Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: April 3, 2016
By: Laura Deni
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TIMELESS FIDDLER ON THE ROOF RELEASES BROADWAY CAST RECORDING

Over fifty years ago Sheldon Harnick, Joe Stein and and Jerry bock created a social and musical masterpiece called Fiddler on the Roof. More than half a century later the musical is still a polished gem.

Numerous revivals have taken place since the first mounting. Since its Broadway opening, the music compositions have received only favorable comment. So it is with the current incarnation which opened at the Broadway Theatre in New York City on December 20, 2015. Broadway Records has released a stunning recording of this 2016 Broadway cast.

If at all possible go see the production (and purchase the CD) which stars total pro, five time Tony Award nominee Danny Burstein as Tevya, Jennifer Hecht as his wife Golda, and Alexandra Silber, Samantha Massell, Melanie Moore, Jenny Rose Baker, and Hayley Feinstein and their daughters.

The cast heard on this glorious CD also include Alix Korey as the matchmaker, Adam Kantor as the tailor, Ben Rappaport as Perchik, a Student; Michael C. Bernardi as Mordeha, Adam Grupper as the Rabbi; Jeffrey Schecter as Mendel, the Rabbi's son; George Psomas as Avram, a bookseller; Lori Wilner as Grandma Tzeitel, Golde's grandmother, Jessica Vosk as Fruma-Sarah, Lazar Wolf's first wife, Aaron Young as Sasha, and Jennifer Zetlan as Shaindel.

Most know at least a few of the selections which have become worldwide standards such as Sunrise, Sunset and If I Were a Rich Man.

A blessing on this CD is the inclusion of a bonus track Dear Sweet Sewing Machine performed by Adam Kantor and Alexendra Silber with Oran Eldor credited with the arrangement.

As Sheldon Harnick explains in the accompanying booklet, the song pleased the audiences but was cut in Detroit. "It is such a charming number that we chose to include it as a bonus track."

Another stellar bonus track includes excerpts from Fiddler on the Roof variations and cadenza by John Williams featuring Itzhak Perlman, whose fingers are a national treasure. That is, in itself, enough to warrant adding this CD to your collection.

The accompanying booklet is both elegant and informative.

A score which is both vibrant and moving is executed - as might be expected - by exceptional musicians. Listening to a CD affords a person the opportunity to - at their choice of timing - actually listen to selections that might fly by during a live performance. For instance, the instrumental introduction to Sabbath Prayer ("May the Lord Protect and Defend You") is particularly effective.

Technical perfection. The sound is so precise that you can hear the glass shatter after the marriage ceremony which follows Sunrise, Sunset leading into the instrumental Wedding Dance, which ends Act I.

Conductor Ted Sperling is another professional who has never executed anything second rate. His booklet commentary explains that his own family was forced to leave Europe, coming to America with a few possessions, which managed to include his grandfather's three prized violins. Sperling recalled that, as a teenager, he sat on top of a shaky ladder, gripping one of grandfather's violins and played the opening melody in his high school production. Today, among other ventures, he is the music director and conductor for the current Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof.

The accompaniments on this Fiddler version are crisp and clean - yet incorporating ancient ethic majors and minors. The results are the perfect backdrop for the storyline as well as standalone musical presentations.

Even if you own another version of Fiddler, add this one to your collection. You won't be disappointed.

Music Coordinator: David Lai. Associate conductor: John Bell. Assistant conductor: Will Curry.

Concertmaster/violin soloist: Kelly Hall-Tompkins. Clarinet (Klezmer solosit), Eb Clarinet, Flute: Audrew Sterman Violins: Bryan Hernandez-Luch, Katherine Livolsi-Landau, Maxim Moston. Viola: Will Curry. Cello: Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf.Bass: Michael Blanco. Flute/Piccolo/Alto flute: Brian Miller.Oboe/English horn: Alexandra Knoll. Clarinet /Bass Clarinet: Nuno Antunes.Bassoon: Cynde Iverson. French Horns: Zohar Schondorf, Shelagh Abate.Trumpet: James DeLa Garsa, John Sheppard, Dylan Schwab.Trombone/Euphonium: Andrea Rodriguez. Guitar/ Mandolin: Jim Hershman. Accordion: Johnua Camp. Drums/Percussion: Kory Grossman. Synthesizer: John Bell, Brett Rowe. Synthesizer Programmers: Rick Bassett, Reed Robbins.

