Sunday, August 15, 2010, 7:30pm
Herbst Theatre, San Francisco
CAST DETAILS
To download a press photo, click on a photo below. For a PRESS RELEASE, click here!
LEANNE BORGHESI
Leanne Borghesi, San Francisco's very own cabaret and stage chanteuse, this “big boned comedian" is thrilled to join the Richmond / Ermet Aids Foundation for Help Is on the Way XVI. Over the past 12 years, Leanne has been an active participant in HIV/AIDS prevention and education working with youth and Bay Area organizations to raise awareness & funds to fight HIV /AIDS locally and beyond. Help Is on the Way XVI marks her6 year relationship with the REAF organization.
This sultry and sassy voice over, film musical theatre and cabaret performer has been known to seduce audiences with brassy belts and cool croons ranging from Broadway to Blues and everything delectable in-between since. Borghesi's bawdy vocal chops and artistic credits span from San Francisco to New York and include such esteemed venues as: The Palace of Fine Arts, The Herbst Theatre, The Metropolitan Room (NY), P.S. 122 (NY), The Plush Room, The Castro Theatre, Brava, Teatro Zinzanni, City Hall Rotunda, The Victoria Theatre, and The War Memorial Veterans Building. Off-Broadway: Up Your A$$ (world premiere).
Recent & current San Francisco musical theatre credits: DIVALICIOUS- A Theatrical Cabaret, Scalpel- The Killer Rock Musical (world premiere), Dames at Sea (NCTC)*, The Who’s Tommy, The Rocky Horror Show & Bat Boy (Ray of Light), Pearls Over Shanghai (Thrillpeddlers), and The Secret Garden and Falsettos.
Non-Profit Gala and Cabaret credits: Help Is On The Way 9 and Help Is On The Way for the Holidays 11, Origin of Love with John Cameron Mitchell, New Leaf Annual Gala with Leslie Jordan, Marriage Inequality SF Tour with Patty Duke, Busty, Outrageous, Over-the-Top, Brawds, Singin (B.O.O.B.S!), Accidentally Double Booked and Anita Cocktail- A Disco Christmas (Castro Theatre), Dancing With The Drag Stars with Cheryl Burke and Anita Cocktail’s Love & Lust, Lust, Lust Cabaret.
Leanne is the 2002 recipient of San Francisco Best Debut Cabaret Performer, 2010 recipient of the Bay Area Theatre Critic’s Choice Award and is currently represented by Stars The Agency. www.LeanneBorghesi.com.
Carol was born Jan 31, 1921 in Seattle, Washington, the daughter of a prominent newspaper editor, who was very active in the Christian Science movement. At just two weeks of age, her father's work took the family to San Francisco, where Carol was raised, schooled and eventually found work as a model. Through determination, hard work, and her family's support (not to mention a mandatory IQ test for which she scored one of the highest recorded results) Carol was able to attend Bennington College in Vermont that had one of the few existing arts programs in the country, majoring in drama and dance.
A recipient of the 1995 Lifetime Achievement Tony Award, Ms. Channing has been a star of international acclaim since a Time magazine cover story hailed her performance as Lorelei Lee in Gentleman Prefer Blondes writing; "Perhaps once in a decade a nova explodes above the Great White Way with enough brilliance to re-illumine the whole gaudy legend of show business." Since her 1948 Broadway debut in Blitzstein's No For An Answer, her Broadway appearances include So Proudly We Hail, Let's Face It , Lend An Ear, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Show Girl, Pygmalion, The Millionairess, The Vamp, Four On A Garden, and Wonderful Town. In addition to receiving a special Tony Award in 1968, she won the Tony Award in 1964 for her legendary portrayal of Dolly Levi in Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly!
Jacqueline Kennedy and her two children made their first public appearance after JFK's death by seeing her perform in Hello, Dolly! and later visited her backstage. She has since played the role in over 5000 performances, without missing a single performance. She then toured with her own revue, Carol Channing and Her Ten Stout Hearted Men and critically acclaimed tours of Jerry's Girls and Legends, in which she co-starred with Mary Martin.
Ms. Channing's happiest film project was in the role of Muzzy in Thoroughly Modern Millie, which earned her an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe Award. Other films include Paid In Full, The First Traveling Saleslady (giving new comer Clint Eastwood his first on screen kiss), Skidoo, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Archie and Mehitabel and Thumbelina. Ms. Channing TV specials, include Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl, Carol Channing's Los Angeles, Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey on Broadway, George Burns - His Wit and Wisdom and to millions of children worldwide is best known as the White Queen in Alice Through the Looking Glass. Other television credits include popular game shows as What's My Line, I've Got a Secret, Password, and Hollywood Squares; variety shows such as The Dean Martin Show, The Red Skelton Show, The Milton Berle Show, Rowen & Martin's Laugh-In, The Carol Burnett Show, The Muppet Show, as well as many Tony and Grammy broadcasts. A partial list of Carol's Episodic work consist of Playhouse 90's Three Men on a Horse, The Love Boat, Magnum, P.I., The Nanny, Touched by an Angel, The Drew Carey Show and Family Guy.
