'American Idol' pianist appears in Rohnert Park

Sponsored by Roustabout Theater, the resident theater company and school at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, the session will be open to spectators at $12 per tickets. A question-and-answer period with the audience will follow the class.

Orland is also a pianist and one of the musical arrangers for “American Idol,” said Roustabout Artistic Director Clark Lewis, and helps contestants prepare for the program.

“He preps them and coaches them,” Lewis said. “When you see him on the show is when guest artists come in, and he’s at the piano.”

For the SSU session, Orland will work with six local vocal students, rehearsing and coaching them the way he would “Idol” contestants.

“I know Michael from working in L.A., and I’ve been thinking about bringing him up for a while,” Lewis said. “It gives our students a chance to see what it’s like to work with a working professional.”

Doors open for audience seating at 12:30 p.m. in Room 119 at Ives Hall on the SSU campus, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. Tickets are available at www.roustabout-theater.org.

You can reach Staff Writer Dan Taylor at 521-5243 or dan.taylor@pressdemocrat.com.