Recorded and mixed by Alex Venguer Edited by David Lai. Pro Tools Engineer: Jack Mason. Assistant engineers: Alex Hendrickson, Dan Fyfe, Doug Iszlai. Recorded at MSR Studios, NYC. Mixed at Planet Studio, NYC. Mastered by Mark Wilder Battery Park Studios, NYC Production photographs Joan Marcus. Package design Robbie Rozelle.










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ART AND ABOUT

EXHIBITIONISM: THE ROLLING STONES Get a glimpse into the life of The Rolling Stones as you discover rare and previously unseen artifacts from the band, in the interactive exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

This ground-breaking exhibition takes over the entire Chelsea venue and features everything from original stage designs, dressing room and backstage paraphernalia, to rare guitars, iconic costumes and personal correspondence.

You’ll also uncover rare audio tracks, unseen video clips and unique cinematic presentations; as well as original poster and album cover artwork amongst the 500 exhibits spanning the band’s five decades. Collaborative work with the likes of Andy Warhol, Alexander McQueen and Martin Scorsese will also be showcased in this immersive exhibition.

April 6-September 4, 2016 at the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea London.

BOUQUETS TO ART one of the most glorious of displays is on display April 5-10 at the deYoung Museum in San Francisco.

Peonies and Picasso. Hydrangeas and Hockney. Art and nature come together to spectacular effect. A a preview Gala on takes place Monday, April 4.

See arrangements by some of the most innovative floral designers in the Bay Area and beyond, inspired by works from the de Young's permanent collection. Enjoy a lecture, make a reservation for one of the week’s elegant seated luncheons, and take a chance on the luxury-prize raffle.

THE 2016 CEC ARTSLINK BACK APARTMENT RESIDENCES IN ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA have been announced. The Fellows will conduct research, create new work, collaborate with the local community, and organize public programs. Those selected are:

May 2016 Residences:
Farrah Karapetian (Los Angeles, CA), and Mantu Das (Vadodara, India).

June 2016 Residences:
Marni Shindelman (Athens, GA), Nate Larson (Baltimore, MD) and Martina Stefanova (Sofia, Bulgaria).

July 2016 Residences:
Joshua Goode (Fort Worth, TX) and Maria Chavez (Brooklyn, NY).

Felipe Castelblanco (lives and works between the US, UK and Colombia) has also been selected as have Ernest Truely (lives and works between the US, Finland and Estonia) who will complete a residency Mid-August through mid-September 2016. Kathryn Bonansinga (Cincinnati, OH) will assume her residency in Mid-September 2016. Clare Dolan (Glover, VT) is set for October, Walker Tufts (Fishersville, VA) in November and Seth Ellis (US artist based in Brisbane, Australia) in December 2016.

SWEET CHARITY

VIRGINIA ARTS FESTIVAL SPRING FOR DANCE GALA Celebrates Twenty Seasons with a Red Carpet Opening Weekend Performance. with Virginia Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Murphy..

Showcasing stars from some of the greatest companies from over the past 20 years:

American Ballet Theatre presents Act III pas de deux from Sleeping Beauty with Cassandra Trenary and James Whiteside. Birmingham Royal Ballet stages Dream pas de deux from Midsummer Night's Dream and Balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet starring Nao Sakuma and Chi Cao.

Lula Washington Dance Theatre offers Beautiful Venus and Serena Ensemble of 4. Mark Morris Dance Group dances Resurrection Ensemble of 14. Richard Alston Dance Company delivers Entrée from Brisk Singing Nomadic Ensemble of 8. Richmond Ballet offers After Eden with Cody Beaton and Fernando Sabino. The Toyko Ballet presents Grand pas de deux from Don Quixote Spring and Fall with Muzuka Ueno, Mamiko Kawashima, Dan Tsukamoto, and Yasuomi Akimoto.

Continue the celebration with an exclusive post-performance Soirée. Mingle with the dancers and toast the 20th season.

Saturday, April 9, 8pm- Black tie optional. Sunday, April 10, 3pm- Cocktail or Business attire. Chrysler Hall, Norfolk, Virginia.

THE MOUNTBATTEN FESTIVAL OF MUSIC

Mountbatten Festival of Music

takes place April 7-9 at Royal Albert Hall in London and features the Massed Bands of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines performing over the three night festival.

These concerts display the outstanding versatility of some of the world’s finest military musicians and are given the West End treatment with spectacular lighting effects.

