"RED, HOT & BLUE" CONCERTS CONTINUE IN QUEENS

Flushing Town Hall rejoices through June and July with the second half of a concert series celebrating the new affiliation of Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts (FCCA) with the Smithsonian Institution and the current exhibition in FLUSHING TOWN HALL, (137-35 Northern Boulevard, Flushing, Queens, NY - 718-463-7700, ext. 222 - http://www.flushingtownhall.org/ ), "Red, Hot & Blue: A Salute to American Musicals," a five-part multimedia exhibit capturing the magic and dynamism of a century's worth of musical theater. Named for Cole Porter's 1936 Broadway musical, "Red, Hot & Blue," the exhibition describes the changing moods of the nation over the course of the 20th century as diverse ethnic and cultural influences blended to form a brilliantly colorful American mosaic. It was developed and organized by the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery and National Museum of American History, and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The exhibition has been made possible, in part, through the generous support of Turner Classic Movies. (May 18th to July 4th, free, Monday - Friday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm; Saturday & Sunday from 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm)

Concerts scheduled for June & July:

"Songs for My Father" with Heather MacRae (June 11th),
"Sweet and Low Down: The Songs of George and Ira Gershwin" with Mark Nadler and KT Sullivan (June 25th)
"Tap Your Troubles Away!," a dance concert with Ted Levy (July 4th)

All concerts are $30 and $27 for seniors/students/MAC members, $24 for FCCA members. Presented by Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts (Harvey Seifter, Executive and Artistic Director)

June 11, 8:00 pm: "Songs For My Father," (featuring the music of Rogers and Hammerstein), with Heather MacRae. This concert features many songs her father, Gordon MacRae, sang in his noted movie career. It was awarded 1999 MAC and Bistro Awards.

Ms. MacRae is also the winner of a "Best Female Vocalist" award. She made her Broadway debut in "Here's Where I Belong" (the musical version of Steinbeck's "East of Eden"). She then joined the cast of the hit musical "Hair," in the role of Sheila, a role she repeated at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami. Other Broadway appearances include Dr. Charlotte in the Tony Award-winning musical "Falsettos," a role she created in the Off-Broadway production of "Falsettoland." She played Cookie in the national tour of Neil Simon's "Rumors." Los Angeles audiences have seen her as Mary Magdalene in "Jesus Christ Superstar" as well as in "Vanities." Television appearances include "Frasier," "Starsky and Hutch" and "America Tonight" with Martin Mull, as well as guest appearances on "The Tonight Show," "Merv Griffin," "Mike Douglas," "Dick Cavett" and "David Frost." "Songs for My Father" consists of songs from the films of Gordon MacRae ("Carousel," "Oklahoma!"b) and stories of growing up in Hollywood as the daughter of this famous movie star.

June 25, 8:00 pm: "Sweet and Low Down: The Songs of George and Ira Gershwin" featuring Mark Nadler and KT Sullivan.

Mr. Nadler is a versatile pianist/performer and three-time MAC Award winner. He and starred in and co-wrote the Off-Broadway Gershwin revue, "American Rhapsody," which was nominated for a Drama Desk Award and two Lucille Lortel Awards. His awards also include the MAC award three years in a row for Oustanding Musical Comedy Performer, the 1994 Bistro Award for Oustanding Singer/Instrumentalist and the 2000 Bistro Award for Outstanding Review for "Hard Candy," which he conceived and directed He has performed at Carnegie Hall (with Skitch Henderson and the New York Pops Orchestra), Town Hall and in numerous night clubs in New York and Los Angeles. His TV appearances include "The Phil Donahue Show," "A Current Affair" and "Live with Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford." He has entertained at parties hosted by such luminaries as Katherine Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine and Donald Trump among others. He is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy.

Ms. Sullivan is a Broadway vet and MAC Award winner who combines the beauty of Lana Turner, the wit of Mae West and the silver of Marilyn Monroe. Her Off-Broadway production, "American Rhapsody," won a MAC award for Best Review of 2001. Other Off-Broadway appearances include "Splendora" and "AÖMy Name is Still Alice." On Broadway, she has appeared in "The Threepenny Opera" with Sting, "Broadway" and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." She co-starred with Tommy Tune in the workshop of "Easter Parade" and was in the national tour of "Annie Get Your Gun." Ms. Sullivan has worked with such distinguished repertory theater companies as The Old Glove, The Long Wharf, The Missouri Rep and Goodspeed Opera House, playing leading roles in plays like "Born Yesterday" and "Light up the Sky." KT has headlined at The White House, Carnegie Hall, Caramoor, The Spoleto Festival, The Adelaide Festival in Australia, The Chichester Festival and Pizza at the Park in England. On television, she was seen in "Police Squad," "Night Court," "Remington Steele," and "Cabaret 13."

July 4, 7:00 pm: "Tap Your Troubles Away!," a dance concert with Ted Levy (collaborator with Gregory Hines on "Jelly's Last Jam," assistant choreographer of "Bring In Da Noise Bring In Da Funk!"). An evening presenting the evolution of tap from Broadway to Hollywood, including tributes to tap dancing pioneers in both mediums. This swinging show will have you singing and dancing in the aisles.

Mr. Levy made his Broadway debut in the award-winning musical "Black and Blue." He collaborated with Gregory Hines on "Jelly's Last Jam," which garnered both a Tony nomination and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Coreography. He was also the assistant choreographer of the smash hit "Bring in Da Noise! Bring in Da Funk!," which was the winner of the 1996 Tony for Best Choreography. Mr. Levy has also starred in his own show, "Ted Levy and Friends," which co-starred Gregory Hines, Savion Glover and Jimmy Slyde, among others. Lauded by the New York Times as "a member of the gifted generation of younger tap virtuosos," Mr. Levy is the Artistic Directory of the Sammy Dyer School of Theater.

OTHER EVENTS OF "RED, HOT & BLUE"

CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD MUSICALS ON FILM

A series of wonderfully entertaining movie musicals, adapted from stage to screen by some of Hollywood's greatest writers, directors and producers. This series, which covers four decades of social and creative history, is curated by Mark Ethan, a member of the Actors Studio, who presents films at the Queens Museum, 92nd Street Y and Brooklyn Academy of Music. Each screening will be followed by a discussion. Wednesdays at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm; $5, $4 FCCA members.

June 16: "West Side Story" (1961), dir. Robert Weiss and Jerome Robbins, 151 min. Stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno. Music by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim.

June 30: "Cabaret" (1972), dir. Bob Fosse, 128 min. Stars Liza Minelli, Michael York, Joel Grey. Music by John Kander and Fred Ebb.

COFFEE, CULTURE AND CONVERSATION

June 15 at 7:00 pm: The Evolution of the Asian in Stage and Film. From "South Pacific" to "Pacific Overtures" to "Miss Saigon" to "Cookin'," evolving images of Asia and perceptions of Asians in popular culture, as seen through the prism of 50 years of musical theater. A panel discussion. ($4 per person, FCCA members free)

 

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