity is a major part of the production. How did you go about putting together the wardrobe you use for your portrayal?
Yes, costuming authenticity is a huge part of the production! When I was in high school, I became addicted to vintage clothes shopping. While I don’t wear vintage clothes on a daily basis, like I did in high school, it’s something that has served my show very well. Burlington, Vermont has a wonderful collection of vintage stores and I’ve also found online vintage stores to supplement my costume search. When I started out costuming my show, I was finding dresses that were “of the era” and looked liked something that Karen might have worn or they were close approximations. But as I further developed my show, I realized that I both needed and wanted to recreate costumes that Karen wore on-stage. So, that is when online vintage stores started to become very useful, because I can type in keywords and find exactly what I am looking for. To date, I have four costumes that are exact replicas of outfits that Karen performed in: 1. The yellow “Rainy Days And Mondays” dress; 2. The “Close to You” peach chiffon blouse/black corset vest/red skirt outfit; 3. The strapless “There’s A Kind of Hush (All Over The World)” aqua dress with sequined rainbow scarf; and 4. The 1972 Grammy Awards black dress with white ruffled collar and cuffs. These are the four costumes that I am currently using in my show, but I’m always working on the next costume idea!
3. You’ve done several performances of this show out of town. Up to this point, what would you say the audiences for this show have been, age-wise?
So far, the audiences have been mainly from the Baby Boomer generation, which makes sense. These are the people who grew up listening to the Carpenters. However, I am always surprised by the younger crowd that tends to come out and is discovering the Carpenters’ music for the first time, or they are vaguely familiar with it because it’s something they heard their parents listening to in their childhood. Since I debuted my show in 2015, I’ve been aware of a resurgence of popularity in the Carpenters’ music. For me, this is really great timing. I’m not totally sure why this is happening, but perhaps is it a return to interest to songs with real musical integrity. Also, it will be 50 years in 2019 since the Carpenters came onto the music scene, so perhaps that has something to do with it. Music, and art for that matter, that is timeless never dies. Dan Levine, Broadway composer, arranger and owner of Such-A-Voice, a voice-over training company, deftly explains the timelessness and musical integrity of the Carpenters’ work as conveyed in my show: “Sally takes us on a carefully crafted journey back to a time when melody, harmony, and well-conceived composition ruled the music scene. Sally has captured the essence and beauty of that era in her show in a way that one rarely sees today. A thoroughly enjoyable evening of song.”
4. You’ve become so immersed in the part and have obviously spent a lot of time researching and studying Karen Carpenter. Is there anything that you have you learned about her that you feel you’ve incorporated into your own life?
Yes, I have spent the past three and a half years totally immersing myself in all things Carpenters. It’s really a labor of love and so, it’s not really work to me. I look forward to my evenings because that is when I delve into archival Carpenters videos on YouTube and other online research. In doing so, I’ve made connections with key people in the Carpenters’ world, including Randy Schmidt, the author of Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter. I had the pleasure of meeting with Randy in November of 2015 in Dallas, TX to “talk Carpenters.” Additionally, I’ve become a member of 15 or so Facebook Carpenters fan groups and have connected with hundreds of Carpenters fans who are very interested in what I’m doing with my show and how I am preserving Karen’s memory and the legacy of the Carpenters music. In regard to what I have learned about Karen that I have incorporated into my own life— Well, first of all, Karen died at the age of 32 from heart failure due to compilations related to anorexia nervosa. I developed anorexia starting in 1998 as a senior in high school, and continued to struggle with the disorder throughout my twenties. Having that common ground with Karen made me feel all the more connected to her and the music. It’s kind of eerie actually. I can really get into her mindset more than the average person, knowing what she went through physically, mentally, and emotionally. Also, I’ve taken up the drums since I launched my show. Because I am so keen on being authentic, it only made sense that I would learn to play the drums. Karen was a drummer first, and always considered herself “a drummer who could sing”….as crazy as that sounds, because she is, without a doubt, one of the best and most recognizable female voices of the 1970s and probably of all time. However, she was also a formidable and very accomplished drummer! In addition, I totally relate to Karen’s dry sense of humor. And, I’ve also noticed that I’ve inadvertently acquired some of her speech patterns. She was born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, before the family moved to Downey, California; but, there is something about her speech that suggests a certain dialect and is also a bit tomboyish. As a born-and-raised Vermonter, I’ve always been a tomboy and spent my childhood playing outdoors, much like Karen. And my upbringing and surroundings have deeply influenced my speech patterns and regional dialect. It is something that I’ve had to be aware of and “correct” as a singer. But, when it comes to sounding like Karen, it has actually served me quite well.
