Lee Roy Reams

Saw and was conquered by the fabulous Lee Roy Reams at 54 Below where he performed an autobiographical show taking us from his first nightclub gigs with his beloved Juliet Prowse to performing on Broadway with Gwen Verdon in SWEET CHARITY and then the film with Shirley MacLaine, OKLAHOMA! for Richard Rodgers, APPLAUSE with Lauren Bacall, HELLO DOLLY with Carol Channing, 42nd STREET for Gower Champion and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. Hilarious as only a raconteur such as Lee Roy can be but also surprisingly moving, and his clarion tenor still rings loud and true. The star packed house rose to their feet and were lined up to be photographed with him. Here's Nick Adams and Leslie Uggams cuddling up to Mr. Reams.

54 Below at last!

Josh Young, Krysta Rodriguez, Lindsay Mendez, Barbara Walsh, Robin de Jesus, Tony Sheldon Set for Tim and Charlie's Farewell Tour

By Andrew Gans
04 Apr 2013

Tim and Charlie's Farewell Tour, an evening celebrating the composer and lyricist team Tim Rosser and Charlie Sohne, will be presented April 28 at 54 Below.

The 9:30 PM concert will feature Rosser and Sohne as well as Krysta Rodriguez, Lindsay Mendez, Barbara Walsh, Jason Gotay, Robin de Jesus, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Derek Klena, Tony Sheldon, Taylor Trensch, Danny Quadrino and Josh Young.
The evening, which marks the composer and lyricist's cabaret debut, will be directed by Matthew DiCarlo with musical direction by Rosser. Composer-lyricist Ryan Scott Oliver and Very Intense Productions are producing.
54 Below describes the evening as such: "How many evenings can be spent in the company of a family of evangelical creationists (The Profit of Creation), dancing boys in Afghanistan (The Boy Who Danced On Air), opinionated if slightly confused teenagers (Political Speeches By Young People), and robotic tin soldiers (Third Time’s A Charm)? The work of songwriters Tim Rosser and Charlie Sohne is far-ranging, but united by a unique blend of sincerity, sensitivity, thoughtfulness, and humor. Come hear Broadway’s finest perform a set that will make you laugh, cry, order a martini, and then chase it with bourbon."
54 Below is located at 254 West 54th Street. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com.

Once More With Feeling

Cinderella Musical Ever After Will Test Slipper in NYC Lab This Spring

By Adam Hetrick
03 Apr 2013

Kathleen Marshall
Photo by Monica Simoes

The Zina Goldrich-Marcy Heisler Cinderella-inspired musical Ever After, shepherded by Tony Award-winning director-choreographer Kathleen Marshall, will receive an upcoming lab presentation in New York City, according to an Equity casting notice.

Producers Kevin McCollum, Scott Landis and Philip Morgaman are developing the new musical that will test its legs in a late April to mid-May developmental lab. A spring 2012 announcement stated that producers were aiming for a 2013-2014 Broadway premiere for Ever After.
The show has music by Goldrich and book and lyrics by Heisler. Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Company, Sweeney Todd) will serve as musical director.
Tony Award winner Marshall (Anything Goes, Nice Work If You Can Get It) will direct and choreograph the production that was previously announced to arrive in New York following an out-of-town tryout.

Ever After, according to producers, "tells the story of Danielle de Barbarac, the daughter of a Nobleman in 16th-century France, who embarks on a series of adventures, standing up to her scheming stepmother, befriending Leonardo DaVinci and winning the love of the crown prince of France. This new musical sets the record straight on the fable of Cinderella, showing how a strong-willed, independent girl can make her dreams come true without the help of fairy godmothers, talking mice, or magic pumpkins."
Heisler and Goldrich also authored the children's musicals Junie B. Jones and Dear Edwina. Heisler was named a 2012 recipient of the Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre.

boy: a Roald Dahl story

Such an interesting night. We presented the first 50 consecutive minutes of Sam Willmott's show "boy: a Roald Dahl story" for an invited audience at ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers).

