The Life (musical)
''The Life'' is a musical with a book by David Newman, Ira Gasman and Cy Coleman, music by Coleman, and lyrics by Gasman. Based on an original idea by Gasman, the show explores the underbelly of Times Square's 42nd Street, inhabited by pimps and prostitutes, druggies and dealers, and runaways and street people in the era prior to its Disneyfication. Background Ira Gasman recalls walking on 42nd Street (in New York City) and seeing an arrest: "What theatre, I thought, right there in the street! It got me thinking about this show." After the Off-Broadway production in 1990, in 1994 Coleman and Gasman asked David Newman to help rewrite the show. Newman: ""Whatever it was back when they did the workshop, it's totally different now ..." Coleman brought in the director Michael Blakemore, who "steered the show along a tightrope, careful not to fall into the seediness below, toward a common humanity to which audiences can relate." Productions The show was first produced at the Off-Br ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Cy Coleman
Cy Coleman (born Seymour Kaufman; June 14, 1929 – November 18, 2004) was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist. Life and career Coleman was born Seymour Kaufman in New York City, United States, to Eastern European Jewish parents, and was raised in the Bronx. His mother, Ida (née Prizent) was an apartment landlady and his father was a brickmason.Berkvist, Rober"Cy Coleman, Composer Whose Jazz-Fired Musicals Blazed on Broadway, Dies at 75" ''The New York Times'', November 20, 2004. He was a child prodigy who gave piano recitals at venues such as Steinway Hall, Town Hall, and Carnegie Hall between the ages of six and nine.Jones, Kennet"Cy Coleman, a Master of the Show Tune, Is Dead at 75", Playbill.com, November 19, 2004. Before beginning his fabled Broadway career, he led the Cy Coleman Trio, which made many recordings and was a much-in-demand club attraction. Despite the early classical and jazz success, Coleman decided to build a career in popular music. His f ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Michael Blakemore
Michael Howell Blakemore OBE, AO (born 18 June 1928) is an Australian actor, writer and theatre director who has also made a handful of films. A former Associate Director of the National Theatre, in 2000 he became the only individual to win Tony Awards for best Director of a Play and Musical in the same year for ''Copenhagen'' and ''Kiss Me, Kate''. Biography Early life and career Blakemore was born in Sydney, Australia, son of Conrad Howell Blakemore and his wife, Una Mary Litchfield. He married English actress Shirley Bush. Blakemore was educated at The King's School, Sydney, and went on to study medicine at the University of Sydney. Blakemore's first job in the theatre was as press agent for Robert Morley during the Australian tour of ''Edward, My Son'', who advised him to try drama school. In 1950 he came to London, enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and trained as an actor until 1952. He made his first professional stage appearance in 1952 at the Theatre Roya ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Southwark Playhouse
Southwark Playhouse is a theatre in London, located between Borough and Elephant and Castle tube stations. History The Southwark Playhouse Theatre Company was founded in 1993 by Juliet Alderdice and Tom Wilson. They identified the need for a high quality accessible theatre which would also act as a major resource for the community. They leased a disused workshop in a then comparatively neglected part of Southwark and turned it into a flexible theatre space. The theatre quickly put down strong roots in Southwark, developing an innovative, free-at-source education programme. It has worked closely with teachers, Southwark Borough Council, businesses and government agencies to improve educational achievement and raise aspirations. This programme is in great demand and attracts substantial funding each year. Over the next fifteen years the theatre established itself as one of London's leading studio theatres, presenting high quality work by new and emerging theatre practitioners. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tony Awards
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in Midtown Manhattan. The awards are given for Broadway productions and performances. One is also given for Regional theatre in the United States, regional theatre. Several discretionary non-competitive awards are given as well, including a Special Tony Award, the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, and the Isabelle Stevenson Award. The awards were founded by theatre producer and director Brock Pemberton and are named after Antoinette Perry, Antoinette "Tony" Perry, an actress, producer and theatre director who was co-founder and secretary of the American Theatre Wing. The trophy consists of a spinnable medallion, with faces portraying an adaptation of the comedy and tragedy masks, mounted on a black base with a pewter swivel. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Richard Pilbrow
Richard Pilbrow (born 28 April 1933 in Beckenham, Kent, England) is a stage lighting designer, author, theatre design consultant, and theatrical producer, film producer and television producer. He was the first British lighting designer to light a Broadway musical on the Broadway stage with the musical '' Zorba''.http://livedesignonline.com/ldishowdaily/2008_wally_russell_lifetime_achievement_award_winner_0908/index.html Early life In the 1950s, Pilbrow entered the Central School of Speech and Drama in London as a stage management student after serving two years in the Royal Air Force. Career In 1957, Pilbrow co-founded the lighting rental company Theatre Projects with Bryan Kendall, which expanded to include a production company in 1963 to produce and mount the London production of '' A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum'' with set designer Tony Walton and American Producer Hal Prince. In 1963 Pilbrow became lighting director to Laurence Olivier for the National The ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Martin Pakledinaz
Martin Pakledinaz (September 1, 1953 – July 8, 2012) was an American costume designer for stage and film. He won his Tony Awards for designing the costumes for ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' and the 2000 revival of ''Kiss Me, Kate'', which also earned him the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design. His most recent costume designs were for the Broadway shows '' Nice Work If You Can Get It'' (2012); ''Man and Boy'' (revival, 2011); ''Master Class'' (revival 2011) and ''The Normal Heart''. He worked on the 1995 production of ''Holiday'' at the Circle in the Square Theatre. He designed costumes for plays for the leading regional theatres of the United States, and the Royal Dramatic Theatre of Sweden.Biography at Tisch, New York University design.tisch.nyu.edu, accessed July 3, 2009 Opera credits ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Robin Wagner (designer)