5. You’ve put together a solid production group from the Burlington, Vermont region. What is the cabaret/theatre scene like up there now?
It is quite eclectic. It really runs the gamut from national tours and large names being presented at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts to community theatre groups— ie. Lyric Theatre Company and Stowe Theatre Guild— to Equity groups– ie. The Commons Group at The Skinner Barn and Vermont Stage Company— to burlesque, ie. Spielpalast Cabaret and Green Mountain Cabaret. However, tribute acts are quite rare in the area. To my knowledge, there is a Prince tribute with DJ Craig Mitchell and an Elvis tribute with Mark Shelton, but that’s pretty much it. I actually stumbled into the tribute genre by accident. Bill Reed, renowned singing teacher and founder of the musical theatre program at NYC’s acclaimed Circle in the Square Theatre School, my vocal coach and boss — I am the managing director at Bill Reed Voice Studio in South Burlington— suggested in 2013 that I consider putting together a one-woman show. I had been studying voice with Bill since 2009. We started reading through music and at some point came across the Carpenters songbook. It was immediately very clear that this was a perfect fit for me, both vocally and emotionally. I’m a contra-alto, like Karen, and I relate to her life story and struggles on a very personal level. I am thrilled to have found my niche as a tribute artist, as I feel that it speaks to my personal affinities for nostalgia, music of the ’70s and vintage clothes, and it allows me to fully express myself artistically. Burlington is a great place for artists. No matter what you are interested in — or obsessed with!— there is a place for you.
6. Of The Carpenters songbook, which is your favorite song and why does it hold that position for you?
It’s really hard for me to pick just one Carpenters song from their very prolific songbook. I love so many of them. Richard Carpenter co-wrote many of the songs with John Bettis, in addition to covering many songs and imbuing them with that signature overdubbed “Carpenters sound” with stacked harmonies. However, if I had to choose just one song as my favorite it would be “I Need to Be in Love,” written by Richard Carpenter, Albert Hammond, and John Bettis. This song was Karen’s favorite Carpenters’ original, as she felt that it was written for her and she would actually tear up while singing it. It is my favorite Carpenters song because I relate to it profoundly. It echoes my own romantic ideals and the desire to “keep believing there’s someone in this crazy world for me.” This song hits very close to home for me and it’s really not that hard for me to “become Karen” when I’m singing this song and feel those same emotions of insecurity and longing that are so integral to the human experience. In essence, I think that is what makes the Carpenters’ music so accessible. Their songs give a voice to those raw emotions that are at the core of what it means to be human.
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Vermonter honors Karen Carpenter
Article published Jan 14, 2016
By Art Edelstein
Arts Correspondent - Rutland Herald/Times Argus
Sally Olson as Karen Carpenter. Provided photo.
Several factors have led South Burlington singer and actor Sally Olson to the concerts she will perform Jan. 16 at Spotlight Vermont in South Burlington and Jan. 23 at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Middlebury. A strong resemblance to the late singer Karen Carpenter in both looks and vocal ability, as well as a keen understanding of Carpenter’s affliction with anorexia, have given Olson a deep feel for the songs this popular singer made famous during the 1970s.