It's a difficult room for sound, you have to practically swallow the microphones to be heard so there's no looking at your fellow actor while you're talking.

Our brilliant kids, Matthew Schechter who played Boy Roald and Griffin Birney as Tom, the lonely lad obsessed with Dahl's stories.

Darren Bluestone (currently in AVENUE Q) played Roald as a Young Man. Of course I looked exactly like that at his age.

With Tess Primark, a gorgeous soprano who sang several roles

Tess with Azudi Onyejekwe who played Young Roald's manservant when he journeys to Tanganyika

Darren with Daniel Baird who read the stage directions

Tim Hughes who played the ship's captain and Gavriel Savit as Officer Sanford

A rehearsal shot of Old Roald with Griffin Birney

ASCAP chairman Paul Williams was in attendance so I was able to tell him that Auntie Helen had been in town singing his songs only last weekend! Also in attendance, director Gordon Greenberg, controversial songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins, Aussie Mary Lopez who created the annual Schools Spectacular concerts and maestro Michael Lavine.
The panel, which consisted of Stephen Schwartz, producer Peter Schneider and Goodspeed associate producer Bob Alwine praised Sam Willmott's score to the skies, praising "the extraordinarily high level of talent and craft" and offering really interesting suggestions about story and structure. A most informative and educational session.
I'll be repeating my song from the show, "The B.F.G", next week at the York Theatre's free concert THE SONGS OF SAM WILLMOTT.

 

Hi Dahl

I'm playing Roald Dahl in a reading of a new musical based on his childrens' stories by a wunderkind named Sam Willmott

He looks like Harry Potter, has the soul of Christopher Robin and the talent of Mozart. If this guy doesn't enjoy major success there is no justice.

This is our musical director Matt Aument, another 12 year old genius

 

This gentleman is our wonderful 12 year old director Sam Pinkleton. as you can imagine it is agony being surrounded by all these unattractive people. That's the gorgeous Klea Blackhurst on the left.

Happily, I will be working closely with her again in the summer!

These impossibly talented lads are Griffin Birney and Matthew Schechter. Every time they get up to perform all the adults just look at each other open mouthed. Fabulous.

Audrie Neenan, most recently the feisty old nun in SISTER ACT, Melissa Van Der Schyff, who really should have won a Tony for playing Blanche Barrow in BONNIE & CLYDE, and  newcomer Tess Primack.

We're presenting 50 minutes of this piece tonight at ASCAP (chaired by Stephen Schwartz). None of us know who else will be there but after the presentation the audience, all professional songwriters, are invited to critique the work. Fascinating!

This Happened

Amas Musical Theatre Honors Eric Krebs Tonight Monday, April 1, 2013; 10:04 AM - by BWW News Desk

Amas Musical Theatre will celebrate its 44th Year with a Gala evening on Monday, April 1st, 2013 featuring a special concert by two-time Tony Nominee Christine Andreas with Martin Silvestri at the piano, titled LOVE IS GOOD. The event will honor legendary producer Eric Krebs with The Rosie Award and will take place at the Baruch Performing Arts Center, East 25th Street between Lexington and 3rd Avenues beginning at 6:30pm. The evening's host will be Tony and Olivier Award Nominee Tony Sheldon (Priscilla Queen of the Desert). The Rosie Award commemorates the life work of Amas Founder Rosetta LeNoire. It is bestowed on individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary accomplishment and dedication in bringing our world more closely together through the performing arts. The evening will also include a special performance by teen students of the Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy and will conclude with the presentation of the ninth annual Rosetta LeNoire Scholarship, which is given to a deserving college-bound student attending the Amas Academy Eric Krebs' theatrical producing career spans more than 40 years. He was the founder and director of Off-Broadway's John Houseman Theater Center and Douglas Fairbanks Theater for over 20 years. He currently operates the Playroom Theater. As a producer his twenty-plus Off-Broadway credits include Langston Hughes's Little Ham (with Amas), The Castle, Tallulah Hallelujah (starring Tovah Feldshuh), Golf: The Musical, Laughing Liberally, and several Capitol Steps shows. He was most recently represented on Broadway by Bill Maher: Victory Begins At Home (Tony nomination for Best Special Theatrical Event), Neil Simon's The Dinner Party, It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues (nominated for four 1999 Tony Awards including Best Musical) and Electra (nominated for 3 Tony Awards). In the not-for-profit theater, he founded and for fourteen years was the Producing Director of the George Street Playhouse, a professional (LORT) theater in New Brunswick, New Jersey. In 1992 he became Chairman of the Board of Amas Musical Theatre and literally saved the company when Founder Rosetta LeNoire became a television star (Mother Winslow in Family Matters) on the west coast, by bringing Amas into the Houseman Theater Center and introducing LeNoire to Donna Trinkoff, who would run the company on her behalf. Mr. Krebs is a professor of theater arts at Baruch College, City University of New York. He is also the founder of the informational website studentrush.org as well as the owner of the School Theatre Ticket Program.

