Download broadway`s original dreamgirl jennifer holliday to star at zach theatre

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BROADWAY’S ORIGINAL DREAMGIRL
JENNIFER HOLLIDAY TO STAR AT ZACH THEATRE
IN DUKE ELLINGTON’S SOPHISTICATED LADIES
Austin, TX - With much excitement, ZACH Theatre announces that Broadway’s Original
Dreamgirl, Grammy and Tony award-winning JENNIFER HOLLIDAY will star in this summer’s
Duke Ellington musical revue Sophisticated Ladies. For its premiere production in Austin, the
show will play on the Topfer Stage from July 15 – August 23, 2015 under the direction of ABE
REYBOLD.
Sophisticated Ladies will welcome audiences to Harlem’s famed Cotton Club in this stylish,
brassy musical celebration of Duke Ellington’s greatest musical hits. A full on-stage orchestra
backs superb jazz vocalists, extraordinary tap dancers, dazzling deco costumes, and
unforgettable torch singers who bring classics like “Mood Indigo,” “Take the A Train,” “It Don’t
Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” to vivid life in this grand Tony Award-winning
Broadway musical.
“I’m thrilled that Jennifer is joining this incredible cast. She has a real affinity and love for Duke
Ellington’s music, which I know will come through in her performance and will bring something
very special to this production,” says Abe Reybold, Director. “I’m also excited to introduce
Austin to the choreography of Dominique Kelley. He has a deep knowledge of this style of
work and brings tremendous versatility. He toured Europe with the revue Black and Blue at age
12, so he has an authentic history with this style of movement, but also brings a modern
perspective with contemporary dance influences. “
An actress and recording artist, Miss Holliday’s show-stopping, heart-wrenching performance
of the torch ballad “And I’m Telling You, I’m Not Going” in the smash hit Broadway musical
Dreamgirls introduced her big soulful voice to the world and garnered her a Tony Award for
Best Actress in a Musical and her first Grammy Award for Best R&B Female Vocalist. She won a
second Grammy for her memorable recording of Duke Ellington’s sacred “Come Sunday.”
Holliday’s other theater credits include Sing Mahalia Sing: The Mahalia Jackson Story,
Downhearted Blues: The Bessie Smith Story, Harlem Suite (with Aretha Franklin), Chicago,
Grease, and Black Nativity. Over the years, Jennifer has worked and recorded with many other
major artists including Barbra Streisand, Luther Vandross, David Foster, Paul Simon, Michael
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Jackson, and Jennifer Hudson. She has also appeared on TV series such as Ally McBeal,
Touched By An Angel, Hang Time, Happily Ever After, The Love Boat and Ellen. Holliday
continues to perform all over the world with leading symphony Orchestras in concert.
Additional casting will be released shortly.
ZACH Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director, ABE REYBOLD (The King and I, The Three Little
Pigs) will direct Sophisticated Ladies with choreography by tapper and dancer DOMINIQUE
KELLEY of Broadway shows Wicked; Hot Feet; Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk; and Wild
Women Blues. Kelley’s movie credits include Fame, Little Manhattan, The Producers, Across the
Universe, Bring It On 5, and Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. He’s tapped alongside Lionel
Richie in the TV Land Awards and rocked out with Miley Cyrus in Hannah Montana: The Movie.
Musical Director will be ALLEN ROBERTSON (The Who’s Tommy, A Christmas Carol, The
Gospel At Colonus) and will be joined by Set Designer J. AARON BELL (The Three Little Pigs),
Properties Designer SCOTT GROH (Peter and the Starcatcher, In The Next Room, The Who’s
Tommy), Lighting Designer MICHELLE HABECK, Sound Designer CRAIG BROCK, Costume
Designer SUSAN BRANCH TOWNE (The Who’s Tommy, The Gospel At Colonus, A Christmas
Carol), and Stage Managers CATE TUCKER and SHANNON RICHEY. Sophisticated Ladies
features a concept by DONALD MCKAYLE, based on the music of DUKE ELLINGTON with
music and dance arrangements by LLOYD MAYERS and vocal arrangements by MALCOLM
DODDS and LLOYD MAYERS.
Duke Ellington (1899 – 1947), a musician, composer and bandleader, called his music
"American Music" rather than jazz. He remains one of the most influential figures in jazz, if not
in all American music and is widely considered as one of the twentieth century's best-known
African American personalities. When asked what inspired him to write, Ellington replied, "My
men and my race are the inspiration of my work. I try to catch the character and mood and
feeling of my people."
Special events in celebration of Sophisticated Ladies include:
 Press Night: Saturday, July 18. Please RSVP to [email protected]
 GLBT Wilde Party Night: Thursday, July 16, 2015
 Champagne Opening Night: Thursday, July 23, 2015
 Z Lounge: Pre-show musical entertainment in the Topfer Theatre’s Main Lounge
Tickets start at $25 and are available online at www.zachtheatre.org, by phone at 512-4760541 x1, or in person at the ZACH Theatre Box Office, in the Topfer Theatre, 202 South Lamar
Blvd. (corner of Riverside Drive and South Lamar Blvd.) Monday through Saturday, noon – 7
p.m. ZACH Theatre is wheelchair accessible. Discounts are available for groups of 8 or more.
Student Rush Tickets are $18 one hour before show time (with valid ID).
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Tittle Sponsors of Sophisticated Ladies are Documation and Visa, with Executive Producers
Carla Tyson and Bill Dickson, and Producers Annette Renaud, and Garry and Karen Goldstein.
Mercedes Benz of Austin is the Official Car of ZACH Theatre.
About ZACH Theatre
A non-profit organization, ZACH creates intimate theatre experiences that ignite the imagination, inspire the
spirit, and engage the community. As Austin’s leading professional producing theatre, ZACH employs more than
300 actors, musicians, and designers annually to create its own diverse array of nationally recognized plays and
musicals under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Dave Steakley and Managing Director Elisbeth
Challener. Each year, ZACH serves nearly 115,000 Central Texans – 50,000 of which are children and youth who
participate in our education and outreach programs, as well as inspiring camps and classes. ZACH Theatre is
honored to host private and community events across the beautiful rental-ready spaces on our three-stage
campus located in the heart of Austin. Founded in 1932 and in its 82 nd season, ZACH is the longest continuously
running theatre company in the state of Texas, and one of the ten oldest in the country.
Visit www.zachtheatre.org for more information.
ZACH Theatre’s 2014-2015 Season is sponsored in part, by Applied Materials, Austin Catering, Baylor Scott &
White Health, Holiday Inn-Lady Bird Lake, Kirk Tuck Photography, Marquee Event Group, OnRamp Access,
Schlotzsky’s, and KXAN TV 36; and by grants from The Shubert Foundation, the Junior League of Austin, The
National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, and the Cultural Arts Division of The City of
Austin Economic Development Department.
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