Olson, at 34, isn’t old enough to have heard Carpenter sing live — she died Feb. 4, 1983 — but Olson says she has a voice and range similar to Carpenter, and has copied her mannerisms, intonation, phrasing and hand gestures in her role as an actress. All this work has created two tribute shows that will give audiences the opportunity to hear a very good facsimile of the famous and troubled singer.
Olson’s two tribute shows will delve into the Carpenters’ songbook, and the Middlebury show will also offer commentary on the history behind the Carpenters’ music, Karen Carpenter’s rise to fame and her sudden and tragic death at the age of 32, due to complications of anorexia nervosa.
“I become her,” explained the Rutland native, who has studied voice and theater and is also an accomplished visual artist. “I use a lot of my acting background to get into it,” said Olsen, who has appeared in musicals in Vermont and elsewhere.
However, Carpenter shies away from describing her role as impersonator. “I wince; it sounds cheesy,” Olson demurred.
The impetus for her Carpenters tribute show began after Olson started studying at the Bill Reed Voice Studio in South Burlington. She said Reed suggested she put together a one-woman show as she didn’t enjoy the auditioning process.
“We started reading through music and looking through Carpenters songs and realized I had the same vocal range, a contralto, as Karen Carpenter,” Olson said.
Because of an extensive archive of videos, Olson got drawn into the music and formed a strong emotional connection to Carpenter as a person.
“Her story and struggles resonate personally,” Olson said. “From a young age I’ve always been very driven to succeed, as Karen was also a perfectionist. In high school in Rutland I developed anorexia as well. I struggled throughout college and into my 20s.” Olson has since overcome that affliction.
Olson said she was also drawn to Carpenter because, “beyond the musical integrity of the Carpenters, their musical arrangements and her velvety haunting voice, you can also hear that cry from her soul that she was suffering and trying to survive. Music was a way for her to express her struggles. It was an emotional release for her.”
Olson said she was also drawn to Karen Carpenter’s singing because “she was never formally trained. She was a born natural talent.” Olson describes the singer’s voice as having “purity, simplicity and the way she communicates with the audience, it’s not about her. It’s about making the audience happy.”
According to Olson, Carpenter didn’t like being the center of attention. “It was hard for her to front the band from being behind the drum kit.” (Karen Carpenter started her musical career as a drummer, not a singer.)
Olson gives a lot of credit to Richard Carpenter, who played piano, arranged and co-wrote many of the hits, with bringing out the best in his sister’s vocal abilities.
“Richard was an expert on choosing songs that were perfect for her,” explains Olson. “He wrote simple but touching songs for her. She didn’t do vocal acrobatics.”
Of Carpenter’s voice Olson says it worked well with the covers she did.
“She was a great interpreter of songs. She had the quality of voice where she was singing to you as if no one else was in the room.”
Accompanying Olson at the Jan. 16 concert are Reed on piano, Arthur DeQuasie on bass and Nicola Cannizzaro on drums. For the Jan. 23 show in Middlebury she is accompanied by Timothy Guiles on piano and backup vocals. This Middlebury concert is a benefit concert for Charter House Coalition.
Sally Olson in concert
Saturday, Jan. 16: South Burlington – $20, $10 under 12, Spotlight Vermont, 50 San Remo Drive, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 23: Middlebury – $15, Unitarian Universalist Church, 2 Duane Court, 7 p.m.
Midd Alumna Sally Olson ’03 presents Carpenters Tribute Concert
Announcement in Middlebury College's MIDDPOINTS
Vermont singer, actress and artist Sally Olson makes a special appearance in Middlebury to present “A Song For You” on Saturday evening, January 23, 7:00 p.m. at the Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Charter House Coalition, providing emergency shelter housing during the winter months and free community meals every day of the week throughout the year.
Sally is a graduate of Middlebury College (class of 2003), Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Florence Academy of Art in Italy. She has been acting and singing since childhood. Sally has also attended the acclaimed Circle in the Square Theatre School. She can be seen in local/regional commercials, theatre and cabaret performances.