More Details

DANCERS OVER 40 presents

DO40 CARES The Story of our Lives…

A Song-and-Dance Event to Benefit
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
and Dance for PD® (Parkinson’s Disease)

Monday, April 22nd, 8pm
The Ailey Citigroup Theater/The Joan Weill Center for Dance
405 West 55th Street, NYC

Hosted by Carol Lawrence

With Special Guest Performers Liliane Montevecchi, Tony Sheldon and a reunion of the Ladies of SWEET CHARITY.

Choreography by: The Paul Taylor Dance Company, Larry Fuller, Margo Sappington, Tony Charmoli, Mark Stuart Dance Theatre, Claire Porter, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Patti Mariano, Troy Barnes and Ramon Flowers & Gregory King.

Dancers Over 40 (DO40) will present its third song and dance concert entitled DO40 CARES: The Story of our Lives to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Dance for PD® (Parkinson’s Disease) on Monday April 22, 2013. Carol Lawrence hosts, with special guest performers Liliane Montevecchi (NINE, GRAND HOTEL) and Tony Sheldon (PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT). A reunion of the Ladies of SWEET CHARITY follows up last year’s reunion of the Ladies of CHICAGO!

Members of DO40 will be heavily represented, as both dancers and choreographers – a diverse group of entertainers who transcend age and stereotype. Director/choreographer Larry Fuller stages two original numbers for DO40 members, The Story of our Lives, written by Drey Shepperd with music by Bob Wortman, and Curtain Calls, written by Drey Shepperd with music by Gerard Kenny. DO40’s mission is to promote the History, Legacy and Lives of the mature dance community while paying it forward to the next generation.

Go to www.dancersover40.org for more information, or visit the Dancers Over 40 Facebook Fan Page, www.facebook.com/dancersover40 to interact with members and fans (over 29,000 fans and counting!).

Also, visit the DO40 youtube channel, www.youtube.com/dancersover40 to watch video clips of previous panels and performances.

CALL TELECHARGE, 212-239-6200 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 212-239-6200 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting or telecharge.com. Tickets: $30, $50 & $100. For 20% Member Discount off any ticket price: call TELECHARGE, 212-947-8844 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 212-947-8844 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting or broadwayoffers.com with DO40 member discount code. Also, ticket buyers may go to St. Luke’s Theater Box office, 308 West 46th St., between 2 – 6pm daily to avoid service fees.

The audience and cast are invited to an AFTER PARTY at Lucky Cheng’s Restaurant, 240 West 52nd Street immediately after the show, to join their Broadway Theater Karaoke Evening with host Ben Cameron (WICKED, AIDA, FOOTLOOSE)! Present your ticket at the door for special seating. $100 ticket holders present their tickets for a free drink from the bar! Equity members receive a 15% discount from their checks!

DO40 is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Tickets are tax deductible to the extent of the law