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Grind (musical)
''Grind'' is a 1985 musical with music by Larry Grossman, lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh, and a book by Fay Kanin. ''Grind'' is a portrait of a largely African-American burlesque house in Chicago in the Thirties. Reviews of the production were mixed at best. In his ''The New York Times'' review, Frank Rich wrote: "...the show has become a desperate barrage of arbitrary musical numbers, portentous staging devices, extravagant costumes..., confused plot twists and sociological bromides..." ''Grind'' eventually closed after a run of slightly more than two months, losing its entire $4.75 million investment. It was one of a string of six Broadway flops directed by Hal Prince in the 1980s, and Prince and three other members of the creative team were suspended by the Dramatists Guild for signing a "substandard contract." In a Broadway season described by theater historian Ken Mandelbaum as "dismal" for new musicals, ''Grind'' was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical; it ev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Larry Grossman (composer)
Larry Grossman (born September 3, 1938) is an American composer for theatre, television, film, concerts, and cabaret. Life and career Grossman, a native of Chicago, graduated from Northwestern University School Communication in 1960. He started working in New York City as a vocal coach and accompanist. One of his songs was used in the revue ''No Shoestrings'' (1962). He began working with lyricist Hal Hackady in 1968, and their first piece together was the title song for the play '' Play It Again, Sam''. Their collaboration led to Grossman's Broadway debut in 1970 where he went on to write the scores for four Broadway musicals ''Minnie's Boys''. and ''Goodtime Charley'' and in collaboration with theatre legend Harold Prince, '' A Doll's Life'' and ''Grind'' for which he received Tony nominations. In 1975, Grossman composed '' Snoopy: The Musical'' with lyricist Hal Hackady which has been performed in six languages worldwide with the first London production receiving an Olivier aw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ken Billington
Ken Billington (born October 29, 1946) is an American lighting designer. He began his career in New York City working as an assistant to Tharon Musser. He was born in White Plains, New York, the son of Kenneth Arthur (an automobile dealer) and Ruth (Roane) Billington. Billington has 96 Broadway productions to his credit including '' Copperfield'', '' Checking Out'', ''Moon Over Buffalo'', ''Grind'', '' Hello, Dolly!'', ''Meet Me in St. Louis'', ''On the Twentieth Century'', ''Side by Side by Sondheim'', ''Lettice and Lovage'', '' Tru'', '' The Scottsboro Boys'', and ''Sweeney Todd''. Off-Broadway productions include '' Sylvia'', '' London Suite'', '' Annie Warbucks'', ''Lips Together, Teeth Apart'', ''The Lisbon Traviata'', '' What the Butler Saw'', and ''Fortune and Men's Eyes''. Billington was the principal lighting designer for Radio City Music Hall from 1979 to 2004, where he created the lighting for the world-famous Christmas and Easter Spectaculars. While there, he also ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Award For Best Musical
The Tony Award for Best Musical is given annually to the best new Broadway musical play, musical, as determined by Tony Award voters. The award is one of the ceremony's longest-standing awards, having been presented each year since 1949. The award goes to the producers of the winning musical. A musical is eligible for consideration in a given year if it has not previously been produced on Broadway and is not "determined... to be a 'classic' or in the historical or popular repertoire", otherwise it may be considered for Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, Best Revival of a Musical.Staff (undated)"Rules & Voting" tonyawards.com. Retrieved September 13, 2013. Best Musical is the final award presented at the Tony Awards ceremony. Excerpts from the musicals that are nominated for this award are usually performed during the ceremony before this award is presented. This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Musical. Winners and nominees †indicates th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Timothy Nolen
