Broadway’s Elite
Imagine spending an evening with one of Broadway’s most beloved stars. Now multiply that times three! Tony Award winner Donna McKechnie, Ken Page and Lee Roy Reams join forces to bring you three times the stories, three times the songs and three times the history of the Great White Way in an evening celebrating all the glory of Broadway – past and present. Relive classic moments from A CHORUS LINE, COMPANY, AIN’T MISBEHAVING’, CATS, 42nd STREET, HELLO, DOLLY! and more as this trio of musical icons takes you on an inside journey of the ups, downs, magic and memories that make a legend.
Donna McKechnie
Donna McKechnie, the Tony Award winning star of A CHORUS LINE, is regarded internationally as one of Broadway’s foremost dancing and singing leading ladies. She has just completed filming a feature role in 36 SAINTS, which will be released next year, and was currently appearing in John Doyle’s TEN CENTS A DANCE at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Some of Ms. McKechnie’s Broadway credits include: HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM,(NAT’L TOUR), THE EDUCATION OF H*Y*M*A*N-K*A*P*L*A*N, SONDHEIM- A MUSICAL TRIBUTE(which she also choreographed),ON THE TOWN, PROMISES-PROMISES, COMPANY and STATE FAIR, for which she received the Fred Astaire Award for Best Female Dancer for the 1996 Season. She has starred in numerous productions in London’s West End, including PROMISES-PROMISES, COMPANY, NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY(which she also choreographed), Cole Porter’s CAN-CAN and Stephen Sondheim’s FOLLIES. Bob Fosse invited Ms. McKechnie to play the lead in his last production, a National tour of SWEET CHARITY, for which she was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award. Donna’s regional credits include ANNIE WARBUCKS, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, THE SUBJECT WAS ROSES, IRMA LA DOUCE, CABARET, THE IMAGINARY INVALID, THE THREE PENNY OPERA, THE GOOD-BYE GIRL, FOLLIES, MACK AND MABEL, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, GYPSY, I DO-I DO!, MISALLIANCE, STEPPING OUT, GIRL’S ROOM, and INSIDE THE MUSIC, (her one woman musical with text by Christopher Durang). The New York Times review of her cabaret show, GYPSY IN MY SOUL, compared her to “legends Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon as a brass- knuckled trouper with a heart of gold in a breezy, happy to be here celebration. Donna’s one woman musical, MY MUSICAL COMEDY LIFE received unanimous raves from New York theatre critics, won a Mac Award Nomination for Best Female Singer and the Bistro Award for Outstanding Major Engagement. She also received a nomination for an Ovation Award for Best Featured Actress (MACK AND MABEL) by the Los Angeles Theatre Alliance League. She made her Opera debut in 1996, guest starring in the San Francisco Opera’s production of DIE FLEDERMAUS. Donna has also performed extensively on the concert stage and with symphony orchestras. She has appeared as guest star in numerous television specials and dramatic series including HBO SHOWSTOPPERS, FAME, CHEERS, FAMILY TIES, HULLABALOO, TWIRL, and DARK SHADOWS. She also portrayed THE ROSE in the film THE LITTLE PRINCE. One of the highlights of her recent professional life was to choreograph the highly acclaimed GUYS AND DOLLS at the Hollywood Bowl directed by Richard Jay-Alexander. Last year, she opened the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and completed her first tour of Australia performing My MUSICAL COMEDY LIFE, also directed by Mr. Alexander. Ms . McKechnie’s memoir, TIME STEPS- My Musical Comedy Life, was published and released by Simon and Schuster. Donna was featured in the documentary film, EVERY LITTLE STEP. 1
Ken Page
Ken Page, in a career spanning forty years, has worked in nearly all areas of the entertainment industry. Motion Pictures: “Dreamgirls”(Max Washington).“Torch Song, Trilogy”(Murry) and “I’ll Do Anything” (Ken). He voiced the characters, King Gator in “All Dogs Go To Heaven” and Mr. Oogie Boogie in the cult classic “Nightmare Before Christmas”. Television audiences have enjoyed Ken on many sitcoms,, episodic and music specials (Ain’t Misbehavin’-NBC, Duke Ellington-The Music Lives On-PBS, Cats- PBS, The Tonight Show, The Today Show, etc. Ken made his Broadway debut in 1976 in the all-black revival of “Guys & Dolls”. His rousing gospel rendition of “Sit down Your Rockin’ the Boat” earned him unanimous critical praise and the coveted “Theatre World Award”. He was seen in the original cast of two Tony Award-winning Best Musicals- Cats (Old Deuteronomy) and Ain’t Misbehavin’(Fats Waller); It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues, The Wiz(Lion),The Wizard of OZ(Cowardly Lion), A Christmas Carol ( The Ghost of Christmas Present). Across the Atlantic, audiences have seen Ken in London’s original West End production of Children of Eden (Father), and in the concert of My One and Only (Rev.Montgomery)-London Palladium, Mr. Wonderful (A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr.) at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane and Ain’t Misbehavin’ in Paris. In concert, Ken has performed at Carnegie Hall (Anyone Can Whistle), Lincoln Center (American Songbook-Harold Arlen/Frank Loesser),New York City Center (‘Encores! Series’) “Call