Kiss of the Spider Woman 1993 opening night premiere
Monday May 3rd, Broadhurst Theatre 235 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036
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- Actress
- Soundtrack
An accomplished and versatile actress/singer/dancer, Chita Rivera has won two Tony Awards as Best Leading Actress in a Musical and received eight additional Tony nominations for an exceptional 10 Tony nominations. She recently starred in The Visit, the final John Kander/Fred Ebb/Terrence McNally musical directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Graciela Daniele on Broadway (2015), following the acclaimed production at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the summer of 2014. She starred in the Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the Broadway and touring productions of The Dancer's Life, a dazzling new musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Graciela Daniele and the revival of the Broadway musical Nine with Antonio Banderas. She trained as a ballerina (from age 11) before receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet from legendary George Balanchine. Chita's first appearance (age 17) was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam. Her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story brought her stardom, which she repeated in London. Her career is highlighted by starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry's Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award), and the original Broadway casts of Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Wonderful. On tour: Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Zorba, Can-Can with The Rockettes. Chita was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. She received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in 2002 and is the first Hispanic woman ever chosen to receive this award. On November 6, 2015, Great Performances aired their special Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' To Do, a retrospective on her extraordinary life and career nationally on PBS. Chita's current solo CD is entitled And Now I Swing. Her most treasured production is her daughter, singer/dancer/choreographer Lisa Mordente.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Brent Carver was born on 17 November 1951 in Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada. He was an actor, known for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1999), Millennium (1989) and Due South (1994). He died on 4 August 2020 in Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Anthony Crivello is actor admired for his vast range and skill on stage and screen. He received Broadway's Tony Award, Chicago's Jefferson Award, a Carbonelle Award, a Footlights Award and nominations for three Jefferson, two Canadian Dora Mavor Moore, LA's Ovation, Drama Critics, Robbie, Garland, and Friends of New York Theater Awards. He is a member of The Actor's Studio in NYC/Los Angeles. On Television: In 2023, Crivello recurs as officious butler "Sebastian" in Disney's anthology comedy "Pretty Freekin Scary." Crivello portrayed British Academy Award winning director David Lean in the FOX21Miniseries "Feud: Betty and Joan" directed by the acclaimed Ryan Murphy (starring Susan Sarandon, Jessica Lange, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stanley Tucci, Kathy Bates, Judy Davis and Alfred Molina). He starred in "Emma's Chance" (opposite Joseph Lawrence, Greer Grammar, Ryan McCartan and Missi Pyle) for The Hallmark Channel. He was featured in HBO/ Stephen Soderberg's Emmy Award winning "Behind the Candelabra" (staring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, screenplay by Richard LaGravenese). He co-starred in director Ron Krauss' "Alien Hunter" (opposite James Spader, John Lynch, Roy Dotrice, Carl Lewis and Leslie Stefanson) for Sony Films/Sci-Fi Channel. He co-starred in the Tele-films "Dillinger and Capone" (opposite Martin Sheen and F. Murray Abraham), ABC/Disney's "Geppetto" (with Drew Carey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Rene Auberjonis, directed by Tom Moore/choreographed by Jerry Mitchell), "The Glass Cage" (opposite Eric Roberts), "Frankenstein Sings," "Running Woman," "919 Fifth Ave," director John Gray's "The Lost Capone" (opposite Adrian Pasdar, Eric Roberts and Titus Welliver), director Rob Iscove's "Murder in Black and White" and director Ted Demme's "The Bet." Mr. Crivello guest-starred on CBS's "CSI: NY," NBC's "Frasier" (opposite Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde-Pierce & company), "In-Laws" (opposite Dennis Farina, Jean Smart, & Elon Gold), the acclaimed comedy "Seinfeld," "Normal, Ohio" (opposite John Goodman, Orsen Bean, Anita Gillette), "Star Trek: Voyager," "Babylon 5," "Miami Vice," "Dark Justice" and "Law and Order." Mr. Crivello began his television career on the daytime series "One Life to Live" as "Johnny Dee Hesser." On Film: Roland Emmerich's "Trade" (opposite Kevin Kline), Independence Day (Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Will Smith), "Material Girls" (opposite Hilary and Hailey Duff, with Angelica Houston), Steve Miner's Texas Rangers (opposite Alfed Molina, with Usher and Ashton Kutcher), Jim Abrahams' comedy "Jane Austin's Mafia!," "Spellbinder" (opposite Kelly Preston, Tim Daily, Rick Rossovich), "Crocodile Dundee II" (Paul Hogan), Slaves of New York (Bernadette Peters), Shakedown (Sam Elliott). Mr. Crivello starred in Gil Wadsworth's dark comedy "The Glass Jar" (Official Selection: 1999-2000/ N.Y. Intl. Independent, DGA Finders Series, and 11 other Film Festivals), director Will Wallace's independent comedy "Spanish Fly" (Santa Monica and Winner: 'Best Comedy Feature' 2003 Dallas' Deep Ellum Film Festival). His work was praised by for his portrayal of hardened con-man "Boonie" in the short film "The Mark" (New York City ShortFest and others, directed by Cannes Film Festival 'Young Director Award Winner' Taryn Kosniver) and "Henry Toy" for director Anthony Engelken. (Beverly Hills, Madrid and won the Award of Excellence / Best Short - La Jolla Film Festival.)- Herndon Lackey is known for Beauty and the Beast (1991) and House of Cards (2013).