Timothy Nolen (born July 9, 1941) is an American actor and baritone who has had an active career in operas, musicals, concerts, plays, and on television for over four decades. He notably portrayed the title role in the first operatic presentation of Stephen Sondheim's ''Sweeney Todd'' at the Houston Grand Opera in 1984. He later reprised the role at Chicago's Marriott Theatre in 1993, receiving a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for his portrayal. He then performed the role of Judge Turpin in a concert version of ''Sweeney Todd'' broadcast on PBS's ''Great Performances'' in 2000 with the New York Philharmonic, George Hearn, Patti LuPone, and Neil Patrick Harris. He has since played Sweeney Todd in numerous productions, including those at the San Francisco Opera and most recently, the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2017. Early life Nolen was born in Rotan, Texas, and began his career appearing in small supporting roles with opera companies in the United States during the 1960s. C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leonard Crofoot
Leonard John Crofoot (born September 20, 1948 in Utica, New York) is an actor, singer, dancer, writer and choreographer. Crofoot has performed extensively on Broadway. His appearances include his Drama-League Critics Award-winning role of "Tom Thumb" in ''Barnum'' (1980) and in the original Broadway shows ''The Happy Time'' (1968), ''Come Summer'' (1969), ''Grind'' (1985) and '' Gigi'' (1973) and as replacement in ''American Dance Machine'' (1978). Crofoot toured with Carol Channing in '' Hello, Dolly!'' (1978) in the role of "Barnaby" and played the role of "Benjamin" in '' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' in its American debut at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He can be heard singing "Bigger Isn't Better" on the original cast album of ''Barnum'' and on the CD '' Broadway Scene Stealers: The Men'' a compilation of performances, edited by ''Playbill''. Crofoot wrote and performed his one-person show '' Nijinsky Speaks'' from 1996 to 2006. The show originated at the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carol Woods (performer)
Carol Woods (born November 13, 1943) is an Americans, American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in ''Sweet and Lowdown'' (1999), ''The Honeymooners (2005 film), The Honeymooners'' (2005) and ''Across the Universe (film), Across the Universe'' (2007). In February 2008, she received a standing ovation during the 50th Grammy Awards broadcast singing "Let It Be (Beatles song), Let It Be" from the ''Across the Universe'' soundtrack, with Timothy Mitchum. Inspired by Barack Obama's campaign and win, Woods recorded Grammy Award winner Julie Gold's song "America". The CD of ''America (The Song)'' made its debut in a Limited Inaugural Edition at the "Shades of Blue" Inaugural Gala, hosted by Create the Vision Source in Washington D.C. January 20, 2009. In July 2009, ''America'' became available to the public at large. In early 2009, she reprised the role of Matron "Mama" Morton in ''Chicago (musical), Chicago'' on Broadway theatre, Broadway, followed by two weeks at t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Valarie Pettiford
Valarie Pettiford (born July 8, 1960) is an American stage and television actress, dancer, and jazz singer. She received a Tony Award nomination for her role in the broadway production '' Fosse''. She is also known for her role as "Big Dee Dee" Thorne on the UPN television sitcom ''Half & Half''. Stage Pettiford began her career as a dancer and choreographer in Bob Fosse productions on Broadway. Alvin Klein of the ''New York Times'' wrote of her role in the 1983 musical revue ''Ladies and Gentlemen, Jerome Kern!'' that "You will not for a moment take your eyes off Valarie Pettiford, the show's standout: a sinewy dancer who can be sultry or sweet, measure for measure, as prescribed.... Miss Pettiford appears to be a superbly trained dancer, schooled in balletic finesse and Broadway-style razzmatazz - and a stunning presence." Leah Frank, also in the ''NYT'', wrote of Pettiford's appearance in ''West Side Story'' in 1987: "The mainstay of the supporting cast is Valarie Pettiford, w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hope Clarke
Hope Clarke (born March 23, 1941) is an American actress, dancer, vocalist, choreographer, and director. Clarke performed as principal dancer with the Katherine Dunham Company and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, 1960s; actress on stage, film, and television, 1970s–1980s; choreographer and director, 1980s--. Clarke served on the Tony Awards Nominating Committee for the 2011–12 Broadway season. Clarke made history in 1995 when she became the first African American, as well as the first African-American woman, to direct and choreograph a major staging of the opera-musical ''Porgy and Bess''. Clarke's production of the George Gershwin classic was staged in celebration of the work's 60h anniversary, and it toured not only major American cities but Japan and Europe as well. Clarke drew critical acclaim for her commitment to staging the show as a monument to African-American community and pride, giving a more hopeful, positive aura to a story that has been criticized for it ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marion Ramsey