As one of the most easily recognized and highly imitated voices in the world, Carol's unique sound has been established as characters and narrative in both TV series and documentaries like JFK: The Day the Nation Cried, The Addam's Family (voice of Granny), Thumbelina, Free To Be You and Me, Space Ghost, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers and The Brave Little Toaster Goes To Mars. Ms. Channing also cut twenty children's albums of classic stories including Winnie The Pooh and Madeline. Ms. Channing has recorded ten gold Albums and including the original cast album of Hello, Dolly! released in 1964.
Ms. Channing has appeared in most every grand ballroom and concert hall in the country. Among her other acknowledgements is a Best Nightclub Act of the Year Award, Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Award, the Oscar Hammerstein Award for lifetime achievement and the Julie Harris Lifetime Achievement Award from the Actors' Fund of America, but is most proud in the role of mother of Chan Lowe, who is a nationally syndicated editorial cartoonist, who has the distinction of being a Pulitzer Prize finalist. In 2003, the octogenarian released of her best selling memoirs, "Just Lucky I Guess" and married her junior high school sweetheart, businessman Harry Kullijian (after a 70 year separation) and started touring world wide with her one woman show entitled The First Eighty Years are the Hardest, after the very successful preview given to New York audiences that prompted the New York Times to say "Back Where She Belongs: Carol Channing Reminisces . . . The audience jumped to its feet more than once. We were watching a master performer" and Associated Press declared "The audience clearly was there to worship, and Channing did not disappoint." In 2004, Broadway's "first lady of musical comedy," received an honorary doctoral degree becoming Doctor Carol Channing from the California State University, Stanislaus Commencement (only the third Honorary Doctoral Degree given in CSU Stanislaus 45-year history). In 2008, Carol was inducted into the Smithsonian Institute in D.C., along with eight other legendary ladies of stage and screen.
The career of Carol Channing is varied and continuing. She performs with the gusto of a young aspiring actress. However, her heart will remain on stage even though she has recently committed her life to bring a refocus of the Arts in the public educational system of California offering scholarships, teaching lecturing and performances, hoping to engage the public support for education in the arts through the Channing/Kullijian Endowment for the Arts. This is Carol’s second appearance in a Help is on the Way production.
CAROLE
COOK
Carole
created the role of Maggie Jones in the New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo
companies of Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble's Tony Award winning musical,
"42nd Street," and originated the role of Blanche Daly in Bernard
Slade's Broadway hit, "Romantic Comedy." She was the first actress
in the world to follow Carol Channing in "Hello, Dolly!," playing
the role for two years in Australia and New Zealand. She also has the
distinction of being the only actress to have played the title role in
major productions of "Auntie Mame" and the musical version,
"Mame." She co-starred in the Los Angeles and national companies
of Oliver Hailey's "Father's Day," for which she received a
Los Angeles Drama Critic's Circle nomination as Best Actress. She later
went on to star in the Australian production of that play. She won Best
Actress Awards in Los Angeles for George Furth's "The Supporting
Cast," Jack Hefner's "Patio/Porch" and James Golman's "The
Lion in Winter" directed by David Galligan at the Pasadena Playhouse
and co-starring her husband of 37 years, Tom Troupe. In Elliot Martin's
highly successful national tour of Robert Harling's "Steel Magnolias,"
Carole played the irascible "Quiser" for which she received
a 1990 Helen Hayes Theatre Award. She has starred in many musicals including
"Stop The World, I Want to Get Off," "Annie Get Your Gun,"
"Kismet," "Anything Goes," "Call Me Madam"
and a few seasons ago starred in the New York production of "Radio
Gals." She more recently appeared opposite Julie Harris in a hit
revival of "Ladies in Retirement." Ms. Cook once again played
"Dolly!" in Birmingham, Alabama's SummerFest Celebration and
reprised the role in Oklahoma City in October.
Ms. Cook's feature films include: "The Incredible Mr. Limpet,"
"Palm Springs Weekend," "The Gauntlet," "American
Gigolo", "Sixteen Candles," "Fast Money," "Grandview
U.S.A.," "Summer Lovers," "Lost & Found"
and she is the voice of Pearl in the animated Disney film, "Sweating
Bullets." On television, Carole was Donna La Mar in "Cagney
& Lacy," Cora in "Dynasty," a regular on the "Merv
Griffin Show" and has guest starred on most major television series.
She has toured extensively in her highly acclaimed one-woman show, "Dress
Up." Lucille Ball who put her under contract to Desilu and changed
her name from Mildred Frances to Carole, after Lucy’s friend, Carole
Lombard, brought Carole to Hollywood. In 1995, Carole received the Distinguished
Alumni Award from Baylor University. For the past 25 years she has been
deeply involved in the fight against AIDS starring each of those years
in David Galligan's S.T.A.G.E. Benefit in Los Angeles. This is her thirteenth
appearance in "Help is on the Way." TOP
JAMES DARREN
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1936, Darren began his career as a teen idol, having been discovered by talent agent and casting director Joyce Selznick. This encompassed roles in films, most notably his role as Moondoggie in Gidget in 1959, as well as a string of pop hits for Colpix Records, the biggest of which was "Goodbye Cruel World" (#3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961). It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Another sizeable hit with "Her Royal Majesty" (#6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962). He is also featured in one of the Scopitone series of pop music video jukebox films ("Because You're Mine").
