One of the most eagerly awaited events on the musical calendar takes place next week when top professionals from the world of showbiz join forces with some of the Island's own most exciting talents for another `Broadway in Bermuda'.

This year -- their fourth annual concert -- Two Island Productions are concentrating on the sound of gospel, but it will be gospel, Broadway-style.

The Rejoice Gospel Group, already being hailed by the show's director Sheryl Kaller as "an incredible find'', sets the mood when they join the whole cast in `Putting It Together' from Sondheim's `Sunday In The Park With George'.

Another highlight is sure to be their rendition, with Bermuda's Sondra Choudhury, of `Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News' from `The Wiz'. Liz Larsen, Rejoice and the rest of the cast will perform `Blow, Gabriel, Blow' from Cole Porter's `Anything Goes', and they are due to provide the show's finale with `Walk Him Up The Stairs'.

Although Rejoice is not affiliated with any particular church, several of the members sang in the choir of Vernon Temple AME Church and, after a rehearsal one evening, started to sing amongst themselves, "like the sound'' and decided to form their own group. Since that time, 15 years ago, Rejoice, directed by Daryl Simons and including Michelle Doars, Jacqueline Robinson, Terea Davis, Robyn Minors-Robinson and Jennifer Butterfield, has drawn crowds all over Bermuda. In the US, they were well received at the National Black Gospel College Choir Workshops in Atlanta, and they also appeared at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, immortalised as the church of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Paul Matthews, who says his latest "critically acclaimed performance'' was in the operating theatre of King Edward Hospital, makes a welcome return to the City Hall Theatre to sing Sondheim's `Something About a War', supported by the male cast of the show.

The `local' contingent will also be at the forefront when Vernelda Perinchief sings `I Just Wanna Be a Star' from `Nunsense' and when Paul Matthews, Rebecca Faulkenberry and Joel Froomkin, joined by James Clow, will perform `The Book Report' from `You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown'.

Joel Froomkin, also assistant director, is best remembered in Bermuda for his groundbreaking `A Little Night Music' for the 1997 Bermuda Festival. In London, he has spent a spell as the assistant producer of The Playhouse Theatre, where he also designed the sets and was assistant director for their production of Chekhov's `The Wood Demon'. He has also served as assistant director for `A Delicate Balance' at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Currently, he is collaborating with the show's assistant musical director James Burn on a new musical based on the life of Lady Jane Grey.

Other expected highlights include Liz Larsen and Sal Viviano in `Old Fashioned Wedding' from `Annie Get Your Gun', Two Island co-founder Beth Dunnington and Tony nominee Willy Falk in `Barcelona' from `Company', and Sharon Wilkins in `Easy to be Hard' from `Hair'. There will also be numbers from `My Fair Lady', `Sweet Charity' and `Cabaret' -- to name but a few.

`Broadway in Bermuda' takes place at City Hall from November 11 through November 14, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, November 15. Tickets ($45) from Opus Encore and, for the Gala performance on November 13 ($100) call 236-3645 or 293-0185 for reservations.

BROADWAY STARS -- Tony nominee Liz Larsen, pictured with Sal Viviano in a scene from Sondheim's `Sunday In The Park With George'. The real-life husband and wife team are returning to appear in this year's fourth annual `Broadway in Bermuda' concert at City Hall.