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Merle Louise was born on 15 April 1934 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for American Playhouse (1980), Law & Order (1990) and Into the Woods (1987).- Philip Hernández is the only actor in Broadway history to have played both Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert in "Les Miserables". He made his Broadway debut in the Original Cast of the Tony Award-winning Kander and Ebb musical "Kiss of the Spider Woman", directed by Harold Prince. In Kiss, he created the role of Esteban and later went on to play the impassioned revolutionary Valentin in London's West End and on Broadway. Philip also created the role of the Reverend Gonzalez opposite Marc Anthony and Rubén Blades in the Original Cast of the Paul Simon show "The Capeman" and played Juan Peron in Harold Prince's 25th Anniversary North American Tour of "Evita". He has also performed roles from Shakespeare to Neil Simon at regional theatres across the U.S.
Philip has guest-starred on the CBS series Blue Bloods (2010) and on NBC's The Blacklist (2013). He had a recurring role on the Fox series Gotham (2014) as Dr. Guerra, he played opposite Debra Messing on NBC's The Mysteries of Laura (2014) , and appeared with Edie Falco and Tony Shalhoub on the HBO series Nurse Jackie (2009). Fans may have also seen him in prominent roles on the television series Elementary, Person of Interest, Hostages, Damages, Ugly Betty, Law and Order, Made in Jersey, All My Children, One Life To Live, Loving and Another World.
On the concert stage Philip has worked with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Leonard Bernstein, Robert Shaw and Zubin Mehta and with Symphony orchestras throughout the United States. "Jazz Review" called the release of his Latin-Jazz CD, The beat of my heart, "A gift from the heart from one of America's great voices." - Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Michael McCormick was born on 24 July 1951 in Gary, Indiana, USA. He is an actor, known for Let's Be Cops (2014), The Producers (2005) and Great Performances (1971).- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Liza Minnelli was born on March 12, 1946, the daughter of Judy Garland and movie director Vincente Minnelli. She was practically raised at MGM studios while her parents worked long hours there and she made her film debut at 14 months of age in the movie In the Good Old Summertime (1949). Her parents divorced in 1951 and, in 1952, her mother married Sidney Luft, with sister Lorna Luft and brother Joey Luft subsequently being born. Her father, Vincente Minnelli, later married Georgette Magnani, mother of her half-sister Christiane Nina "Tina Nina" Minnelli.
At 16, Liza was on her own in New York City, struggling to begin her career in show business. Her first recognition came for the play "Best Foot Forward" which ran for seven months in 1963. The following year, Judy invited Liza to appear at a show with her at the London Palladium. This show sold out immediately and a second night was added to it. Liza's performance in London was a huge turning point in both her career and her relationship with her mother. The audience absolutely loved Liza and Judy realized that Liza was now an adult with her own career. It was at the Palladium where Liza met her first husband, Peter Allen, a friend of Judy's.
