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Baayork Lee
Baayork Lee (born December 5, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, choreographer, theatre director, and author. Early life and career Lee was born in New York City's Chinatown, to an Indian mother and Chinese father. She started dancing at an early age, and she made her Broadway debut at the age of five as Princess Ying Yawolak in the original production of ''The King and I'' in 1951. In a 2004 interview, she stated that Yul Brynner, the original king, was like a second father to her. After she outgrew her role in ''The King and I'', she continued to study in ballet, modern, and afro-Cuban dance. She appeared in George Balanchine's original production of ''The Nutcracker,'' where she met ballerina Maria Tallchief, whom she idolized.Franklin, Nancy"Cinderella Story" ''The New Yorker'', November 22, 2004 While attending the High School for Performing Arts, she met fellow student Michael Bennett. Around the same time, she appeared in ''Flower Drum Song''. Although Lee aspi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chinatown, Manhattan
Manhattan's Chinatown () is a Neighborhoods in Manhattan, neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, bordering the Lower East Side to its east, Little Italy, Manhattan, Little Italy to its north, Civic Center, Manhattan, Civic Center to its south, and Tribeca to its west. With an estimated population of 90,000 to 100,000 people, Chinatown is home to the highest concentration of Chinese people in New York City, Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere.* * * * * Manhattan's Chinatown is also one of the oldest Overseas Chinese, Chinese ethnic enclaves. The Manhattan Chinatown is one of Chinese Americans in New York City, nine Chinatown neighborhoods in New York City, as well as one of twelve in the New York metropolitan area, which contains the largest ethnic Chinese population outside of Asia, comprising an estimated 893,697 uniracial individuals as of 2017. Historically, Chinatown was primarily populated by Cantonese speakers. However, in the 1980s and 1990s, large number ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Turkey Lurkey Time
"Turkey Lurkey Time" is a song-and-dance number from Act 1 of '' Promises, Promises'', the Burt Bacharach/Hal David musical, with a book by Neil Simon. It was originally choreographed for the 1968 Broadway production by Michael Bennett. The dance takes place as part of an office Christmas party scene. The dance As conceived by Bennett "with stunning energy and inventiveness",Long, p. 227 "Turkey Lurkey Time" is a dance performed by three secretaries at an office Christmas party. Their infectious singing and gyrations build into a frenetic chorus dance, as the office staff copy the trio, climaxing with some atop the office desks. According to Neil Simon, "we were having some problems at the end of the first act ... the number ennettcame up with didn't just solve the problem, it was a sensation." Some of the dancers later claimed they had needed regular trips to the chiropractor, so severe was the strain of Bennett's relentless head-bopping choreography. The secretaries of the ori ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rodgers And Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their popular Broadway productions in the 1940s and 1950s initiated what is considered the "golden age" of musical theater. Gordon, John Steele''Oklahoma'!'. Retrieved June 13, 2010 Five of their Broadway shows, ''Oklahoma!'', '' Carousel'', '' South Pacific'', ''The King and I'' and ''The Sound of Music'', were outstanding successes, as was the television broadcast of ''Cinderella'' (1957). Of the other four shows that the team produced on Broadway during their lifetimes, ''Flower Drum Song'' was well-received, and none was an outright flop. Most of their shows have received frequent revivals around the world, both professional and amateur. Among the many accolades their shows (and film versions) garnered were thirty-four Tony Awards, fifteen Academ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombay Dreams
''Bombay Dreams'' is a Bollywood-themed musical, with music by A. R. Rahman, lyrics by Don Black and the book by Meera Syal and Thomas Meehan, originally produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The London production opened in 2002 and ran for two years. The musical was later produced on Broadway in 2004. Plot The story centers around Akaash, a young man from the slums of Bombay who dreams of becoming the next big star in Bollywood. Fate steps in when a rich lawyer and his fiancée, an aspiring documentary filmmaker, arrive to prevent the demolition of Akaash's slum. Akaash quickly falls in love with the lawyer's fiancée, Priya, who happens to be the daughter of a famous Bollywood director. Complications arise as Akaash faces the reality of show business, fame, his love for Priya, and his obligations to his family, friends, and his Paradise slum. The story also deals with the change of name from Bombay to Mumbai and the identity issues that this raises. Musical numbers London pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Where's Charley?
