Tag: Donna McKechnie

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Tony Awards On CBS Tonight!

In advance of tonight’s Tony Awards show on CBS at 8PM, I wanted to reflect back on the days when the Tonys would pay tribute to the giants of the Broadway world.

From the 1970s through the 1980s the telecast, in addition to handing out the awards for excellence that year on Broadway, would deliver world-class numbers and entertainment honoring the artists of the Broadway genre.

In 1988, a year after 7-time Tony Award winner Michael Bennett’s death, original cast members of A Chorus Line and Dreamgirls came together for a terrific montage to remind of his genius.

More than any other director or choreographer, I think (in my mind) I’ve hoped to aspire to the kind of vision Michael brought to his work.  Breaking ground time after time with Company, Follies, A Chorus Line and the breathtaking Dreamgirls, I’ve had a visceral connection to his genius ever since I can remember understanding who he was.

Watch below – AND don’t forget to watch the Tony tonight!

Thanks to my blogger buddy Wicked Gay Blog for reminding me of this fab clip.

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Donna McKechnie Joins Broadway Cast of THE VISIT

Tony Award-winner Donna McKechnie has been announced as standby for another legend, Chita Rivera, in the upcoming Broadway musical, The Visit.

“Who else could go on for a Broadway legend like Ms. Rivera but another Broadway legend?” said producer Tom Kirdahy in a statement. “The tradition of an actor standing by, should the star not be able to perform, though unlikely in Ms. Rivera’s case, has been turned on its ear by this news. We are ecstatic that Donna is joining our company.”

She will stand by for the 82-year-old Rivera, who plays Claire Zachanassian, a wealthy courtesan who returns to the small village where she grew up, in order to destroy the man who robbed her of her virtue when she was a girl.

Based on the 1958 drama of the same title by Swiss author Friedrich Dürrenmatt, The Visit musical has a score by John Kander and the late Fred Ebb, and a book by Terrence McNally. Choreography for the two legendary dancers will be supplied by Graciela Daniele.

How thrilled I am that these two Broadway icons become part of this new musical for Broadway. I had the opportunity to work with both for long periods of time. My first national touring company of A Chorus Line starred Donna; and early in my CHICAGO the Musical journey I worked with Chita when she was playing “Roxie Hart” in the Las Vegas leg of the national tour.

Love them both. As does everyone.

It’s not well known, but back in the 1990s the producers of the musical The Goodbye Girl (starring Martin Short and Bernadette Peters) were in talks with Donna to standby for Bernadette. Unfortunately the show closed before the deal was done, but the same logic was in play there: who better to go on for a Broadway legend than another Broadway legend?

With Chita Rivera backstage at CHICAGO the Musical

Backstage at an all-star benefit where I helped choreograph a number for Donna McKechnie