Liza won a Tony award at age 19 and was nominated for her first Academy Award at age 23 for the role of Pookie Adams in The Sterile Cuckoo (1969). Other dramatic roles followed and, in 1972, she won an Oscar for her performance as Sally Bowles in the movie Cabaret (1972). The 1970s were a busy time for Liza. She worked steadily in film, stage, and music. She and her good friend Halston were regulars at Studio 54, the trendiest disco club in the world. Marriages to filmmaker Jack Haley Jr. and Mark Gero, a sculptor who earned his living in the theater, followed. Each marriage ended in divorce.
Over the past years, her career has leaned more towards stage performances and she has a long list of musical albums to which she continues to add. She teamed with Frank Sinatra in his "Duets" CD, and Sammy Davis Jr. joined them for a series of concerts and TV shows that were extremely well-received.
She has had to deal with tabloid stories of drug abuse and ill-health and has had a number of high profile stays at drug-rehabilitation clinics. Her hectic schedule may have slowed down in recent years, but she still has a large following of immensely loyal fans who continue to cheer her on.- Music Department
- Actor
- Composer
Billy Stritch was born on 12 February 1962 in Houston, Texas, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Sex and the City 2 (2010), Flawless (1999) and CMT Giants (2006).- Actress
- Soundtrack
This vibrant, fine-humored coloratura was able to accomplish what most others of her ilk could or would not do -- she humanized opera and made it approachable to the masses. There were no diva-like traits in this star and the public absolutely adored her for it. Dubbed "America's Queen of Opera" in 1971 by Time magazine, Beverly Sills, the lovely blonde with the toothy smile and fireplace-warm personality, also gained notice for her rise to stardom without benefit of European training, eventually paving the way for other American-trained singers to succeed without the accustomed "Met certification". During her career she recorded 18 full-length operas as well as numerous recital discs. A Victor Herbert album she recorded won a Grammy Award in 1978. If not one of its most distinctive and charismatic voices, she certainly became opera's most accessible figurehead and with it enticed a surprisingly wide audience who would have typically turned away from the long-haired art form.
Brooklyn-born Belle Miriam Silverman arrived on May 25, 1929, to Russian-Jewish émigrés and the good humor already started at birth when she was nicknamed "Bubbles" due to bubbles emanating from her mouth as she arrived. At age 3 she made her debut on a kiddie show and won a Brooklyn "beautiful baby" contest as well. Her singing gifts were detected early on and she began to study at age 7. Performing increasingly on various radio shows well into her teen years, she made her operatic debut at age 18 singing the role of Frasquita in "Carmen" with the Philadelphia Civic Opera.
In the early 1950s Beverly toured with the Charles L. Wagner Opera Company and established herself in the roles of Violetta in "La Traviata" and Micaela in "Carmen". The highlight during this time came with her role as Helen of Troy in "Mephistopheles" with the San Francisco Opera in 1953. She met future husband Peter Greenough, an associate editor, while touring with the New York City Opera in 1955 (she had auditioned unsuccessfully for the company for nearly 4 years). The couple married a year later and went on to have two children: Meredith and Peter Jr. Despite her sunny, optimistic demeanor, Beverly had her fair share of misfortune. Her daughter was born deaf and son born autistic. For the remainder of her life she became an avid spokesperson for children with particular needs.
Her buildup on the opera scene was surprisingly gradual. Over the years she developed a strong repertoire of leading roles in the works of Mozart, Handel, Offenbach, Donizetti, Rossini and Verdi. Stardom came with the role of Cleopatra in Handel's "Julius Caesar" in 1966 at Lincoln Center, and she confirmed it with subsequent roles in "Le Coq d'Or, "Mamon", "Lucia di Lammermoor" "The Siege of Corinth" and "Il Trittico".
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s she made herself available to the public in lighter forums at such open venues as the Hollywood Bowl. She willingly shared both the stage and small screen with such unlikely co-stars as Carol Burnett ("Sills and Burnett at the Met"), Danny Kaye, John Denver, Tony Bennett, Johnny Carson and even the Muppets. She won four Emmys for her interview show "Lifestyles with Beverly Sills" in the late 70s. On the operatic side, some of her televised performances included that of "The Barber of Seville", "La Traviata" and "Manon".
