Judy Kaye to Bring a Souvenir to Arizona | Playbill

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News Judy Kaye to Bring a Souvenir to Arizona Tony Award winner Judy Kaye, who received another Tony nomination last season for her performance in the now-closed Souvenir, will bring that Stephen Temperley play to the Arizona Theatre Company this winter.

Part of ATC's 40th anniversary season, Souvenir will play Jan. 13-Feb. 3, 2007, at the Temple of Music and Art and Feb. 8-25 at the Herberger Theater Center. (ATC's originally scheduled run of Michelle Lowe's String of Pearls has been postponed.)

In a statement ATC Artistic Director David Ira Goldstein said, "When the opportunity arose to bring Judy Kaye back home to perform her acclaimed signature role in this delightful play, it seemed too fabulous an event to pass up. Her performance is a moving and rare marvel of musicianship, hilarious comedy, and delicate honesty. While I remain eager to direct Michele Lowe's wonderful String of Pearls very soon, we will postpone it for just a bit in order to take advantage of bringing the Broadway production of Souvenir to Arizona as a special 40th anniversary treat."

Donald Corren will star opposite Kaye, who is a Phoenix, AZ native. Vivian Matalon, who directed Kaye and Corren on Broadway, will helm the upcoming production as well.

Souvenir began previews at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre Oct. 28, 2005, and officially opened Nov. 10. The production, which began life at Off-Broadway’s York Theatre Company, played 10 previews and 70 regular performances.

Jenkins, who was an eccentric society woman, believed she was a great soprano, although the opposite was true. Despite her lack of talent, Jenkins' charity recitals in such venues as the Ritz Carlton Hotel brought her much fame. Jenkins often mistook audiences' muffled laughter for cheers, and over 2,000 people were turned away from her Carnegie Hall concert in the mid 1940's. Souvenir tells Jenkins' story through the eyes of accompanist Cosmé McMoon. Judy Kaye played the role of Rosie in the Broadway company of Mamma Mia!, a part for which she received a 2002 Tony Award nomination. Kaye won the Tony for her performance as Carlotta in the New York production of The Phantom of the Opera and also received a Theatre World Award for her work in On the Twentieth Century. Kaye also starred on Broadway in Ragtime, and her two solo recordings are titled "Diva by Diva" and "Songs from the Silver Screen."

Tickets for the ATC run are available by calling (520) 622-2823 (for Tucson engagement) and (602) 256-6995 (for Phoenix run). Visit www.arizonatheatre.org for more information.

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As previously announced, Kaye will also appear in Souvenir at the Brentwood Theatre in Los Angeles Oct. 5-Nov. 5.

 
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