Stritch, Feinstein, Strouse and Vereen to Be Part of Paige's Spotlight On Series

By Mark Shenton
24 Jul 2008

Elaine Stritch
Elaine Stritch
Photo by Denise Winters

Elaine Stritch, Michael Feinstein, Charles Strouse and Ben Vereen are the latest guests in the ongoing Spotlight On series at the Shaw Theatre, devised by musical theatre actress Elaine Paige with the Shaw's associate producer, Neil Marcus.

The series features high profile musical and theatre artists who talk to Paige (or special guest hosts) about their careers in popular music and musical theatre followed by questions from the audience. Guests of the first season, launched in April, included veteran lyricist Don Black, British songwriter duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe (Mary Poppins) and performer Michael Ball.

Stritch, who is reprising an edited version of her one-woman Broadway show Elaine Stritch At Liberty at the Shaw for 12 performances (July 31-Aug. 10) will be interviewed by Paige on Aug. 7 at 2 PM.

Michael Feinstein, who returns to the Shaw Sept. 17-20 to appear with special guest Diahann Carroll, will be interviewed by Paige on Sept. 18 at 2 PM.

The spotlight will then fall on Broadway composer Charles Strouse (Annie, Bye Bye Birdie, Golden Boy, Applause and Rags, as well as the film scores to "Bonnie and Clyde" and "The Night They Raided Minsky's"), who will be interviewed by guest host, Edward Seckerson, opera critic of The Independent, on Sept. 23 at 3 PM, to coincide with Strouse's 80th birthday celebrations and the publication of his memoir "Put On a Happy Face."

Finally, Broadway actor Ben Vereen (Tony winner for the original cast of Pippin whose other Broadway credits include Wicked, Fosse, I'm not Rappaport and Hair, and whose TV credits include "Roots" and "Gray's Anatomy") will be interviewed Oct. 1 at 1 PM — prior to his appearances at the Shaw on Oct. 4-5 — by guest host Mark Shenton, theatre critic of the Sunday Express and Playbill.com's London correspondent.

Future guests in the series will include Willy Russell (Blood Brothers, Educating Rita) and Michel Legrand (Amour, Marguerite and Oscar-winning composer of films including "The Thomas Crown Affair," "Yentl," "Lady Sings the Blues" and "Un Homme et Une Femme").

For tickets, which are priced £15 or £12 for concessions, contact the box office at 0871 594 3123 or visit the website, www.theshawtheatre.com.