Darren's role in the 1961 World War II film The Guns of Navarone was an attempt to break out of his teen image. He then achieved success co-starring as impulsive scientist and adventurer Tony Newman in the science fiction television series, The Time Tunnel (1966–1967). In the 1970s, Darren appeared as a celebrity panelist on Match Game. Later, Darren had a regular role as Officer James Corrigan on the television police drama T.J. Hooker from 1983–1986. Subsequently he worked as a director on many action-based television series, including Hunter, The A-Team, and Nowhere Man, as well as dramas such as Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place.
In 1998 he achieved renewed popularity as a singer through his appearances on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the role of holographic crooner and advice-giver Vic Fontaine; many of his performances on the show were recorded for the album This One's From the Heart (1999). The album showed Darren, a close friend of Frank Sinatra, comfortably singing in the Sinatra style; the 2001 follow-up Because of You showed similar inspiration from Tony Bennett. Some animation fans may know him as the singing voice of Yogi Bear in the 1964 animated film, Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!, on the song "Ven-e, Ven-o, Ven-a". Prior to that, he was the singing and speaking voice of "Jimmy Darrock" on an episode of The Flintstones. This is Mr. Darren's first appearance in a Help is on the Way Production. TOP
DAVIS GAINES
Davis performed the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” more than 2,000 times, for over five million people, during his run on Broadway, in Los Angeles and San Francisco, where he received the Bay Area Critics’ Award for Best Actor. Subsequently, he was chosen by Hal Prince and Lloyd Webber to play the leading role in the world premiere of “Whistle Down the Wind” in Washington, D.C. Other Broadway and national tour credits include Raoul in “The Phantom of the Opera,” Cornelius Hackl in “Hello, Dolly! “with Carol Channing, “Camelot” with Richard Burton and “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” with Alexis Smith.
Gaines’ Off-Broadway appearances include Des McAnuff’s “The Death of Von Richthofen as Witnessed From Earth,” the Maury Yeston/Larry Gelbart musical “One Two Three Four Five,” Stephen Sondheim’s “Assassins,” “She Loves Me” and “Forbidden Broadway.” He made his New York City Opera debut in “The New Moon” and appeared in New York in concert versions of “Sitting Pretty,” “The Cat and the Fiddle,” “Pippin” and the Encores production of “The Boys From Syracuse.” He appeared in “Damn Yankees” as Joe Hardy directed by the legendary George Abbott, in “Arsenic and Old Lace” as Mortimer Brewster opposite Kate Reid, in “The Rink” with Lainie Kazan and in “Two Into One” with Tony Randall. Gaines played the sailor, Anthony Hope, in the 20th anniversary concert productions of Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” in Los Angeles, London, New York, San Francisco and at Ravinia Festival.
Film work includes a featured role in “Warlock: The Armageddon” with Julian Sands and television credits include “Chicago Hope,” “Veronica’s Closet,” “Bodies of Evidence” and “Murder, She Wrote.” He appeared in three PBS Great Performances broadcasts (the Emmy Award-winning “Sweeney Todd” with the San Francisco Symphony, Broadway Originals with the Boston Pops and Jerry Herman’s “Broadway at the Bowl”), as well as the televised specials of the 1994 Kennedy Center Honors and the opening ceremony of the 1998 Goodwill Games. Additionally, Gaines has sung for five U.S. Presidents and with every major symphony orchestra in North America, including the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl. He has also performed in cabaret at New York’s Rainbow and Stars, Hollywood’s Cinegrill and San Francisco’s Plush Room. His voice can be heard on 30 cast recordings and compilation albums, as well as two solo CDs on LAP Records, “Against the Tide” and “All My Tomorrows: Songs of Sammy Cahn.” For more information, visit www.davisgaines.com. This is Davis’ fifth appearance in a “Help is on the Way” production.
KIMBERLEY LOCKE
In the past few years Nashville native Kimberley Locke, a pop/R&B singer, has had eight Top 20 Adult Contemporary hits, three #1 Dance hits, and eight #1’s across various Billboard charts. She also had three #1 Christmas singles which led to a holiday tour with Dave Koz, whom she dueted with on the classic, “Please Come Home for Christmas.” She gained fame with her participation in the 2003 American Idol® television series where she was second runner up to Ruben Studdard, and in 2007 she garnered media attention for her participation in VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club.
Locke is excited to release her new dance single, “Strobelight,” a collaboration with Idol judge and producer Randy Jackson’s Dream Merchant 21 label and INgrooves with Cutfather (Christina Aguilera, Santana, Pussycat Dolls) producing the track. “Strobelight” was released in April 2010.
With her musical aspirations at the age of 11, she and three childhood friends formed a quartet named Shadz of U, which performed at many local churches. During her high school years at Gallatin High School, she was one of twenty members to participate in its “Performers” group. She remained in the group throughout high school. In 2001, Locke received a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Marketing from Belmont University. With her business acumen, keen interest in new business ventures and passion for food, Locke served as co-owner of the Croton Creek Steak House & Wine Bar in Westchester County, NY.
Immediately following American Idol, Locke signed a modeling contract with Ford Models wherein she landed a two year deal with clothing retailer Lane Bryant and became the face of their Seven7 Jeans Designer Collection campaign. Within the same year of her Lane Bryant contract, Locke worked with Disney on a recording of A Dream is a Wish for the DisneyMania 3 album and its accompanying TV/DVD special. She also recorded a song for Universal’s The Perfect Man CD.
For the past six years, Locke has been actively involved with Camp Heartland, a national non-profit organization committed to improving the lives of children and their families impacted by HIV/AIDS. She has also worked with several HIV/AIDS related charities, including the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation, YouthAIDS, The Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation and the Davy Foundation. In November 2007, Locke was presented with the Red Ribbon Award in recognition for her extensive charitable efforts as an HIV/AIDS activist.
In addition to various tour dates, performances, and preparation for a live tour, Locke has branched out as a television personality and host, and oftentimes provides hosting duties at red carpet events for “E!,” Extra, and The Insider. She has hosted GSN’s World Slam, MTV’s Little Talent Show and co-hosted several episodes of ABC’s The View. Locke is currently attached to host and executive produce Making the Curve, a developmental reality show competition that will put together a supergroup of plus-sized women, which has garnered major interest from several networks. This is Kimberley's third appearance in a Help is on the Way production. TOP
LA TOYA LONDON
An undeniable presence whose talent even managed to silence the razor sharp tongue of none-other than American Idol’s most infamous judge, Simon Cowell. Cowell’s silence was only matched by his candor as he coined the term “The Three Divas” when discussing Fantasia Barrio, Jennifer Hudson and La Toya London, and hailed London as the odds-on favorite to win that year's competition. Never one to rest on her laurels, London expanded her artistry and sought to capture the attention of audiences everywhere. Her delivery of Nettie, the spirited and infectious sister of Celie in Broadway’s first national tour of Oprah Winfrey presents "The Color Purple" musical, was met with rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, prompting the NAACP to recognize London as a leading figure in the theater industry.
The immediate fame that reality TV can provide can be overwhelming for some, but London’s star power proved steadfast as a number of record labels, who had fallen under the hypnotic spell of this young Chanteuse', endeavored to have London record for them. Ultimately, Peak Records won the “prize” and signed London to a recording deal. Their collaboration lead to 2005’s debut album, Love & Life, which debuted in the Billboard Top 100. The album spawned 3 successful singles," Appreciate" featuring 'Black Thought from The Roots,' 'Every Part of Me,' and the Adult Contemporary Top 40 hit, 'State of My Heart.' London’s allure also graced several talk shows including" Larry King Live," "David Letterman", "Regis & Kelly," and" The Ellen Degeneres Show.'
London’s magnetism is evident and though being honored for her work is rewarding, it is not where she finds her deepest appreciation; her social activism with respect to underprivileged children in the urban community provides not only her greatest challenge, but grandest reward. Armed with philanthropic ideals long before celebrity found her, it wasn’t a surprise when London accepted an invitation to sit on the Advisory Board for The Richmond/Earmet AIDS Foundation, a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization established to raise funds for AIDS service provider agencies through the production of quality entertainment events. La Toya London is a star, which is obvious to anyone who takes the time to meet her, but it is her humility, her ability to not allow stardom to affect her person that truly allows her star to resonate and shine brightest. This is La Toya’s fifth appearance in a “Help is on the Way” production. TOP
JON
MAHER
Jon is a versatile actor, performer and interpreter who has made a niche for himself within the entertainment industry. He is the only recipient of a special Los Angeles Theatre Critics Drama Desk Award for outstanding achievement and contribution in theater. He’s also a two time recipient of the Carrie Hamilton Humanitarian Award, winner of the Great Western Comedy Competition, and the proud recipient of Help Is On The Way’s HERO award. He can be seen in the soon to be released film “The Mavericks.” Recent theater work includes originating the role of Adam Tyler in “Cute…but Slow,” and the west coast premiere of “The Language of Flowers.” Additional theatre includes “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” performed before the opening of Los Angeles Shakespeare Festival, “Hoboland,” “She Had it Coming,” “The Gay 90’s…” and the West Coast premier of “F.L.O.W.” Jon is frequently referred to as The Sign Language Guy for his interpreted performances in productions such as “A Chorus Line,” “KLuB,” “Self Defense,” “The Mysteries,” “The Exonerated,” “The Guys,” “Spoon River Anthology,” “Master Class,” “Angels in America,” “Death and the Maiden,” “By Jeeves,” and Los Angeles Master Chorale. He has appeared for over 10 years in the annual Fund Raiser’s for Southland Theatre Artists Goodwill Event (S.T.A.G.E.), The Actors Fund of America, and REAF. Film credits include “Baby Sitters Club,” “Carlton’s Death,” “Farce,” “Kiss Me Later,” and “June.’ Television credits include “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “The Pretender,” “The Red Cross Christmas Special,” “Twice Tried,” “The Marilu Show,” “The Mo Show,” and “Comedy Tonight.” Except for one, Jon has performed in every single “Help Is On The Way.” He is honored to be asked back, once again. TOP
Grammy Award-winning artist Melissa Manchester was born in New York where her father was a bassoonist for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and her mother was one of the first women to design and found her own clothing firm, Ruth Manchester Ltd. They introduced her to all the classics, and by the age of 15, Melissa was already a published poet. After graduating from the High School of the Performing Arts (where she studied acting), Melissa entered New York University and enrolled in a songwriting class taught by Paul Simon. She landed a staff writing job at Chappell Music and performed as a solo singer/pianist in the clubs of Greenwich Village, where she met Bette Midler and Barry Manilow.
