Saturday, March 24, 2018
As a courtesy to the artists and for the uninterrupted enjoyment of your fellow patrons, please turn off all electronic devices. No portion of this performance may be photographed, recorded, filmed, taped, broadcast or mechanically reproduced without the written consent of the Artist and/or the Presenter. Mayo Performing Arts Center is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Program subject to change.
Starring
CHITA RIVERA & TOMMY TUNE
Music Directors
MICHAEL BIAGI and MICHAEL CROITER for Mr. Tune
for Ms. Rivera
Directed & Choreographed by
GRACIELA DANIELE
The Musicians Music Director/Piano: MICHAEL BIAGI Music Director/Percussion/Guitar: MICHAEL CROITER Associate Music Director/Piano: GARY ADLER Bass: JIM DONICA
Production Manager Rosie Bentinck
Production Supervisor Patrick Rinn
Technical Director Andrew Fritsch
CHITA & TUNE will be performed without intermission.
CHITA & TUNE - JUST IN TIME
WHO'S WHO CHITA RIVERA An accomplished and versatile actress/singer/dancer, Chita Rivera has won two Tony Awards as Best Leading Actress in a Musical and received eight additional Tony nominations for an exceptional 10 Tony nominations. She recently starred in The Visit, the final John Kander/Fred Ebb/Terrence McNally musical directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Graciela Daniele on Broadway (2015), following the acclaimed production at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the summer of 2014. She starred in the Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the Broadway and touring productions of The Dancer’s Life, a dazzling new musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Graciela Daniele and the revival of the Broadway musical Nine with Antonio Banderas. She trained as a ballerina (from age 11) before receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet from legendary George Balanchine. Chita’s first appearance (age 17) was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam. Her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story brought her stardom, which she repeated in London. Her career is highlighted by starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry’s Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award), and the original Broadway casts of Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Wonderful. On tour: Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Zorba, Can-Can with The Rockettes. Chita was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. She received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in 2002 and became the first Hispanic woman ever chosen to receive this award. In November, 2016 she headlined at Carnegie Hall and in 2015, Great Performances aired their special Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin’ To Do, a retrospective of her extraordinary life and career nationally on PBS. Chita’s current solo CD is entitled And Now I Swing. Her most treasured production is her daughter, singer/dancer/choreographer Lisa Mordente.
TOMMY TUNE Tommy Tune is one of the country’s most prolific performer/director/choreographers and is celebrating six decades on the great American stage. He has received 10 Tony Awards, including the 2015 Tony for Life Achievement in the Theatre. He has the unique distinction of being the only person in theatrical history to win Tony Awards in four separate categories and to receive the same two awards two years in a row. Additionally, he has received 8 Drama Desk, 2 Obies, 3 Astaire Awards, and multiple Lifetime Achievement Awards including the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society’s George Abbott Award. A native Texan, Mr. Tune began his career as a dancer in the Broadway shows Baker Street, A Joyful Noise and How Now Dow Jones. He has received Tony Awards for The Will Rogers Follies (Direction and Choreography), Grand Hotel (Direction and Choreography), My One and Only (Actor in a Musical and Choreography), Nine (Direction), A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine (Choreography) and Seesaw (Featured Actor in a Musical) and received two Tony nominations (Direction and Choreography) for The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. He has been invited to sing and dance for three U.S Presidents, the Queen of England and the Royal Family of Monaco. Film credits include Hello Dolly, The Boy Friend, and Mimi Bluette…fiore del mio giardino, and in 1999, he made his Las Vegas debut as the star of EFX at the MGM Grand Hotel. Tune is the recipient of the National Medal of Arts, the highest honor for artistic achievement given by the President of the United States, has been honored with his own star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into The Theater Hall of Fame by Gwen Verdon. In 2009, he was honored as a Living Landmark by the New York Landmarks Conservancy. In early 2015 he received rave reviews for his tap dancing and singing role in the Encores! production of Lady, Be Good! at New York City Center. In addition to touring with Chita Rivera, Tommy also tours the country in his one-man show, Tommy Tune Tonight!
SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 2018 GRACIELA DANIELE - Director/Choreographer A 10-time Tony Award nominee, Ms. Daniele was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2006. On Broadway, she has directed and choreographed Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life, Annie Get Your Gun, Marie Christine, Once on This Island, Dangerous Games. As choreographer: Pal Joey, The Pirate Queen, Ragtime (Astaire, Ovation, AACP, Callaway Awards), The Goodbye Girl, Zorba, The Pirates of Penzance, The Rink, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Visit. She served as Director-in-Residence at Lincoln Center Theater where she directed and choreographed Hello Again (Michael John LaChiusa), Chronicle of a Death Foretold (conceived/Michael John LaChiusa, Broadway), House of Bernarda Alba, New Brain (William Finn), Dessa Rose and The Glorious Ones (Lynn Ahrens/Stephen Flaherty). She has worked with Woody Allen on three films: Bullets Over Broadway, Everyone Says I Love You (Fosse Award) and Mighty Aphrodite (Fosse Award). Ms. Daniele also received nine Drama Desk Award nominations. In addition to her work in New York, she has directed and/or choreographed theatre, opera and dance productions around the country.
MICHAEL BIAGI - Music Director for Mr. Tune/Piano Michael Biagi is thrilled beyond measure to be joining with these two theatrical legends for Chita & Tune. This show marks the latest project in Mr. Biagi's 39-year collaboration with Tommy Tune. During the past four decades, he has served as music director for many of Mr. Tune’s projects, including: Dr. Dolittle, White Tie and Tails, Bye Bye Birdie, Taps, Steps In Time, and Taps, Tunes and Tall Tales. In addition to appearances on The Tonight Show, with Jay Leno and numerous symphonic concerts with Tommy, Michael has also conducted the U.S. Premieres of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? and Turn of The Century at Chicago’s Goodman Theater, and many national tours. Among the luminaries that Michael has been privileged to “keep time” for, are: George Burns, Carol Channing, Jerry Lewis and the ‘inimitable’ Charles Pierce.
MICHAEL CROITER - Music Director for Ms. Rivera/Percussion/Guitar Michael Croiter has performed with Chita Rivera on Broadway in Chita Rivera-The Dancer’s Life and has served as her drummer and musical director in concert performances around the globe over the past decade. He’s the drummer/percussionist and music mixing engineer for Sesame Street (9 Emmy Awards). Other notable television mixing and drumming credits include The New Electric Company (Emmy Award), Disney’s Johnny and The Sprites (Emmy Nomination) and Disney’s most recent hit TV movie, The Descendants. He appeared on David Letterman with Florence and The Machine and on PBS’s Great Performances with Ms. Rivera. He owns the record company, Yellow Sound Label, for which he’s produced the original cast recordings of Matilda (Grammy nominated), Bandstand, Groundhog Day, Big Fish, First Date, Disaster, The Visit, Murder Ballad, Heathers and solo albums for such artists as Chita Rivera, Alan Cumming, Jose Llana, Telly Leung and many more. He was the drummer for the recent Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard with Glenn Close. He was the drummer for Broadway’s Avenue Q for 6 years and played on the national tours of The Dancer’s Life and The Buddy Holly Story. He’s performed with such diverse artists as Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Cassie Levy, Michael Tilson Thomas, Audra McDonald, Don Rickles, John Legend, Spencer Day, Jerry Goldsmith and Keith Lockhardt. Love to Julie and daughter Kaylee.
GARY ADLER - Associate Music Director/Piano Gary hails from the Detroit suburbs and attended the University of Michigan, where he studied Music Composition with William Bolcom and accompanying with Martin Katz. He has been a working theater musician in New York City for over 20 years. As a pianist and conductor, his credits include Avenue Q , Kinky Boots, Next to Normal, Urinetown, and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. As a writer, Gary wrote both music and lyrics for the long-running off-Broadway musical Altar Boyz for which he received two Drama Desk nominations. Other writing credits include Disney Channel’s “Johnny and the Sprites” and a number of contributions to the “Carols for a Cure” album series. Gary’s latest musical, The New World, had its world premiere at the Bucks County Playhouse in the Fall of 2017.
