Happy Holidays
Hello Folks,
Heading into the Holidays I want to wish everybody a happy and safe season. Unfortunately for the audiences at the Cincinnati Pops we had to cancel the recent concerts there due to illness.
On Tuesday, December 29 at 9:00 p.m. CBS will broadcast The Kennedy Center Honors Gala, a two-hour primetime special from the Kennedy Center Opera House stage. The President and Mrs. Obama will sit with the Honorees Mel Brooks, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry, Robert De Niro, and Bruce Springsteen as they enjoy a salute by performers from New York, Hollywood, and the arts capitals of the world.
Susan Stroman is putting together a hilarious tribute to Mel Brooks. I have always wanted to perform at the Kennedy Center Honors and was thrilled when Stro asked me. In recent years she has invited me to work with her as she created DOUBLE FEATURE, for the New York City Ballet, TAKE FIVE…More or Less, for Pacific Northwest Ballet and the musical HAPPINESS, for Lincoln Center Theater. Being in the rehearsal room with her is always a laughter-filled, sweaty, endeavor. I love it!
The big news is that I have been offered a role in the Broadway revival of PROMISES, PROMISES, starring Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes. The show will be directed and choreographed by Tony and Emmy Award winner Rob Ashford and begins previews at the Broadway Theater on March 28th 2010. Opening night is April 25th.
The musical has a book by Neil Simon and a hit-packed score by Bacharach and David (“I’ll Never Fall In Love Again,” “Promises, Promises,” and “Knowing When to Leave”), and is based on the 1960 Academy Award-winning Billy Wilder film, THE APARTMENT ( Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine). PROMISES, PROMISES is returning to Broadway for the first time in over forty years (Although, I was lucky enough to have performed in the City Center, Encores! production in the mid 90’s, directed and choreographed by Rob Marshall).