As a back-up singer for Bette, Melissa fulfilled her childhood fantasy of playing Carnegie Hall. Six months later, she had a recording contract, and went on to headline at Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall, and performed for sold-out audiences across the country. Melissa's music has served to establish her as a compelling singer/songwriter. Her debut releases Home To Myself and Bright Eyes positioned her as a dynamic new talent, and Melissa launched the smash hit single "Midnight Blue". Melissa and Kenny Loggins co-wrote the radio classic "Whenever I Call You Friend", and her songs have been recorded by Barbra Streisand, Dusty Springfield, Alison Krauss, Roberta Flack, Johnny Mathis, Kathy Mattea, Peabo Bryson and Cleo Laine, among many others. Her international hits "Through The Eyes Of Love" and "Don't Cry Out Loud" were written for her by her friend and frequent collaborator Carole Bayer Sager, Marvin Hamlisch and the late Peter Allen.
Melissa was nominated for a Grammy in 1978 and 1979 and received the Grammy Award in 1982 for Best Female Vocalist. In 1980 she became the first artist in the history of the Academy Awards to have two nominated movie themes in a given year -- "Through The Eyes Of Love" and "The Promise" -- and went on the make Oscar history by performing both songs during the worldwide telecast. For her acclaimed release Tribute, Melissa came full circle, honoring the great singers who influenced her. From Garland to Streisand, Piaf to Fitzgerald, Melissa paid homage to the icons with lush Peter Matz arrangements for this collection of classics. Melissa has combined her acting and singing talents in starring roles in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Song And Dance and Music Of The Night, and in a recurring role in the hit television series Blossom. She also worked again with Bette Midler, co-starring in the film For The Boys, released by 20th Century Fox. In 1998, Melissa released her first Christmas album on Angel/EMI Records. The CD, entitled Joy, was hailed by the New York Times as “a heartfelt Christmas album that sounds classic on first listen.”
In yet another career first, Melissa has written the musical I Sent A Letter To My Love, based on the acclaimed Bernice Rubens novel of the same name. She performed the leading role in a National Public Radio broadcast and the staged musical premiered in Boston at the North Shore Music Theatre in 2002. Melissa returned to the stage when she co-starred with Kelsey Grammer (Frasier), in Stephen Sondheim’s musical masterpiece Sweeney Todd at The Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles, and she most recently starred in the Chicago premiere of HATS!, a new musical that contains several songs she co-wrote with Sharon Vaughn.
She also composed for Disney's The Great Mouse Detective, co-wrote the score for Lady And The Tramp II, and she released her sixteenth CD, When I Look Down That Road, all the while celebrating four decades of performing with appearances throughout the United States. Melissa Manchester recently received the Governor’s Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for her contributions to the music and recording arts, and her body of work to date as a singer/songwriter was a featured exhibit at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. This is Melissa's first appearance in a Help is on the Way production. TOP
SHERYL LEE RALPH
Original DREAMGIRL, Sheryl Lee Ralph is an acclaimed veteran of film, television and the Broadway stage. Her award winning body of work includes creating and originating the role of Deena Jones on Broadway in the landmark musical Dreamgirls, which earned her both a Tony and Drama Desk Award Nomination for Best Actress. After Dreamgirls, Ms. Ralph turned her attention to music, television and film. She scored a top-ten selling dance hit in the mid-eighties with the infectious anthem In the Evening andagain in the nineties with her remake of Here comes the Rain Again.
On television, Sheryl Lee has starred in It's a Living, her own series New Attitude, the George Foreman series George and in the hit comedy Designing Women. She was also voted one of TV's Favorite Moms for her portrayal of step mom Dee on the number-one rated television series Moesha. She broke new ground In the SHOWTIME series, Barbershop, as the popular, post-operative transsexual, Claire. Recently, Sheryl brought a new face to the sufferings of war in the NBC hit series ER.