Beverly's lyric soprano began to falter at around age 50 in the late 1970s. She bid her audiences adieu in a 1980 performance of "Die Fledermaus" with Joan Sutherland for the San Diego Opera. Later that decade she was the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980 and was paid tribute at the 1985 Kennedy Center Honors for her lifetime of contribution to the arts.
In later years Beverly worked behind the scenes after taking over the mismanaged City Opera Company and turning things around as its general director. She retired successfully from that leadership post in 1989 and five years later became chairman of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Retiring in 2002, she took over the chair for the Metropoliatan Opera itself until 2005 due to family obligations and health issues. Her husband Peter died in September of 2006; ten months later Beverly would follow.
(Obviously) a non-smoker all her life, Beverly nevertheless developed lung cancer. Her father had died of the same disease back in 1947. She died on July 2, 2007 at her Manhattan residence. Her two children and one grandchild survive.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
As a film character actor, Klugman was the epitome of the everyman. He was one of the pioneers of television acting in the 1950s, and is best remembered for his 1970s TV work as Oscar Madison on The Odd Couple (1970) and as the medical examiner on Quincy M.E. (1976).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Tony Randall was born on February 26, 1920 in Tulsa, Oklahoma as Aryeh Leonard Rosenberg. He attended Tulsa Central High School and later Northwestern University and New York City's Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. After graduating, he starred in two plays: George Bernard Shaw's 'Candida' alongside Jane Cowl and Emlyn Williams' 'The Corn Is Green' alongside Ethel Barrymore. After four years with the United States Army Signal Corps in World War II, Randall found work at Montgomery County's Olney Theatre before heading back to New York City to continue his acting career.
During the 1940s, Randall appeared mostly in supporting roles in Broadway plays. He was given his first leading role in 1955 with 'Inherit the Wind'. Randall managed to nab a Tony Award nomination for his starring role in 1958's 'Oh, Captain!', although the play itself bombed.
His first role in a feature film came about in 1957, playing a supporting character in the Ginger Rogers vehicle Oh, Men! Oh, Women! (1957). The same year, he received a Golden Globe nomination for his role as the titular writer for television advertising in the satirical comedy Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957). Randall also lent his support to the three famous Doris Day-Rock Hudson pairings Pillow Talk (1959), Lover Come Back (1961), and Send Me No Flowers (1964), securing Golden Globe nominations for the former two. Randall worked quite prolifically throughout the 1960s; notable roles include a public relations employee in the Marilyn Monroe romantic musical Let's Make Love (1960), seven quite different characters in the oddball 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964), iconic detective Hercule Poirot in The Alphabet Murders (1965), an architect who inadvertently releases a djinn in the fantasy The Brass Bottle (1964), and a man who lives in an underwater house with his family in the adventure Hello Down There (1969).
Randall's first major television role was as a history teacher on Mister Peepers (1952); he joined the cast in 1955. After the series ended, he had numerous guest spots on such shows as The United States Steel Hour (1953), The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962), Love, American Style (1969), and Here's Lucy (1968). He wouldn't return to TV in a major role until 1970, when he played sardonic neat freak Felix Unger in ABC's The Odd Couple (1970) opposite Jack Klugman. He earned Emmy nominations for each season, finally winning in 1975 for its last. He later starred in The Tony Randall Show (1976) as a Philadelphia judge, and Love, Sidney (1981) as a gay artist. The former earned him one Golden Globe nomination and the latter earned him two. He reunited with Jack Klugman for the 1993 TV movie The Odd Couple: Together Again (1993).
Both during and after his stints on TV, Randall had small roles in a few well-known films such as Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972), The King of Comedy (1982), My Little Pony: The Movie (1986), and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990). He continued to guest-star on television shows, but would never return to the small screen as a leading man. He also continued to work on-stage, albeit infrequently.