Robin Samuel Anton Wagner (born August 31, 1933) is an American scenic designer. Biography Wagner was born in San Francisco, the son of Phyllis Edna Catherine (née Smith-Spurgeon) and Jens Otto Wagner. He attended art school and started his career in theatres in that city with designs for ''Don Pasquale'', '' Amahl and the Night Visitors'', '' Tea and Sympathy'', and '' Waiting for Godot'', among others. In 1958, he relocated to New York City, where he worked on numerous off-Broadway productions before making his Broadway debut as an assistant designer for the Hugh Wheeler play '' Big Fish, Little Fish'' in 1961. His first solo project was a short-lived 1966 production of ''The Condemned of Altona'' by Jean-Paul Sartre. Wagner's many Broadway credits include '' Hair'', ''The Great White Hope'', '' Promises, Promises'', '' Gantry'',"Foresight" Gantry (1970), Ted Thurston, ''YouTube'', posted March 7, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g74V0h0Hsb0 '' Jesus Christ Superstar'', ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Star Search
''Star Search'' was an American television show that was produced by T.P.E./ Rysher Entertainment from 1983 to 1995, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Al Masini. A relaunch was produced by 2929 Productions from 2003 to 2004. On both versions of the show, contestants competed in several genres of entertainment. The show was originally filmed at the Earl Carroll Theatre at 6230 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood and later at the Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida. 1983–1995 version While categories varied slightly from season to season, the ten basic categories during the 1983–1995 version were: * Female singer * Male singer * Junior singer (Second half of the season) * Teen singer (First half of the season) * Group vocal * Dance * Junior dance (First half of the season) * Teen dance (Second half of the season) * Spokesmodel * Comedy Eight categories were contested per show. Potential contestants auditioned to be on the show. In each category, two selected contestants wou ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sam Harris (singer)
Samuel Kent Harris (born June 4, 1961) is an American pop and theater musician as well as a television, theater and film actor. Career Singing Harris got his start as the grand champion singer of ''Star Search'' in its premiere season in 1983. He gained acclaim and became best known for his winning rendition of the song " Over the Rainbow" on the show. "Over the Rainbow" has since become his signature song. His appearance on ''Star Search'' led to him landing a contract with Motown Records. His first single, "Sugar Don't Bite", was a Top 40 hit, reaching #36 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in November 1984. "Over the Rainbow" was released in Australia and peaked at number 65 in 1985. He is a multi-million selling recording artist with nine studio albums to his credit. He can also be heard on numerous concert, guest artist, and cast recordings. He has toured extensively in concert and has played to sold-out audiences at major venues including New York's Carnegie Hall, L ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bellamy Young
Bellamy Young (born Amy Maria Young; February 19, 1970) is an American actress, producer and singer, best known for her role as Melody "Mellie" Grant in the ABC drama series'' Scandal'' (2012–2018). In 2014 for her portrayal of Mellie, she won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She also starred in the Fox series '' Prodigal Son'' (2019–2021). Early life Young was born as Amy Maria Young in Asheville, North Carolina, and was adopted. She changed her name to join the Screen Actors Guild since there was another Amy Young registered, and chose the name Bellamy as a tribute to her late father's best friend, Bill, who had helped to raise her after her father died. Young graduated from Asheville School in 1987. She attended Yale University, initially majoring in physics but studying English and theatre, and graduated in 1991. She spent a summer during college at the British American Drama Academy in England. Career 1995–2011 Youn ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Pamela Isaacs
Pamela Isaacs is an American singer and actress. Theatre In 1987 Isaacs appeared in ''Conrack'', a musical based on Pat Conroy's novel '' The Water is Wide,'' at AMAS Repertory Theater. The show is set in 1969 and recounts the adventures of Pat Conroy, a young white teacher who teaches black children on the remote South Carolina island of Yamacraw. Isaacs played Dr. Jackie Brooks, a black representative of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare who becomes romantically involved with Conroy. Stephen Holden, reviewing the show for ''The New York Times'', said that Isaacs "brings a fine psychological precison icto the role of Dr. Jackie Brooks." In 1988 Isaacs replaced LaTonya Sue Welch as Effie in Michael Bennett's production of ''Dreamgirls'' at An Evening Dinner Theater in Elmsford, New York. Alvin Klein of the New York Times said that "Isaacs is so fine as that replacement that one feels a strange sense of confused priorities." In 1989 Isaacs played the title role of ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ethel Barrymore Theatre
The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is a Broadway theater at 241 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1928, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the Elizabethan, Mediterranean, and Adam styles for the Shubert family. The theater, named in honor of actress Ethel Barrymore, has 1,058 seats and is operated by the Shubert Organization. Both the facade and the auditorium interior are New York City landmarks. The ground-floor facade is made of rusticated blocks of terracotta. The theater's main entrance consists of two archways and a doorway shielded by a marquee. The upper stories contain an arched screen made of terracotta, inspired by Roman baths, which is surrounded by white brick. The auditorium contains ornamental plasterwork, a sloped orchestra level, a large balcony, and a coved ceiling with a dome. The balcony level contains box seats topped by decorative arches. The theater was also designed with a basement lounge and a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |