"Fever! A Tribute to Miss Peggy Lee" Opens May 7th in Boston

Considered one of the most popular and revered singers of the 20th century, the late Peggy Lee is the centerpiece of a new musical production that opens at the Copley Theatre (225 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA - 617-931-2787 - http://www.ticketmaster.com/) in downtown Boston May 7th and runs through May 11th. The show stars Lezlie Anders and the legendary Buddy Greco conducting the Benny Goodman Tribute Big Band, with 22 songs performed on stage by Ms. Anders, including original compositions by Peggy Lee and arrangements by Greco. Choreography is performed by the Judy Bayley Dancers. Showtimes are: Wednesday through Saturday, May 7th through 10th at 8:00 pm, with additional shows on Friday & Saturday at 2:00 pm and on Sunday the 11th at 4:00 pm. Tickets are $41 & $46.

"Fever!" made its East Coast premiere in October at STONEHAM THEATRE (395 Main Street, Stoneham, MA - 781-279-2200 - http://www.stonehamtheatre.org/), nine miles north of Boston. The show returns to downtown Boston for the first stop on a national tour planned for the late summer and fall of 2003. The only touring production in the US of the music of Peggy Lee, "Fever!" is a combination of musical revue and script revealing unexpected and sometimes little known facts of her life (she was a sculptor, poet, gardener and scientist), as well as personal anecdotes by Buddy Greco.

A twelve time Grammy nominated singer/composer, Peggy Lee is best known for her 1958 hit, "Fever," an instantly recognized tune that opens with slow, rhythmic finger-snapping accompanied only by a bass. Dozens of other hit records include "Why Don't You Do Right?" (which she composed), "Manana," "It's a Good Day," "I Don't Know Enough About You," "Golden Earrings," "Lover," (her own innovative recording of this Rodgers and Hart composition brought critical acclaim) "Mr. Wonderful," "The Folks Who Live on the Hill," "I'm a Woman," "Hey, Big Spender," "Is That All There Is?" are all featured on a new 4-CD set from Capitol Records, "Peggy Lee: The Singles Collection," released in December 2002. In addition to her exceptional talent and visionary recording expertise, Peggy Lee was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress in 1955 for her role as a an alcoholic singer in "Pete Kelly's Blues." More recently she is known for her off-screen work in Walt Disney's "Lady and the Tramp," for which Lee wrote "He's a Tramp," and recorded voice-overs for the characters Peg and the Siamese cats.

A regular guest on TV shows of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, Peggy Lee's popularity as a jazz/pop vocalist was comparable to that of Frank Sinatra. Appearing in film clips from recent PBS specials "Frank Sinatra: Classic Duets," and "Mwah! The Best of the Dinah Shore Show," her musical sophistication and powerful influence on her musical peers is evident on screen. Transcending the generations, Peggy Lee's music has been recorded in recent years by an endless list of performers including Madonna, Diana Krall, k.d. lang, Tony Bennett, Lalah Hathaway with Joe Sample and most recently, Maria Muldaur on Telarc with her new recording, "Woman Alone with the Blues: Remembering Peggy Lee."

Ms. Anders, who stars in "Fever! A Tribute to Miss Peggy Lee" has spent more than two years researching, writing, arranging and orchestrating the music in collaboration with Mr. Greco, who, along with Peggy Lee, started out with the Benny Goodman Orchestra (ten years apart). She is committed to bringing Peggy Lee's music and musical know-how to new audiences as well as a generation who has grown up listening to her songs.

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