Randall passed away in his sleep on May 17, 2004 of pneumonia he had contracted following coronary bypass surgery in December 2003. He is survived by his wife, Heather Harlan, whom he wed in 1995, and their two children. Randall had previously been married to Florence Gibbs from 1938 until her death in 1992.- Actress
- Producer
Peggy Crosby was born on 29 May 1940 in Sherman Oaks, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Raising Helen (2004), The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) and Quincy M.E. (1976). She was previously married to Jack Klugman and Phillip Crosby.- Music Artist
- Actor
- Producer
Harold George Belafonte was born on March 1, 1927 in New York City. He was educated at the New York Dramatic Workshop. He grew up in Jamaica, British West Indies, and did folk-singing in nightclubs and theaters, and on television and records. His debut was at the Village Vanguard in New York. Also, he appeared in the Broadway revues "John Murray Anderson's Almanac" and "Three for Tonight". He owns his own music publishing firm and film production company. He won a Tony Award in 1953, a Donaldson Award in 1953-1954, a Show Business Award in 1954, a Diners' Club Award in 1955-1956, and an Emmy Award for "Tonight with Belafonte". He has made many records. Joining the ASCAP in 1960, his popular-music compositions include "Turn Around", "Shake That Little Foot" and "Glory Manger".- Actress
- Additional Crew
Julia Robinson is known for Forever, Lulu (1986).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Sally Ann Howes grew up in a show business family led by her father, famous English comedian/actor Bobby Howes, her mother Patricia Malone and grandfather, Broadway director Capt. J.A.E. Malone. She had her first screen test offer on her 12th birthday and went on to star in several films before she turned 20, including Anna Karenina (1948) with Vivien Leigh.
At 20, she received her first starring stage role in Glasgow in the Sandy Wilson musical Caprice. This led to other musicals including an 18-month run of Paint Your Wagon opposite her father Bobby Howes at Her Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket in 1953. This was followed by the plays Romance by Candlelight, A Hatful of Rain (non-musical) and 148 performances of the musical Summer Song. She continued to make the occasional film during the 1950's but the stage was her main focus. In 1958 she accepted the role of Eliza Doolittle in Broadway's My Fair Lady, taking over from Julie Andrews. The role had been offered to her three times previously, but film and stage commitments kept her from assuming the part that would skyrocket her fame in America.
Just before taking on My Fair Lady, she married composer Richard Adler, and he wrote the musical Gift of the Magi for her. It aired on CBS TV in December of 1958. Adler later wrote Kwamina for her, which she performed after her run in My Fair Lady. It was a short-lived run of the musical, and she went on to perform on Broadway in "Brigadoon", which earned her a Tony nomination in 1963. Afterwards she starred in the critically acclaimed musical, "What Makes Sammy Run" opposite Steven Lawrence. Soon after she landed the TV version of Brigadoon (1966) co-starring Robert Goulet and Peter Falk which went on to win seven Emmy Awards.
After she and Adler divorced in 1966, she began filming the movie that would become a mega-hit, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). Despite her large volume of work before and after the movie, she will always be most fondly remembered and loved around the world for her portrayal as the very lovely Truly Scrumptious. Producer Albert R. Broccoli wrote of her: "We wanted a typical English beauty. And to me, Sally Ann represents that ideal. She is also one of the finest musical comedy stars today, a rare combination of the right kind of beauty and the right kind of talent." Dick Van Dyke said of her in his documentary "Remembering Chitty Chitty Bang Bang": "They couldn't have picked a better Truly Scrumptious than Sally. They came up with Sally Ann and I heard her voice, and it was the richest contralto. She auditioned with the Lovely Lonely Man, and I thought, my God, this girl is great and then she was stunningly beautiful. She loved those kids and they loved her, which I think comes across on the screen. They just thought a great deal of her, and she spent a lot of time with them, you know, between shots... telling stories and playing games during all those long waiting periods."
Filming took place in England, France and Bavaria over 14 months. Critics were mixed about the film, but children were fanatical about it. The movie spawned a mass marketing phenomenon with everything from Truly Scrumptious Barbie dolls, to Jemima dress patterns, lunch-boxes, countless toys, and many other things all of which still enjoy a thriving collectible life on the secondary market. The Truly Scrumptious costumes in the film even sparked a mini-revival in Edwardian fashions, especially reflected by designer Laura Ashley.