CHITA & TUNE - JUST IN TIME JIM DONICA - Bass Bassist Jim Donica has developed musically through gigging with a wealth of diverse artists including Maynard Ferguson and Joe Strummer as well as David Becker, Peter Erskine, Randy Brecker, Woody Witt and his own bands Urban Survival and the Quantum Mechanics. He’s graced the stage with innumerable symphony orchestras from The Debut Orchestra in LA, to the Garden State Orchestra in NJ as well as with the Radio City Orchestra. Donica received a coveted Performance Certificate while attending Indiana University (at Bloomington) Jacobs School of Music Department of Jazz Studies; one of the first and foremost jazz programs in the world. Along with a number of original recordings, he is featured on historic recordings such as Maynard Ferguson’s Big Bop Nouveau, Joe Strummer and The Latino Rockabilly War, Trash City, and Chita Rivera And Now I Swing. More recently, Jim performed at Carnegie Hall with Ms. Rivera and the Broadway productions of The Visit with Rivera and the late Roger Rees, and Allegiance with George Takei and Lea Salonga.
ROSIE BENTINCK - Production Manager/Personal Assistant to Ms. Rivera Rosie started at Wimbledon Theatre (UK) before moving to London's West End as a wardrobe supervisor and personal dresser. She worked on many plays and musicals including the RSC.Rosie came to Broadway with Shadowlands starring Jane Alexander and Nigel Hawthorne in 1990. Since 1991 she has worked with Chita Rivera as her personal assistant. Broadway shows include Kiss of The Spider Woman, Chicago, Nine, Chita Rivera: The Dancers Life, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Chita: A Legendary Celebration (A Benefit Concert for Broadway Cares) and the 2015 production of Kander and Ebb's The Visit. In 2016 she was the production coordinator for Ms. Rivera’s solo concert at Carnegie Hall. Love to my beautiful family.
ANDREW FRITSCH - Lighting Design/Technical Director Andrew Fritsch is a freelance lighting designer based in New York City. He is proud to be in his 9th year of collaborating with the inimitable Chita Rivera, from touring the US and internationally to her recent performance at Carnegie Hall, and is now thrilled to join creative forces with Tommy Tune and his team. Over the past decade he has been involved as designer or associate in Broadway, OffBroadway, and touring theater, as well as numerous architectural, industrial/corporate trade shows, world expos, and New York Fashion Week. Andy is a proud alumnus of the University of Michigan.
PATRICK RINN - Production Supervisor Patrick celebrates his 28th year working with Mr. Tune in some capacity or another. Productions include Steps In Time, Doctor Dolittle, White Tie & Tails, Tommy Tune Tonite, The Will Rogers Follies, Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, Bye Bye Birdie, and Grand Hotel. In addition to his work with Mr. Tune, he has worked as a Production Supervisor for many concerts: Prince, Diana Ross, Dave Mathews, Patti LaBelle, Dionne Warwick, Chic, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, B52’s, & Adam Lambert. He has also worked as lighting designer for Steps In Time, Taps, Tunes & Tall Tail’s, Night of 1000 Gowns, and several Off-Broadway productions.
SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 2018
STAFF FOR CHITA & TUNE Personal Management for Ms. Rivera..................................................................Armando del Rivero Personal Management for Mr. Tune.......................................................................... Wayne J. Gmitter Personal Assistant to Ms. Rivera.................................................................................... Rosie Bentinck Personal Assistant to Mr. Tune............................................................................................ Peter Glebo Marketing/Press Representative....................................................................Merle Frimark Associates Associate Choreographer................................................................................................. Maddie Kelly Lighting Design..............................................................................................................Andrew Fritsch Business Manager for Ms. Rivera...............................................................................Schulman/Lobel Business Manager for Mr. Tune................................................................Borris/Nii & Company, Inc. Rehearsal Supervision..................................................................................................J. Jason Daunter Stage Manager.................................................................................................................Chris Dunbar
Concert Booking Lee Lessack - LML Music Presents; Wayne J. Gmitter - Think Iconic Artists Agency and Ken DiCamillo - William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
Special duet arrangements are by Michael Biagi. Mr. Tune’s tap shoes are custom made by Capezio. Mr. Tune’s Costumes are designed by Dona Granata and executed by Brian Hemesath. Ms. Rivera's clothes designed by Randi Rahm. Ms. Rivera’s tuxedo designed by Dona Granata and executed by Brian Hemesath.
@Chita_Rivera
@TommyTuneInc
WARNING THE USE OF ANY RECORDING DEVICES, AUDIO OR VIDEO, AND THE TAKING OF PICTURES, WITH OR WITHOUT FLASH, WITHOUT THE WRITTEN PERMISSION OF CHITA & TUNE MANAGEMENT, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED
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