Her extensive film credits include Sister Act II with Whoopi Goldberg, The Flintstones with Rosie O'Donell, The Mighty Quinn with Denzel Washington, Mistress with Robert De Niro, and Eddie Murphy's Distinguished Gentleman. Sheryl Lee's performance with Danny Glover in To Sleep with Anger won her the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress.
As a producer, Ms. Ralph created the critically acclaimed Divas Simply Singing!, an evening of song and entertainment that has become one of the most highly anticipated AIDS benefits in Hollywood. She is also the founding creator of The Jamerican Film & Music Festival which in five years has given birth to five SHOWTIME Filmmaker Finalists. Sheryl Lee has found new success in writing and directing with her award-winning film short Secrets. With an all-star cast that includes Oscar nominee Alfre Woodard, Tina Lifford, Victoria Rowell, La Tanya Richardson, Robin Givens and Ralph herself. Secrets was a finalist in the HBO Film Short Competition, Showtime Filmmakers Series, Acapulco Black Film Festival, Hollywood Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival, Urban World Film Festival and an audience favorite at Outfest Film Festival.
Following on the success of Divas Simply Singing, Ms. Ralph has added a one-woman show Sometimes I Cry, to her list of credits. Written, directed and performed by Ms. Ralph, this complex and thought-provoking play, illustrates the heartbreaking, yet inspiring real life stories of culturally diverse women whose lives unravel as they cope with their HIV/AIDS reality. Ralph uses her remarkable talent to poignantly bring these women to life in a way that touches the heart leaving audiences deeply moved and encouraged to know their status. Met with an extraordinary outpouring of love and acceptance after its initial performance at the National Black Women and HIV/AIDS Conference in Los Angeles in 2005, Sometimes I Cry, continues to be performed in the US and abroad.
Mother of two, Sheryl Lee Ralph loves every moment of raising her children. Recently married to State Senator Vincent Hughes of Pennsylvania in what Entertainment Tonight called, "The most elegant and romantic wedding of the summer!" she acknowledges that love is the greatest gift to be given and shared. This is Sherly Lee's first appearance in a Help is on the Way production. TOP
VON SMITH
First introduced to the world when his version of "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)" became a sensation on YouTube, Von Smith has garnered a legion of fans and performed on some of the most celebrated stages in the U.S. including ABC's The View (by personal invitation of Rosie O'Donell), and perhaps the biggest stage, American Idol Season 8 alongside Adam Lambert.
The Kansas City native and recent Los Angeles transplant brings his signature sound to the stage which he describes as "SoulPop", encompassing "all facets of soul music in a pop realm." From Nina Simone to George Michael, Prince to Dreamgirls, as well as, new original material; Smith's song selections celebrate his past successes and set the tone for an artist who is coming into his own. This is Von's first appearance in a Help is on the Way production. TOP
LISA VROMAN
From Broadway to Classics, On Stage and In Concert, Lisa Vroman has established herself as one of America's most versatile voices. Lisa starred for several years on Broadway as Christine Daae in The Phantom of the Opera. As Christine, she garnered Theatre Critic's awards for the role in a record breaking run in San Francisco, and did a return engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Ms. Vroman starred as Rosabella in The Most Happy Fella, making her New York City Opera debut with Paul Sorvino in the title role. This season Lisa made her Carnegie Hall debut with the New York Pops, starred as Lili Vanessi in Kiss Me Kate with Glimmerglass Opera, played Marian Paroo in The Music Man with Shirley Jones (Mrs. Paroo) and Patrick Cassidy (Harold Hill) at The Bushnell Theatre in Hartford CT.; sang the role of Birdie in Regina with Utah Opera, conducted by Keith Lockhart; made her New Jersey Opera debut as Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, (directed by Ira Siff), replacing Metropolitan Opera soprano Ruth Ann Swenson; and premiered two Comic Operas by composers John Musto (Bastianello) and William Bolcum (Lucrezia - lyrics by Mark Campbell) with the New York Festival of Song.
Her Broadway debut was in Aspects of Love, and she is the first to play both Fantine and Cosette in Les Miserables. For PBS she was featured with Colm Wilkinson and Michael Ball in Cameron Mackintosh's Hey Mr. Producer! at the Lyceum Theatre in London, a Royal Gala attended by Queen Elizabeth. Lisa played Lucy Brown in Threepenny Opera at ACT (American Conservatory Theatre) in San Francisco with Bebe Neuwirth, Nancy Dussault, and Anika Noni Rose. She sang the role of Johanna in the San Francisco Symphony's Emmy Award winning Sweeney Todd in Concert, with Patti Lupone and George Hearn. Both are available on DVD. Lisa starred as Laurey in Oklahoma, filmed live in concert for the BBC Proms Festival at Royal Albert Hall in London, and starred as Mary Turner in Gershwin's Of Thee I Sing/Let 'em Eat Cake in concert with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus, directed by Pat Birch.
Other roles include Laurie in The Tender Land at the Cabrillo Music Festival, Marin Alsop, conductor; Maria in The Sound Of Music with Tulsa Opera, Josephine in HMS Pinafore ,Yum-Yum in The Mikado, and Anna 1 in The Seven Deadly Sins with Utah Symphony/Opera, Florida Symphony, Portland Symphony, and Parnassus Symphony. She has sung Maria in West Side Story, Guenevere in Camelot, Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel, Christine in Phantom (Yeston), Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Amalia Balash in She Loves Me, among others.