Me Madam”,”Out of This World” and “Pajama Game”,(Reprise! Series’) “Threepenny Opera”, “Follies”, “Damn Yankees” as well as Ryman Auditorium, Grand Ol’ Opry, and Caesar’s Palace Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Mr. Page is the recipient of the New York Drama Desk Award. He has been honored by the New York Drama League and has been nominated for Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award and is the recipient of the Kevin Kline Award for his performance of King Herod in “Jesus Christ Superstar”. He was also nominated for his performances as Monsieur Thenardier in “Les Miserables” and is a recent nominee for his work as the voice of Audrey II in “ Little Shop of Horrors, both with The St.Louis Muny. Mr. Page’s concert “Page by Page” Is performed across the country and has been recorded and released on CD by LML Music. Ken can be heard on seventeen Original Cast and/or Soundtrack Recordings. He was also seen in New York in Lincoln Center Theatre’s production of HAPPINESS and appeared in The Hollywood Bowl presentation of GUYS AND DOLLS recreating his show stopping role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson. Mr. Page’s directing credits are numerous among them are several productions of AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’, NIGHTLIFE at New York’s Westbeth Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club. Ken’s production of THE FANTASTICKS was awarded the Los Angeles Ovation Award as Best Musical. Other productions: DARK OF THE MOON, ATOM AND EVE,BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, WHITE WOMAN, Harvey Fierstein’s TIDY ENDINGS, Tennessee Williams’s HELLO FROM BERTHA , GODSPELL among others. Ken conceived wrote the book for and directed two Los Angeles workshops of the musical version of TO SIR WITH LOVE. In 2010 Ken directed a newly revised production of the musical STORYVILLE at the SAN DIEGO REPERATORY THEATRE. Ken was recently seen in the World premiere of the new musical of the film GRUMPY OLD MEN in Canada at The Royal Manitoba Performing Arts Center, and at the Shakespeare Theatre Co of Washington D.C as The Duke of Milan in The Rock Opera “ Two Gentlemen of Verona.
Lee Roy Reams
Lee Roy Reams won critical acclaim as Roger DeBris on Broadway and the First National Co. of Mel Brooks’ musical hit, The Producers (Carbnell Award and Washington DC’s prestigious Helen Hayes Award).
Columnist Liz Smith calls him “Broadway’s Darling” and the New York Times hails him as “Broadway’s song and dance man nonpareil” for his leading roles in David Merrick’s legendary 42nd Street (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Lumiere in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Albin/ZaZa in La Cage Aux Folles, Cornelius Hackl in Hello Dolly! & Henry Spofford in Lorelei (both starring Carol Channing). Duane Fox in Applause starring Lauren Bacall, Will Parker in Richard Rodgers’ revival of Oklahoma!, Bob Fosse’s Sweet Charity starring Gwen Verdon, and An Evening With Jerry Herman. Favorite regional theater roles include Captain Hook in Peter Pan, Toddy in Victor/Victoria, Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady, and Phil Davis in White Christmas.
On Broadway, he directed Hello Dolly! (Tony Nomination/Best Revival) and An Evening With Jerry Herman. He also directed Anything Goes starring Chita Rivera and productions of Hello Dolly! starring Madeleine Kahn, Joanne Worley, Michelle Lee, and in Paris, Nicole Crosille. He is also the resident director of Theater Guild’s Theater at Sea whose stars include Patricia Neal, Gena Rowlands, Rosemary Harris, Leslie Uggams, Ed Asner, Cliff Robertson, Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson among others.
Favorite television appearances include: Jerry Herman at the Hollywood Bowl (PBS and Bravo), Showboat (PBS), In Performance at the White House (PBS), three Tony Awards Shows, Night of 100 Stars II, and The Tonight Show.
Concerts and Cabaret have taken him to the White House and around the world: Venice’s Teatro La Fenice, Brazil’s Manaus Opera House, The Istanbul Hilton, New York’s Carnegie Hall (New York Pops and Cincinnati Pops), New York’s Town Hall, Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center (Key West Pops), London’s Palladium, Manhattan’s Firebird Cafe, and Rockefeller’s Center Rainbow & Stars (Bistro Award).
He’s had the honor of performing for four U.S. Presidents: Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. Bush and Bill Clinton.
People are saying...
-
“Dona McKechnie, Ken Page and Lee Roy Reams truly embody musical theatre and execute their performances with tremendous professionalism and artistic ability. In fact, being in their presence was like being in the presence of royalty. In truth, that is exactly who they are – Broadway Royalty.
— Susan Agin, Executive Director (Queensborough Performing Arts Center)
Each artist gave us a glimpse into their careers, including how they got their start on Broadway, and then took us on a joyous ride down Broadway’s memory lane. One by one, each artist took on the roles and musical numbers for which they are best known. They sang and danced their way into the hearts of our sold-out audience.
Needless to say, working with these pros was a presenter’s dream – no fuss, lots of talent.
This was Broadway at its best.”
