Seen in a five-month run at Los Angeles' Open Stage West, the solo actor musical will open Feb. 27 at St. Luke's (308 W. 46th Street), currently home to The Rise of Dorothy Hale (which closes Jan. 27).
Alan Palmer's Fabulous Divas of Broadway is produced by Berlique.
According to production notes, "What to do when you're a male musical theatre performer with a big belting voice and an affinity for Broadway's greatest leading ladies? Since Broadway shows aren't casting men in traditional women's roles — if you're resourceful, you create your own one-man 'woman' musical!"
It's billed as "a fast-paced musical journey of one man's love of the theatre and the amazing ladies that inspired him along the way."
Creator and actor-singer Alan Palmer aims to deliver a "hilarious and touching look at growing up in the business while portraying 18 different stars of the stage." Expect, "in rapid succession — and a non-stop turnover of gorgeous costumes," such legends as Ethel Merman, Carol Channing, Liza Minnelli, Angela Lansbury, Julie Andrews, Judy Garland and Chita Rivera and such latter-day stars Christine Ebersole, Patti LuPone, Sutton Foster, Kristin Chenoweth and Beth Leavel. Palmer will share "reminiscences of growing up in a small town obsessed with musical cast albums, auditioning for shows in New York City, performing during onstage and backstage mishaps, raising his young son and interacting with many of the ladies represented in the show."
Palmer wrote and directed the piece. The production features scenic design by Jessa Orr, costume design by C. Bucky and lighting design by Peter Ray. Palmer is accompanied onstage by Curtis Jerome.
Palmer is an award-winning director-choreographer based in Los Angeles. His credits include the 50th anniversary production of Oklahoma! for Broadway-Grand Opera, the West Coast premiere of the musical It's a Wonderful Life, the original production of Inaccurate Information at the Hudson Theatre (L.A. Garland Award for Best Director), the new version of Nunsense A-Men at Open Stage West and tours of Forever Plaid, An Evening of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Godspell (Applause Award, Best Director). He has written several musical revues, including the musical "rockumentary" Rock on Broadway and the award-winning Songs the Girls Sang (ADA Award, Best Choreography; Ovation Award nomination for Book). His production company produced Journey of a Jacket that was seen at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, the television series "The Club" (written by Palmer) and released his fourth solo CD "Songs for Souls" for The Homeless Children's Charity Project. As a performer, his New York credits include The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber with Michael Crawford at Radio City and the Off-Broadway shows Bernie's Bar Mitzvah and Making Waves. Regionally, he's appeared as Freddie in Pirates of Penzance, Danny in Grease, Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Anthony in Sweeney Todd.
The performance schedule for Alan Palmer's Fabulous Divas of Broadway is Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8:15 PM and Sunday evenings at 5:15 PM, with matinees Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:15 PM. Tickets are $55. Tickets may be purchased online via www.telecharge.com, by phone at (212) 239-6200 or in person at the box office, daily from 1 PM until showtime.
A limited number of $20 student rush tickets will be available the day of performance, at the box office only, two hours prior to performancel; cash only, subject to availability.
For more information visit www.fabdivas.com.