Lisa is a George London Competition Grant recipient and a 1999 Minerva award recipient from Potsdam State University. She received an Undergraduate degree in Music Education form the Crane School of Music, State University of New York at Potsdam, and a MFA at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With a repertoire that ranges from Stravinsky to Weill to Broadway, Ms. Vroman is a frequent guest soloist with Theatre, Opera companies and Orchestras including San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, National, Florida, Santa Barbara, Hong Kong, Cleveland, Nashville, Pacific, Utah, Dallas, the Boston Pops (Keith Lockhart), and Peter Nero and the Philly Pops. Miss Vroman made her debut at The Hollywood Bowl in Disney's 75th celebration, singing and dancing with legend Dick Van Dyke in a medley from Mary Poppins, (John Mauceri, conductor). She guest starred with SONY artist Greek tenor Mario Frangoulis in his NYC debut concert at City Center; and has performed many times the New York Festival of Song (NYFOS), including a tribute to Broadway director Harold Prince. Miss Vroman has sung in concert with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, composer Stephen Schwartz, Organist David Higgs, and the Empire Brass Quintet. Her solo CD Broadway Classic features Metropolitan Opera Mezzo-Soprano Stephanie Blythe and 47 of San Francisco's finest orchestral players.
Lisa had the honor of singing at the Profiles in Courage Award dinner in Boston at the JFK Library, as a guest of the Kennedy family. She has also sung on separate occasions for Queen Elizabeth, former President Bill Clinton, and former Vice President Al Gore. Future engagements include Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, Memphis Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Disney Hall in Los Angeles and Davies Hall in San Francisco with Organist David Higgs as well as the role of Charlotte in A Little Night Music with Michigan Opera Theatre in Detroit with Leslie Uggams and Ron Raines. Lisa lives in Pasadena, CA with husband Patrick O'Neil and dog Romeo. This is Lisa's 10th appearance in a Help is on the Way production. TOP
PAULA WEST
The Great American Songbook has never sounded as captivating as it does when Paula West sings. Says Steven Winn of the San Francisco Chronicle, “It’s doubtful that anyone is singing better than Paula West these days…this extraordinary jazz singer wears each song like perfectly fitted silk”. With a particular dusky soulfulness, West has captured the hearts of critics and audiences alike from coast to coast. Known and respected for her creative and distinct repertoire, West adds her own depth and drama to whichever song she chooses for the moment, creating whole new frameworks of meaning for American favorites. Without fail, the songs come from a place of sincerity. "In the end" she explains, "it's just getting the story across. To me, the words are the most important thing. "As New York Times’ Margo Jefferson writes in her liner notes, “Ms. West never forces anything. She is rhythmically fluid and she knows just where to alter a melody but there are none of the embellishments that show off the voice, bury the song and leave the heart untouched”.
Born into a Marine Corps family, Paula West grew up in San Diego. "My parents didn't have a lot of jazz records. My father liked to listen to classical music”. Moving to San Francisco, she attended singing classes and jam sessions. Drawn to songs with interesting harmonics and literate lyrics, West always keeps two things in mind – communication with the audience and an intelligent approach to lyrics. "I'm a jazz singer – not an avant garde singer."
West has performed to sell-out houses annually at The Plush Room in San Francisco and at The Oak Room in New York's Algonquin Hotel, increasing her exposure via films, radio broadcasts and performances in France, Italy and Switzerland. West has also sung at major jazz festivals and has shared the bill with numerous jazz luminaries including Rosemary Clooney, Stacey Kent, Mose Allison, Freddy Cole, Jimmy Scott, Oscar Brown Jr., Rita Rudner, Mavis Staples and Dave Frishberg.
Performing consistently with The Eric Reed Trio, recent appearances include Jazz at Lincoln Center, Sculler’s, Jazz Aspen and a performance at The White House in a salute to American writers. Steven Holden of The New York Times comments: “Working with Mr. Reed, Ms. West has blossomed into a savvy jazz and blues interpreter and is as persuasive an illustration as I’ve seen that an inspired collaboration between singer and musicians can charge a career and send it hurtling in the right direction.” In addition to Eric Reed, West has worked with such jazz greats as Bobby Hutcherson, Bill Charlap, Frank Weiss, Mulgrew Miller, Peter Washington, Victor Lewis, Bruce Barth and Regina Carter.