Marion Ramsey (May 10, 1947 – January 7, 2021) was an American actress and singer. She was a regular on the series '' Cos'' but is best known for her role as the soft-spoken Officer Laverne Hooks in the ''Police Academy'' films. Later she appeared in the films ''Recipe for Disaster'' and ''Return to Babylon'', and in the television films for SyFy, such as ''Lavalantula'' and ''2 Lava 2 Lantula!''. Biography Born in Philadelphia, Ramsey's entertainment career started on stage. She co-starred in Broadway shows, including productions of ''Eubie!'' and ''Grind'', and toured the US in the musical '' Hello Dolly''. Her first television part was a guest role on the series ''The Jeffersons'', and was a regular on '' Cos'', the Bill Cosby sketch comedy series. In 1976, Her career in TV and film took off after she appeared as a guest on the hit sitcom ''The Jeffersons''. Ramsey was deeply committed to AIDS awareness and lent her voice for charitable causes, performing in "Divas Simply ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lee Wallace (actor)
Lee Wallace (born Leo Melis; July 15, 1930 – December 20, 2020) was an American actor of film, stage, and television. Personal life Wallace was born as Leo Melis in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Celia (née Gross) and Eddie Melis. As of 2016, Wallace lived in New York City with his wife Marilyn Chris until his death on December 20, 2020. The couple have one child, Paul Wallace. Career His movie roles include more than a dozen productions big and small, including ''Klute'' (1971), '' The Hot Rock'' (1972), '' The Taking of Pelham One Two Three'' (1974) as the Mayor of New York City, ''The Happy Hooker'' (1975), ''Diary of the Dead'' (1976), ''Thieves'' (1977), '' Private Benjamin'' (1980) as Mr. Waxman, ''World War III'' (1982), ''Daniel'' (1983), ''Batman'' (1989) as Gotham City's Mayor Borg, and ''Used People'' (1992). John Simon in his review of Batman called Wallace "a perfect Ed Koch lookalike". On Broadway, he appeared in '' A Teaspoon Every Four Hours'', ''Unlikely H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stubby Kaye
Bernard Solomon Kotzin (November 11, 1918 – December 14, 1997), known as Stubby Kaye, was an American actor, comedian, vaudevillian, and singer, known for his appearances on Broadway and in film musicals. Kaye originated the roles of Nicely-Nicely Johnson in ''Guys and Dolls'' and Marryin' Sam in ''Li'l Abner'', introducing two show-stopping numbers of the era: "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat" and "Jubilation T. Cornpone." He reprised these roles in the movie versions of the two shows. Other well-known roles include Herman in Bob Fosse's ''Sweet Charity'', Sam the Shade in ''Cat Ballou'', and Marvin Acme in ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit''. Biography Kaye was born Bernard Solomon (or Sholom) Kotzin on the last day of the First World War, at West 114th Street in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan. His parents were first generation Jewish-Americans originally from Russia and Austria-Hungary. His father, David Kotzin, was a dress salesman, and the former Harriet "Hattie" ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ben Vereen
Benjamin Augustus Vereen (born October 10, 1946) is an American actor, dancer and singer. Vereen gained prominence for his performances in the original Broadway productions of the musicals '' Jesus Christ Superstar'', for which he received a Tony Award nomination, and ''Pippin,'' for which he won the 1973 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Early life Vereen was born Benjamin Augustus Middleton on October 10, 1946 in Laurinburg, North Carolina. While still an infant, Vereen and his family relocated to the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City. He was adopted by James Vereen, a paint-factory worker, and his wife, Pauline, who worked as a maid and theatre wardrobe mistress. He discovered he was adopted when he applied for a passport to join Sammy Davis Jr. on a tour of '' Golden Boy'' to London when he was 25. He was raised Pentecostal. During his pre-teen years, he exhibited an innate talent for drama and dance and often performed in local variety sho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