''Where's Charley?'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by George Abbott. The story was based on the 1892 play ''Charley's Aunt'' by Brandon Thomas. The musical debuted on Broadway in 1948 and was revived on Broadway and in the West End. Ray Bolger starred, and sang the popular song "Once In Love With Amy". Plot ;Act I The setting is Oxford University in the year 1892 where a group of college seniors are bidding farewell to the years gone by ("The Years Before Us"). In his dorm room, graduating Jack Chesney is excitedly talking with his butler, Brassett, making sure that luncheon will be ready for later that afternoon. He is so excited because his roommate, Charley Wykeham, has gone to the train station to meet his aunt, Donna Lucia D'Alvadorez, who is coming in from Brazil for a visit. Having Charley's aunt there as chaperone will make it quite easy for their two girl friends, Kitty Verdun and Amy Spettigue, to come for a visit. Charley does return � ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Every Little Step (film)
''Every Little Step'' is a 2008 American documentary film produced and directed by James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo. It follows the process of casting the 2006 Broadway revival of ''A Chorus Line'' and explores the history of the award-winning musical, beginning with the informal interviews with Broadway dancers conducted by Michael Bennett that served as its basis. Their personal observations and feelings were captured on audiotape, many of which are heard in this film. 3,000 dancers arrived to audition for the revival on the first day. Some of their stories are interwoven with recollections of members of the original cast, including Donna McKechnie and Baayork Lee; composer Marvin Hamlisch; and Bob Avian, who co-choreographed the original 1975 production and directed the 2006 revival. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2008 and went into theatrical release with the title ''Broadway Broadway'' in Japan the following month. It was shown at th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thommie Walsh
Thomas Joseph "Thommie" Walsh III (March 15, 1950 – June 16, 2007) was an American dancer, choreographer, director, and author. Biography Thommie Walsh was born in Auburn, New York, and began to study dance at age five at the Irma Baker School of Dance. When Irma retired, Thommie traveled to Syracuse NY weekly to continue his dance training under David Shields. After high school, he majored in Dance and minored in Musical Theater at the Boston Conservatory of Music from 1968 - 1971, but left during his junior year, with an associates degree, to tour with ''Disney on Parade''.Barran, Kathleen"School to honor Auburn's Walsh"'' The Auburn Citizen'', May 12, 2008 He joined the national tour of ''Applause'', starring Lauren Bacall, and the company of ''The Ann-Margret Las Vegas Show''. He was in the film version of ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' as the apostle Thaddeus. Walsh made his Broadway debut in the chorus of ''Seesaw'' in 1973. Also in 1973 he appeared in the flop ''Rachael Lily ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theatre World Award
The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway theatre, Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre season. History In 1944, the Theatre World Awards were founded by Daniel Blum, Norman McDonald, and John Willis, recognizing "Promising Personalities", actors and actresses, in debut performances, in Broadway or Off-Broadway productions. In the first year Blum presented the awards in his apartment, at a cocktail party, to Betty Comden, Judy Holliday and John Raitt, and the second year to Barbara Bel Geddes, Marlon Brando, and Burt Lancaster. At Blum's 1949 party, Carol Channing won. The ''Theatre World'' editorial staff administered the Awards, under the supervision of Daniel Blum. In 1964, after Daniel Blum's death, John A. Willis, John Willis supervised the Awards. In 1969, the award was renamed the ''Theatre World Award ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Chorus Line
''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. ''A Chorus Line'' provides a glimpse into the personalities of the performers and the choreographer, as they describe the events that have shaped their lives and their decisions to become dancers. Following several workshops and an Off-Broadway production, ''A Chorus Line'' opened at the Shubert Theatre on Broadway July 25, 1975, directed by Michael Bennett and co-choreographed by Bennett and Bob Avian. An unprecedented box office and critical hit, the musical received twelve Tony Award nominations and won nine, in addition to the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The original Broadway production ran for 6,137 performances, becoming the longest-running production in Broadway history until surpasse ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tommy Tune
Thomas James Tune (born February 28, 1939) is an American actor, dancer, singer, theatre director, producer, and choreographer. Over the course of his career, he has won ten Tony Awards, the National Medal of Arts, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Early life Tune was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, to oil rig worker, horse trainer, and restaurateur Jim Tune and Eva Mae Clark along with his sister, Gracey. He attended Mirabeau B. Lamar High School, Houston and the Methodist-affiliated Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, Texas. He studied dance under Patsy Swayze in Houston. He also studied dance with Kit Andree in Boulder, Colorado. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama from the University of Texas at Austin in 1962 and his Master of Fine Arts in Directing from the University of Houston. Tune later moved to New York to start his career. Career Tune stands a lanky tall, and at first he found his height to be a disadvantage when auditioning for roles, as he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seesaw (musical)
''Seesaw'' is a 1973 American musical with a book by Michael Bennett, music by Cy Coleman, and lyrics by Dorothy Fields. Based on the William Gibson play ''Two for the Seesaw'', the plot focuses on a brief affair between Jerry Ryan, a young lawyer from Nebraska, and Gittel Mosca, a kooky, streetwise dancer from the Bronx. The musical numbers evoke colorful aspects of New York City life but have relatively little to do with the story. The most notable feature of the score's original orchestrations by Larry Fallon was their wide use of brass instruments. Production history The production faced seemingly insurmountable problems during its pre-Broadway trial, and when it reached Detroit, producers Joseph Kipness and Lawrence Kasha brought in Bennett for advice. He recommended they abandon the book by Michael Stewart and fire director Edwin Sherin and leading lady Lainie Kazan, who he felt was too hefty to portray a dancer convincingly. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jesus Christ Superstar (film)
''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a 1973 American musical drama film directed by Norman Jewison and jointly written for the screen by Jewison and Melvyn Bragg; they based their screenplay on the 1970 rock opera of the same name, the libretto of which was written by Tim Rice and whose music was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The film, featuring a cast of Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Yvonne Elliman, Barry Dennen, Bob Bingham, Larry Marshall, Josh Mostel, Kurt Yaghjian and Philip Toubus, centers on the conflict between Judas and Jesus during the week of the crucifixion of Jesus. Neeley, Anderson, and Elliman were nominated for Golden Globe Awards in 1974, for their portrayals of Jesus, Judas, and Mary Magdalene, respectively. It attracted criticism from a few religious groups and received mixed reviews from critics. Plot The film's cast travel by bus to the Israeli desert, in order to re-enact the Passion of Christ with modern-day costumes and props. As they make their preparati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
