Cast Set for De Shields "Lyrics & Lyricists" Salute to Razaf
By Andrew Gans
22 Oct 2004
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André De Shields
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Casting has been announced for "Hotcha Razz-Ma-Tazz: The Lyrics of Andy Razaf," the opening program of the 35th anniversary season of the 92nd Street Y's "Lyrics & Lyricists" series.
Singer-actor André De Shields, most recently on Broadway in the short-lived Prymate, is the artistic director of the program, which will play the 92nd Street Y Nov. 20-22. With musical direction by Frank Owens, the cast is set to include Delphine T. Mantz, Stacie Precia, Gil Pritchett III, Denise Thimes, Debra Walton and Freida Williams. Razaf, the grand-nephew of the last reigning queen of Madagascar, penned lyrics to such songs as "Ain't Misbehavin'," "Honeysuckle Rose," "This Joint Is Jumping" and "(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue."
Delphine T. Mantz was assistant choreographer for Play On and has appeared in Uptown It's Hot and the films "School Daze" and "Malcolm X." Stacie Precia's Broadway credits include The Life and Play On as well as the national tours of Jelly's Last Jam and Dreamgirls. Gil Pritchett III's theatre credits include Play On, Jelly's Last Jam, Ain't Misbehavin', Dreamgirls, Eubie and Finian's Rainbow. Denise Thimes, a regular of the St. Louis Black Repertory Theater, performs in clubs in St. Louis and around the country. Debra Walton received a Drama Desk nomination and the Barrymore Award for her work in Off-Broadway's Cookin' at the Cookery; she also appeared on Broadway in Street Corner Symphony. Freida Williams' Main Stem credits include Haarlem Nocturne and Starmites.
Nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in the Broadway production of The Full Monty, André De Shields re-created his role as Noah "Horse" T. Simmons for the London production. He received another Tony nomination for his performance in Play On! and also starred on Broadway in The Wiz, Ain't Misbehavin' and Haarlem Nocturne.
Subscriptions to the 2004-2005 “Lyrics & Lyricists” season are available by calling (212) 415-5500 or at the 92nd Street Y box office, Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street. For more information, go to www.92y.org.
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The "Lyrics & Lyricists" season will continue with the following events:
Musical theatre historian Robert Kimball will celebrate the lyrics of Mack Gordon in "Serenade in Blue: The Lyrics of Mack Gordon." Those attending the Jan. 29-31, 2005, concerts can expect to hear such songs as "At Last," "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo," "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?," "There Will Never Be Another You," "You'll Never Know" and "You Make Me Feel So Young."
From Feb. 26-28, music director and conductor Rob Fisher will present a "Celebration of Sheldon Harnick." Harnick, with collaborator Jerry Bock, created such Broadway classics as Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me and Fiorello. Harnick will be part of the evening saluting his canon.
Deborah Grace Winer, the author of "On the Sunny Side of the Street: The Life and Lyrics of Dorothy Fields," will appropriately pay tribute to Fields in her show, which is titled "Dorothy's Side of the Street: The Dorothy Fields Centennial Celebration." John Oddo will be the musical director for the March 19-21 concerts, which will salute the lyricist of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Baby)," "Big Spender," "On the Sunny Side of the Street" and "Don't Blame Me."
The season will conclude with Paul Trueblood's homage to Betty Comden and Adolph Green. From May 14-16, Trueblood will present "Comes Once in a Lifetime: Betty Comden & Adolph Green." Comden and Green's lyrics were heard in such classic musicals as On the Town, The Band Wagon, Bells Are Ringing and Wonderful Town.The latter is currently enjoying a revival — starring Donna Murphy — at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
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