In January 2004, West tied with Dianne Reeves for the New York Nightlife Award for Outstanding Female Jazz Vocalist. Her critically acclaimed cd’s include Temptation, Restless and Come What May, which received the California Music Award for Outstanding Jazz Album, as well as guest appearances on Eric Reed’s Max Jazz Christmas CD, Merry Magic, and Frank Mantooth’s final project, Ladies Sing for Lovers, featuring Karrin Allyson, Ann Hampton Callaway, Sheila Jordan and Oleta Adams. West has been featured on numerous television programs including A&E’s Breakfast with The Arts and also on The Oxygen Network. Her film appearances include Chris Columbus’ Bicentennial Man starring Robin Williams and The Lynn Hershman film Teknolust starring Tilda Swinton. TOP
THE CAST OF FOREVER PLAID
DAVID ENGEL
LARRY RABEN
TOPH MCCRAE
WILLIAM MARTINEZ
DAVID
GALLIGAN, Director
David most recently directed "My Trip Down the Pink
Carpet" written and starring Leslie Jordan currently on a 30 city tour
and the 24th annual S.T.A.G.E. benefit "Blame it on Bacharach"
featuring a one-act version of "Promises, Promises". Other recent
efforts include" Falsettos" for The Actors’ Fund,"
Like a Dog on Linoleum," written and performed by Leslie Jordan, which
has played to standing room only audiences in Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and Philadelphia and the world premiere of Out
Late in Los Angeles.
Other work includes "Always…Patsy Cline" with Sally Struthers in Palm Springs, "Madly, In Love" at the Odyssey Theatre and "Rod McKuen in Concert" at New York’s Carnegie Hall. For Singapore Rep he helmed "The Fantasticks." Musical Theatre West credits include "Mame" starring Carol Lawrence, Ruth Williamson and Sally Struthers, "Show Boat" starring Dale Kristien and Sean McDermott and "Brigadoon." His direction of the musical revue" Blame It On the Movies," which he co-originated with Billy Barnes and Ron Abel, played Off-Broadway and he repeated the staging for a Pasadena Playhouse main-stage production. Other Los Angeles productions include" Lettice and Lovage," "Alone Together" with Nancy Dussault, "The Lion in Winter" with Carole Cook and Tom Troupe at the Pasadena Playhouse, "The Gay 90s Musical" (Celebration), "Blame It On the Movies II", "Cabaret" (East West Players), "Angry Housewives" (Odyssey), "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening," "Fortune and Men’s Eyes," "Slings and Eros," Filumena (Court Theatre), "Trouble in Tahiti" (Skylight)," Triplets in Uniform," "Jesus Christ Superstar" (La Mirada)," Falsettos," "Gifts of the Maji" (Coast) and" Lullaby of Broadway" (Tiffany Theatre).
For the past
24 years he has directed and co-produced the annual S.T.A.G.E. fundraisers
for AIDS charities, saluting the theatre music of noted composers and
lyricists. He has co-produced recordings of nine of the events: "Strouse,
Schwartz and Schwartz," "Dream, the Lyrics and Music of Johnny
Mercer," "Jerome Kern: Life Upon the Wicked S.T.A.G.E.;"
"Harold Arlen, Over the Rainbow;" "George & Ira Gershwin:
A Musical Celebration"; "Cole Porter, A Musical Toast;"
"Lerner, Loewe, Lane and Friends;" "ABC Adler, Bock &
Coleman;" and "Stephen Sondheim: A Celebration." He has
also helmed all of the S.T.A.G.E. Too benefits for The Actors’ Fund
of America – "Kurt Weill: The Centennial," "Tap Your
Troubles Away: The Words and Music of Jerry Herman," "The Richard
Rodgers Centennial – Something Wonderful," "Sing Happy,
The Words and Music of Kander and Ebb," "The Best is Yet to
Come – The Music of Cy Coleman," "Hooray For Love –
A Celebration of the Music of Harold Arlen," "Everything’s
Coming Up Roses: The Jule Styne Centennial" and most recently "Falsettos."
Galligan co-produced the Actors’ Fund recordings "Tap Your
Troubles Away: The Words and Music of Jerry Herman" and "Kurt
Weill: The Centennial" as well as Dale Kristien’s first solo
recording –" Beauty of Broadway" and Pamela Myers’
debut CD "The Chance to Sing". For The Center Theatre Group
he directed" Loesser is More" at The Doolittle Theatre and "An
Evening With Noel Coward" as well as Lanford Wilson’s "A
Poster of the Cosmos" with Brian Kerwin paired with The Los Angeles
cast of "The Phantom of The Opera" performing Leonard Bernstein
at the Taper. Among his other recent credits, the original musical "Vampire
Virgins from Venus" and the writing and staging of Valarie Pettiford’s
new one woman show" Finding My Voice." He stage directed the
Ford Motor Company’s special "Heroes for the Planet" starring
Charlotte Church and Haley Joel Osment that aired on the A&E network.
He also staged "IMPACT at Ford Field," the opening extravaganza
of the new Detroit Lion’s Stadium, starring Gladys Knight. David
Galligan, a native San Franciscan, began his career at the famed Opera
Ring under the guidance of Irma Kay to whom he owes an eternal debt of
gratitude., He is the recipient of the Los Angeles Stage Alliance’s
Ovation Career Achievement Award for 2005. For the last twelve years Galligan
has staged the" Help is on the Way" AIDS benefits as well as
all of the "Help is on the Way for the Holidays" in San Francisco. TOP