MusicalOriginalBroadway
Opening Date
Mar 20, 1997
Closing Date
May 11, 1997
1st Preview
Mar 04, 1997
1st Preview
Mar 04, 1997
Previews
19
Performances
61
MusicalOriginalBroadway
External Links
Shop

ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION

Theatres
Brooks Atkinson Theatre
(Mar 20, 1997 - May 11, 1997)
Setting
The Magical Kingdom of Harlem. The Swingin' 40s.
Theatre Owned / Operated by The Nederlander Organization (James M. Nederlander: Chairman Emeritus; James L. Nederlander: Chairman; Robert E. Nederlander: President)
Produced by Mitchell Maxwell, Eric Nederlander, Thomas Hall, Hal Luftig, Bruce Lucker, Mike Skipper and Victoria Maxwell; Produced in association with Kery Davis and Alan J. Schuster; Associate Producer: Leon Memoli, David Levy, Nancy Eichorn, Louis F. Raizin, James L. Simon and Fred H. Krones
Originally produced by Old Globe Theatre (Jack O'Brien, Artistic Director; Thomas Hall, Managing Director)
Book by Cheryl L. West; With the songs of Duke Ellington; Music arranged by Luther Henderson; Music orchestrated by Luther Henderson; Musical Director: J. Leonard Oxley; Featuring songs by Billy Strayhorn, Don George, Harry James, Johnny Hodges, Ben Carruthers, Irving Mills, Albany "Barney" Bigard, Irving Gordon, Eddie de Lange, Henry Nemo and John Redmond; Featuring songs with lyrics by Billy Strayhorn, Don George, Harry James, Mack David, Johnny Hodges, Ben Carruthers, Irving Mills, Milton Gabler, Nick Kenny, Albany "Barney" Bigard, Irving Gordon, Eddie de Lange, Henry Nemo, John Redmond, Bob Russell and Paul Francis Webster
Conceived by Sheldon Epps; Directed by Sheldon Epps; Choreographed by Mercedes Ellington; Assistant Choreographer: Delphine T. Mantz
Scenic Design by James Leonard Joy; Costume Design by Marianna Elliott; Lighting Design by Jeff Davis; Sound Design by Jeff Ladman; Hair Design by Alexis Kelley; Assistant Scenic Design: Todd Ivins, Nikita Polyansky and Peter Yesair
General Manager: Charlotte W. Wilcox; Company Manager: Susan Sampliner
Production Supervisor: Technical Theater Services, Ltd.; Production Stage Manager: Robert Mark Kalfin; Stage Manager: Lurie Horns Pfeffer, Jimmie Lee Smith and Matthew Aaron Stern; Production Manager: John H. Paull, III and Rhys Williams
Musical Supervisor: Luther Henderson; Musical Coordinator: William Meade; Conducted by J. Leonard Oxley; Assistant Conductor: George Caldwell
Creative Consultant: Louis Johnson; Creative Historic Consultant: Frankie Manning; Casting: Pat McCorkle and Tim Sutton; Director of Marketing: Lesley Mazzotta; Press Representative: Richard Kornberg & Associates, Rick Miramontez, Jim Byk and Don Summa; Advertising: Russek Advertising; Photographer: Carol Rosegg
Crystal Allen
CC
Carl Anderson
Duke
Ronald 'Cadet' Bastine
Denizen of Harlem
Jacquelyn Bird
Denizen of Harlem
Yvette Cason
Miss Mary
Wendee Lee Curtis
Denizen of Harlem
André De Shields
Jester
Byron Easley
Denizen of Harlem
Cheryl Freeman
Vy
Alan H. Green
Denizen of Harlem
Frantz G. Hall
Denizen of Harlem
Lawrence Hamilton
Rev
Larry Marshall
Sweets
Gil P.
Denizen of Harlem
Lacy Darryl Phillips
Denizen of Harlem
Tonya Pinkins
Lady Liv
Lisa Scialabba
Denizen of Harlem
Erika Vaughn
Denizen of Harlem
Karen Callaway Williams
Denizen of Harlem
Swings: Germaine Goodson , Bryan S. Haynes , Stacie Precia and William Wesley
Understudies: Wendee Lee Curtis (CC), Alan H. Green (Duke, Rev, Sweets), Frantz G. Hall (Rev), Bryan S. Haynes (Jester), Gil P. (Sweets), Lacy Darryl Phillips (Jester), Stacie Precia (Vy, Miss Mary), Angela Robinson (Lady Liv, Vy, Miss Mary) and William Wesley (Duke)
music by Duke Ellington; lyrics by Duke Ellington
(Unless otherwise noted)
Act 1
Sung By
Take the A Train
(music by Billy Strayhorn; lyrics by Billy Strayhorn)
Vy and Ensemble
Drop Me Off in Harlem
(lyrics by Nick Kenny)
Vy and Denizens of Harlem
I've Got To Be A Rug Cutter
Jester, Vy and Cotton Club Dancers
I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
(music by Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Henry Nemo and John Redmond; lyrics by Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Henry Nemo and John Redmond)
Duke
C Jam Blues
Cotton Club Dancers
Mood Indigo
(music by Albany "Barney" Bigard, Duke Ellington and Irving Mills; lyrics by Albany "Barney" Bigard, Duke Ellington and Irving Mills)
Lady Liv
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(lyrics by Bob Russell)
Vy and Lady Liv
Don't You Know I Care
(lyrics by Mack David)
Rev
It Don't Mean A Thing
(lyrics by Irving Mills)
Jester, Miss Mary, Sweets and Rev
I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
(lyrics by Paul Francis Webster)
Duke and Vy
Hit Me with a Hot Note and Watch Me Bounce
(lyrics by Don George)
Vy, Duke and Duke's Band
I'm Just a Lucky So and So
(lyrics by Mack David)
Jester and Cotton Club Dancers
Everything But You
(music by Duke Ellington, Don George and Harry James; lyrics by Duke Ellington, Don George and Harry James)
Lady Liv and Vy
Solitude
(music by Eddie de Lange, Duke Ellington and Irving Mills; lyrics by Eddie de Lange, Duke Ellington and Irving Mills)
Vy, Duke, Lady Liv and Rev
Act 2
Sung By
Black Butterfly
(music by Ben Carruthers, Duke Ellington and Irving Mills; lyrics by Ben Carruthers, Duke Ellington and Irving Mills)
Lady Liv's Escorts
I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues
(lyrics by Don George)
Lady Liv
I'm Beginning To See The Light
(music by Duke Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges and Harry James; lyrics by Duke Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges and Harry James)
Rev and Cotton Club Dancers
I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good (Reprise)
(lyrics by Paul Francis Webster)
Rev
I Didn't Know About You
(lyrics by Bob Russell)
Vy
Rocks In My Bed
Sweets and Jester
Something To Live For
(lyrics by Billy Strayhorn)
Rev and Lady Liv
Love You Madly
Miss Mary and Sweets
Prelude to a Kiss
(music by Duke Ellington, Irving Gordon and Irving Mills; lyrics by Duke Ellington, Irving Gordon and Irving Mills)
Vy and Duke
In A Mellow Tone
(lyrics by Milton Gabler)
Vy, Duke, Lady Liv, Rev and Denizens of Harlem