Unfortunately, the movie came out at a time when musicals were beginning to be box office dead weight, including Julie Andrews ' Star! (1968) and Darling Lili (1970), which nearly sank Paramount. This nailed the lid shut on filmed musicals for a long time, leaving no filmed musical outlet for performers like Howes. Her film roles became very sporadic after Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). She was a frequent and popular guest panelist on many game shows throughout the 1960s, and even up until the early 1980s, and she made several guest appearances on television series during the early 1970s. However, the theatre called her back, and with the exception of a few films, she has devoted her career almost entirely to the musical stage. Her last appearance was in 1992. She remains very active in musical theatre even today and is considered one of the grand dames of the American and British musical stage.
Other musicals and plays she has starred in Camelot; Blossom Time; The Sound of Music; King and I; Robert and Elizabeth; Man and Superman; I Do, I Do; Hans Anderson; A Little Night Music; Cinderella; Where's Charley?; James Joyce's The Dead.
She has sung at the White House for three US Presidents - Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
She is a naturalized U.S. citizen and resides in New York. She has been married for over 30 years to Douglas Rae.- Actress
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Lonette McKee's career began in the music industry in hometown Detroit, Michigan as a child prodigy, where she began playing keyboards composing music and lyrics, singing and performing professionally at a young age. At fourteen she recorded her first record, "Stop Don't Worry 'Bout It" which became an instant regional Pop/R&B hit.
Lonette made her feature film debut playing 'Sista' in Sparkle. Following were starring roles in films Which Way is Up and Brewster's Millions opposite legendary, Richard Pryor, The Cotton Club and Gardens of Stone for renowned director, Francis Ford Coppola. Sundance Film Festival winner, Lift, earned Lonette a Black Reel Nomination. Other films include Cuba, Men of Honor, 'Round Midnight for outstanding French filmmaker, Bertrand Tavenier. Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, He Got Game and She Hate Me for renowned filmmaker and mentor, Spike Lee. Recently, Lonette appeared in films, A Day in Black and White, Honey, ATL, Paper Mache Chase, Fast Food Fast Women, Honey 2, This Narrow Place and LUV, opposite hip hop mega-star, Common. Television films include, Women of Brewster Place, with Oprah Winfrey, for which Lonette received an NAACP nomination; Having Our Say, Queen, To Dance with Olivia, For Love of Olivia, Blind Faith and Dangerous Passions. She also received an NAACP Nomination for her recurring appearances on As The World Turns and has enjoyed a recurring lead role in hit series' Third Watch and The Game. Solo television guest appearances include The Tonight Show, Today Show, Good Morning America and David Letterman. Lonette was recognized in "People Magazine's Fifty Most Beautiful Issue." Winning the coveted Tony Nomination for her portrayal of the tragic mulatto, 'Julie', in the Houston Grand Opera's production of Showboat, she earned the distinction of becoming the first African American actress to play the coveted role in the U.S. and later reprised the role for great theatrical director Hal Prince on Broadway. Critical praise and a Drama Desk Nomination was earned for her heartbreaking portrayal of Billie Holiday in the one-woman hit drama with music, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill.
Lonette has written and produced solo CD's entitled, Lonette, Words and Music, Natural Love, Acoustic Tracks, Lonette McKee and Superstar. She has toured throughout the world in solo concert performances including the prestigious JVC Jazz Festival at Carnegie Hall.
Studying film directing at The New School in NYC she also apprenticed film directing under the tutelage of mentor Spike Lee. Lonette continues to write and produce music and screenplays along with television concepts for Lonette McKee Entertainment Inc. To include Dream Street, an original screenplay for theatrical release which was chosen as Finalist in Sundance Film Lab and will mark her directorial debut.
A recent concert at Aaron Davis Hall played to a sold-out audience.
Lonette is a Blog Contributor for the Huffington Post and teaches the Actor's Workshop at The City College of New York Continuing and Professional Studies. She recently enjoyed rave reviews in New York for her work Off Broadway in Sowa's Red Gravy and A Raisin in the Sun at the prestigious Clarence Brown Theatre, both directed by Woodie King Jr. She was recently nominated for a 2013 AUDELCO Award in Best Actress category.
