Entertainment

Two singers from Alaska and a pianist from Sequim present a benefit concert at 4 p.m. Saturday, June 12, at the Dungeness Schoolhouse, at the intersection of Towne and Anderson roads. All profits from the "Concert for the Birds" go to the Dungeness River Audubon Center in Sequim.

Soprano Kathleen Wayne and tenor Dan Wayne perform works from opera, jazz and Broadway, accompanied by Linda Dowdell.

Says Wayne, "We tracked Linda down last summer after seeing a photo of her in the newspaper wearing a bathing suit and playing a grand piano with Mikhail Baryshnikov dancing on the lid. The three of us rehearsed a bit and agreed it would be fun to do a concert together."

They discovered a common affection for the Dungeness River Audubon Center and, according to Wayne, "It seemed right to dedicate our first collaboration to birds."

Dowdell teaches at the Olympic Music School, founded by Deborah Rambo Sinn, and was musical director of Port Townsend High School's recent production of "Oliver!" Before moving to Sequim she and her husband, Ron Thomson, lived in New York City. She was musical director of the Mark Morris Dance Group and of Mikhail Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project, with whom she toured the world.

Dowdell also is a composer and looks forward to introducing some of her original work to a local audience.

"I'm thrilled that Dan and Kathleen chose to include my music on their program," says Dowdell.

Kathleen Wayne won an "honorable mention" at regional auditions for the Metropolitan Opera and has performed lead roles in many fully staged opera productions in Alaska. Favorites include Rosina in "The Barber of Seville," The Countess in "The Marriage of Figaro," and title roles in "Carmen," "Tosca" and "Suor Angelica."

Kathleen said that when she saw the Peninsula Singers' Gilbert and Sullivan production at the schoolhouse last summer, "I was inspired to perform there - it's a perfect spot for an afternoon concert."

Dan Wayne toured with the Loyola-Marymount Men's Chorus and after moving to Juneau, Alaska, became involved in all kinds of singing, adding opera to the list when he met and became engaged to Kathleen. He says, "Our concerts typically include several kinds of music - we pick songs that we like to sing, and this time around about half of the concert will be opera, the other half jazz and Broadway, including some of our favorites by Linda."

The concert will run about 90 minutes, with one intermission.