YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Maureen Collins, Mary Jo Maluso and Rick Blackson will reprise their “A Tribute to The Carpenters” concert at 7:30 p.m. March 8 at The Youngstown Playhouse.

Tickets are $25 (plus $4 handling fee) and can be purchased by calling the box office at 330 259 9651 or online at YoungstownPlayhouse.org.

The concert is a fundraiser for the Playhouse’s 100th season gala, which will take place June 21.

The trio originated the show a couple years ago and have performed it at least twice to appreciative audiences. They sing The Carpenters’ many chart-topping hits in the show.

All three performers got their start at the Playhouse or frequently performed there.

Collins appeared in her first Playhouse production when she was in third grade. It was at the Playhouse’s production of “Annie” that she was first paired with Todd Hancock, who would become her partner in the theater business. The two young actors performed the song “Easy Street” in that production of “Annie,” and later named their production company – Easy Street Productions – after the song.

Maluso first appeared at the Playhouse in the leading role of Maria in “West Side Story” while she was a student at Youngstown State University. While studying voice in New York, she was the opening act for many national performers.

When she returned to the area to perform in the Carousel Dinner Theatre, she became reacquainted with her friends from Easy Street Productions and appeared in some of their productions.

It was at this time that she met Blackson and collaborated with him to form Beyond Broadway Entertainment. Blackson had been serving as assistant music director with Collins for the 1984 Playhouse production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

Pictured at top: From left are Maureen Collins, Rick Blackson and Mary Jo Maluso.