This unique program draws on the Carpenters Tribute Concert that she originally performed in early 2015 with the Bill Reed Voice Studio, and has taken on tour throughout the state. In her tribute show, Sally performs the brother-sister duo’s greatest hits and covers. She also offers commentary on the history behind the Carpenters’ music, as well as Karen Carpenter’s rise to fame and her sudden and tragic death at the age of thirty-two, due to complications of anorexia nervosa. The Middlebury performance will be accompanied by Tim Guiles, who also provides back-up vocals, well known locally as music teacher, musical theater director, and accompanist of the College Community Chorus.
Through her tribute concert, Sally desires to honor Richard Carpenter’s musical genius and Karen Carpenter, one of the greatest female singers of all time. She incorporates authentic vintage costumes into her show to help recreate the world of the Carpenters. Reviewers of the show have noted that Sally Olson’s voice, appearance and stage-presence bear an uncanny resemblance to that of Karen Carpenter. Sally accepts this wonderful compliment and feels deeply honored to be able to pay tribute to the Carpenters through her singing. Sally notes “her strong affinity for the music of the Carpenters” and that she “relates to Karen and her soulful voice quality and sincerity. When Karen sings, it sounds likes she is experiencing everything for the first time.” The original production was conceived by Bill Reed (musical director & piano) and Sally Olson (artistic director & vocals). The set list includes many beloved Carpenters’ hits and covers that you’re sure to recognize, such as: Top of The World; We’ve Only Just Begun; Rainy Days And Mondays; (They Long To Be) Close To You; When I Fall in Love; At The End Of A Song; A Song For You; and Thank You For The Music.
Proceeds from the program (suggested admission $15, but any amount is welcome) will help the Charter House Coalition continue to provide ermergency overnight housing on frigid nights, and longer term housing at the Charter House in Middlebury for up to four families throughout the winter, in a warm, welcoming environment. Its meal programs – provided by area congregations, organizations and volunteers – serve more than 25,000 meals throughout the year, including homemade lunches every Monday through Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening suppers, Saturday morning breakfasts, and Sunday afternoon grill dinners. The Coalition also supports community housing on North Pleasant Street in Middlebury with five fully-furnished apartments, open all year, to help families in transition into independent living. The Coalition’s Farm-to-Table initiative raises and distributes about 5000 pounds of produce each year, used in the Charter House meal programs and donated to local food shelves. The Coalition extends sincere gratitude to CVUUS, one of the many area organizations that support its meal programs, for hosting this concert. Limited parking may be found at the Church; plenty of parking nearby adjacent to the high school football field.
You can catch a preview at www.carpenterstributeconcert.com on the web. Please join us for a wonderful evening of song and support this important community organization!
Sally Olson in Concert
Arts Beat - Addison Independent, January 18, 2016
Vermont singer, actress and artist Sally Olson makes a special appearance in Middlebury to present “A Song For You” at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. The performance will be accompanied by Tim Guiles, who also provides back-up vocals.
Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Charter House Coalition, providing emergency shelter housing during the winter months and free community meals every day of the week throughout the year.
This unique program draws on the Carpenters tribute concert that Olson originally performed in early 2015 with the Bill Reed Voice Studio, and has taken on tour throughout the state. In her tribute show, Olson performs the brother-sister duo’s greatest hits and covers. She also offers commentary on the history behind the Carpenters’ music, as well as Karen Carpenter’s rise to fame and her sudden and tragic death at the age of 32, due to complications of anorexia nervosa.
Through her tribute concert, Olson desires to honor Richard Carpenter’s musical genius and Karen Carpenter, one of the greatest female singers of all time. She incorporates authentic vintage costumes into her show to help recreate the world of the Carpenters. Reviewers of the show have noted that Sally Olson’s voice, appearance and stage-presence bear an uncanny resemblance to that of Karen Carpenter.
Olson is a graduate of Middlebury College (2003), Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Florence Academy of Art in Italy. She has been acting and singing since childhood.
Suggested admission IS $15, but any amount will be welcome. Limited parking may be found at the Church; plenty of parking is available nearby in the lot adjacent to the high school football field.