Tony Award®

 

Best Actress in a Musical

1997 Nominee
Tonya Pinkins
 

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

1997 Nominee
André De Shields
 

Best Orchestrations

1997 Nominee
Music orchestrated by Luther Henderson

Drama Desk Award

 

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical

1997 Nominee
André De Shields
Season:
View Graph
Week Ending Gross % Gross Pot. Attendance % Capacity # Previews # Perf.
Statistics supplied are courtesy of The Broadway League.
PRODUCTIONS

More Productions by Opening Date

Men are from Mars, Women are From Venus Jan 27, 1997
Feb 01, 1997
 
The Three Sisters Feb 13, 1997
Apr 06, 1997
 
Stanley Feb 20, 1997
Apr 27, 1997
 
The Last Night of Ballyhoo Feb 27, 1997
Jun 28, 1998
 
Mandy Patinkin in Concert Mar 01, 1997
Mar 23, 1997
 
Play On! Mar 20, 1997
May 11, 1997
 
The Little Foxes Apr 27, 1997
Jun 15, 1997
 
Jekyll & Hyde Apr 28, 1997
Jan 07, 2001
 
Candide Apr 29, 1997
Jul 27, 1997
 
London Assurance Apr 30, 1997
Jun 29, 1997
 
King David May 18, 1997
May 23, 1997