Connie Danese

CHIT CHAT: Rumor has it that next fall Betty Buckley will do a “musical Monday” at the Pantages Theatre to benefit the Actors Fund. These evenings are always special, and people are still talking about the last one honoring the incredible Billy Barnes, which featured women who sang songs originally written for them. The ladies performing with Barnes included: Nancy Dussault, Karen Morrow, Eileen Barnett, Barry Williams, Carole Cook and JoAnne Worley…Angeleno dancer Nikka Graff Lanzarone, currently starring on Broadway as Velma in Chicago, was voted Best Star Dancer by Broadway.com’s Weekend Buzz Poll when she received 32% of all votes.

Nikka Graff Lanzarone

The honor becomes greater when it’s noted that Tony award winner Sutton Foster (Anything Goes) came in second with 30% of the votes…The Robber Bridegroom at ICT will have Todd Nielsen as director/choreographer and Gerald Sternbach doing the honors as musical director when it opens in October…Jeff Calhoun, who notably directed musicals at the Deaf West Theatre (Big River, Oliver) and Taper (Pippin) directs Bonnie & Clyde – The Musical with music and lyrics by Frank Wildhorn and Don Black, book by Ivan Menchell. The show premiered at La Jolla in Nov. 09 and is expected to preview in NY – nearly two years later– on Nov 4

Anne Archer

….Anne Archer plays Jane Fonda at the Edgemar Center for the Arts Oct. 7 when she stars in Terry Jastrow’s play Jane Fonda in the Court of Public Opinion directed by Jastrow…The cast of All My Sons at the Matrix Theatre includes: Anne Gee Byrd and Alex Morris as Kate and Joe Keller. Directed by Lisa James, it will open Oct 13 and play through Dec. 18…Paul Olson’s musical Don’t Hug Me, I’m Pregnant has its premiere at the Secret Rose Theatre in NoHo on Sept. 30, directed by Doug Engalla and choreographed by Stan Mazin…Director Rick Sparks (They Shoot Horses Don’t They, A Clockwork Orange) helms I Love Lucy Live on Stage at the Greenway Court Theatre with musical direction by Wayne Moore. It opens Oct 1 and is slated to run through the end of the year.

CHAT CITE:

“You’ve gotta’ dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,

And live like it’s heaven on earth.

(And speak from the heart to be heard.)”

-William W. Purkey

Header image – Rick Sparks