New Musical Ray Charles Live!, Starring Dixon, Opens Nov. 9 in Pasadena
By Ernio Hernandez
09 Nov 2007
Ray Charles Live! A New Musical, featuring Broadway stars Brandon Victor Dixon and Nikki Renée Daniels, opens its world-premiere engagement Nov. 9 at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Artistic director Sheldon Epps stages the production, which began performances Oct. 31 for a run scheduled through Dec. 9.
Featuring the music of Ray Charles and a book fashioned by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog), the work follows "the strength, the humor, the musical genius, as well as the successes and failures of one of America's best known and loved icons," according to press notes. Parks' book "incorporates the seminal moments in Ray Charles' life as 'The Genius' records his last album. Parks skillfully uses the great music of Mr. Charles to tell the 'in studio' audience the story of his life with all of the good, the bad, the ugly, and the sublime."
Dixon — a Tony nominee for his role as Harpo in The Color Purple and a recurring star on "One Life to Live" — stars in the title role opposite Daniels (Les Misérables, Aida, Nine) as his second wife Della.
The cast also features Matthew Benjamin (The Hat Left Behind) as Tom Dowd, Aaron Brown (Pepito's Story) and Christopher Brown ("Christmas Everyday") as Little George, Yvette Cason (Play On!) as Retha Robinson, Wilkie Ferguson (Dreamgirls tour) as Young Ray, Maceo Oliver (Swing!) as Joe Adams, Jeremiah Whitfield-Pearson (Oliver) as Little Ray, Sabrina Sloan (Hairspray and "American Idol") as Margie Hendricks, Daniel Tatar (Baby) as Ahmet Ertegun, Angela Teek (Ragtime) as Mary Ann Fisher and Harrison White (Sister Act, The Musical) as Jeff Brown.
NRaca (Hairspray), Meloney Collins (Purlie), Tara Cook (Beauty and the Beast), Dionne Figgins (The Wiz), Sylvia MacCalla (Beehive), Yusuf Nasir (Fame, The Musical), Leslie Stevens (Can-Can), Rocklin Thompson (Purlie) and Ricke Vermont (The Highest Heaven) round out the ensemble.
The musical encapsulates the variety of musical styles Charles was known for — from rhythm and blues, to gospel, to jazz, to country music and pop. Among the hits included are "Georgia on My Mind," "What'd I Say," "Mess Around," "Hit the Road, Jack," "Unchain My Heart," "I Got a Woman" and "Hallelujah, I Love Her So."
The creative team includes Ken Roberson (choreographer), Rahn Coleman (musical supervisor) and Harold Wheeler (orchestrations). The designers feature Riccardo Hernandez (set), Paul Tazewell (costume), Donald Holder (lighting), Carl Casella (sound) and Austin Switser (projections).
The musical is produced by special arrangement with Benjamin Productions, Baldwin Entertainment Group, Joe Adams and Ray Charles Enterprises, Inc.
Tickets to Ray Charles Live! at the Pasadena Playhouse, 39 South El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, CA, are available by calling (626) 356-PLAY. For more information visit pasadenaplayhouse.org.
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