Lonette is an animal lover and outspoken advocate for human and animal rights.- Actress
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Ann Reinking was born on November 10, 1949, in Seattle, Washington. Renowned more for her dancing than acting, Reinking has danced in many Broadway shows. She made her film debut in Movie Movie (1978) and the following year starred opposite Roy Scheider and Jessica Lange in the Bob Fosse biopic All That Jazz (1979), which won many Oscar nominations -- including a nod for Best Picture of 1979. Reinking was charming as Grace Farrell, the sympathetic and devoted secretary to grouchy Daddy Warbucks (Albert Finney) in John Huston's Annie (1982), in which she sang the songs "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here", "We Got Annie" and "Let's Go To The Movies." Her best performance was also in her last film to date in Blake Edwards' brilliant 1984 comedy Micki + Maude (1984), in which Dudley Moore plays a bigamist with two pregnant wives -- workaholic attorney Micki (Reinking) and laid-back cellist Maude (Amy Irving). After that, Ann Reinking never acted in another motion picture. She was married to financier Herbert Allen for a time, and only popped up sporadically on television and on the stage. Her big Broadway comeback occurred in the early 1990s with Chicago, which won her a well-deserved Tony Award for Best Choreography.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Known as the "hip hypnotist", Pat Collins ran a nightclub on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. She was a pioneer in hypnotism as entertainment, one of the first to be honest as to what hypnotism could do, as opposed to hypnotists that would claim having the ability to control people beyond their will. She also ran workshops to teach people self-hypnosis, to overcome psychological problems such as cigarette smoking.- With that impish, gap-toothed grin, nervous bundle of energy, Robert Morse could never be contained long enough to become a film star. The live stage would be his calling.
He was born Robert Allen Morse on May 18, 1931, in Newton, Massachusetts, the son of May (Silver) and Charles Morse, who worked at a record store. His father was of German Jewish descent and his mother was of Russian Jewish ancestry. He developed an interest in performing in high school. Moving to New York, he joined elder brother Richard who was already studying acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse. Robert made his debut with the musical "On the Town", in 1949, and trained with Lee Strasberg, before making his inauspicious film debut in The Proud and Profane (1956), but movie offers were few. Instead, he brightened up the lights of Broadway as "Barnaby Tucker" in "The Matchmaker" (and in the film version of The Matchmaker (1958)), as well as in "Say, Darling" (Tony nomination in 1958), "Take Me Along" (Tony nomination in 1959) and his best-known role as the ever-ambitious "J. Pierpont Finch" in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying", in which he finally won the Tony, in 1961, while singing his signature song, "I Believe in You", to himself in the mirror. He took that role to film, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967), six years later.
Morse's best movie roles also came in the 60s, as a Britisher arranging his uncle's funeral in the cult favorite, The Loved One (1965), and as Walter Matthau's philandering buddy/advisor in A Guide for the Married Man (1967). His offbeat musical talents were used for the intriguing experimental James Thurber-like TV series, That's Life (1968), with E.J. Peaker, which combined sketches, monologues and musical interludes, but the show lasted only one season.
Overall, Bobby's work has never been less than interesting with no gray areas in his performances -- ranging from bizarre to irritating, from frenzied to fascinating. After earning acclaim and another Tony-nomination as the cross-dressing musician on the lam in "Sugar", a Broadway musical version of Some Like It Hot (1959), Morse appeared less and less -- his eccentricities proving both difficult to cast and to deal with.
Following an unfulfilling stint on the daytime soap, All My Children (1970), he came back in grand style in the one-man tour de farce, Tru (1992), based on the life of the equally-eccentric Truman Capote - a perfect fit, if ever there was one, between actor and role. With this role, Bobby became one of the choice few to ever win Tony awards for both a musical and dramatic part. At the age of 85, Morse returned to the lights of Broadway in the 2016 revival of "The Front Page" starring Nathan Lane.
Robert continued to be seen in odd roles from time to time, such as "Grandpa" in the revamped TV movie, Here Come the Munsters (1995). Into the millennium, he focused on TV work. He made a huge dramatic impression as an advertising agency founder Bertram Cooper on the popular series Mad Men (2007) and earned five Emmy nominations. He also impressed as Dominick Dunne on the series American Crime Story (2016) and provided the TV voice of Santa Claus in the animated short series Teen Titans Go! (2013).
Married twice, his five children include actresses Andrea Doven, Hilary Morse and Robin Morse. Robert Morse died on April 20, 2022, in Los Angeles. He was 90.