The Festival sees the Royal Marines showcase their musicianship and pageantry and features a wide range of musical styles, including music from the big screen and superb solo items, as well as the traditional marches and overtures that have proved such a hit with audiences over the years.

Prince Philip, The Duck of Edinburgh who serves as Captain General, Royal Marines, will attend the concert on April 9.

Proceeds go to the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund and CLIC Sargent.

FRANK & FRIENDS composer Frank Wildhorn's show comes to the Tarrytown, New York Music Hall April 8 as a benefit for Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley.

The one-night-only concert will feature the multi-Grammy and Tony nominated composer performing some of his best-loved songs and personal favorites. Wildhorn will be joined by Rob Evan, Jeremy Jordan, Laura Osnes, and others.

THE RECORDING ACADEMY'S 2016 GRAMMY ON THE HILL AWARDS

The Zac Brown Band. Photo: The Recording Academy/Steve Granitz

Representatives of the worlds of music and politics will come together at The Recording Academy's 2016 Grammys on the Hill Awards to honor three-time Grammy winners Zac Brown Band, who will receive the Recording Artists' Coalition Award for their musical achievements and commitment to philanthropic causes, including Zac Brown’s Camp Southern Ground, the Boot Campaign, City of Hope, MusiCares, and the USO. And the Recording Academy will honor Reps. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.), and Thomas J. Rooney (R-Fla.), co-sponsors of the Allocation For Music Producers Act (H.R. 1457), also known as the AMP Act, a bill that would streamline how producers receive performance royalties. Both legislators are being recognized for their support and understanding of vital issues impacting music creators.

Known as "Washington's most interesting mix of music and politics," the awards presentation takes place on Wednesday, April 13 at the Hamilton Live in Washington D.C., and will feature unique live performances and musical surprises. The sold-out celebration will begin with a cocktail reception and dinner, followed by the awards presentation.

Attending is a who’s who of music luminaries, including Grammy-winning gospel artist Yolanda Adams, country singer/guitarist Josh Abbott, Robert "Kool" Bell of Grammy winners Kool & the Gang, songwriter/producer Evan Bogart, David Bromberg, Grammy winning songwriter/producer Bryan Michael Cox, R&B artist Raheem DeVaughn, Grammy winner Kendra Foster, Ginuwine, singer/songwriter/guitarist Warren Haynes of Grammy winners the Allman Brothers, songwriter/producer Rodney Jerkins, contemporary Christian artist Matt Maher, singer/songwriter and San Francisco Chapter Board Advisor Ledisi, Grammy winner Ramsey Lewis, songwriter/producer.

Also present will be the Academy's National Advocacy Committee co-chair Harvey Mason Jr., singer/songwriter Eddie Money, singer/songwriter Anna Nalick, Grammy winner Smokey Robinson, Ed Roland of Collective Soul, Grammy winner Jon Secada, Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge, gospel artist Richard Smallwood, Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, hip-hop artist and Texas Chapter Trustee Paul Wall, and rapper Wale. The event will be hosted by country and bluegrass singer/songwriter and radio host Jim Lauderdale.

On April 14, the day after the awards ceremony, The Recording Academy will bring hundreds of music professionals from across the country to visit with lawmakers to advance policies for American music as part of The Academy's annual Grammys on the Hill Advocacy Day. The program is the music community's largest annual advocacy day in Washington, D.C.

SPREADING THE WORD

BROADWAY TAKES TWO presented by 92Y in New York City April 8-10, 2016.

92Y shines the spotlight on the world of musical theater dance in Broadway Takes Two, featuring some of the best of a new generation of theater choreographers. Broadway Takes Two includes the work of Justin Boccitto (curator and director), Megan Doyle, Ryan Kasprzak, Jeff Shade and Richard J. Hinds.

Each choreographer presents numbers featuring their original choreography - paying homage to such legends as Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins and Michael Bennett - performed by some of the finest dancers working in New York.

Justin Boccitto will perform Rich Kids Rag & Deep Down (Little Me); Holiday (American Idiot); and Clearwater Prison Blues which pays homage to the days of Jailhouse Rock and Folsom Prison Blues, this number blends live blues music with tap dancing using the songs of Creedence Clearwater Revival and Radioactive, a variation of Steam Heat, a tap dancing tribute to Bob Fosse's “Steam Heat, made famous in the musical The Pajama Game. It's a contemporary version of this classic performed to Post Modern Jukebox's rendition of the popular Imagine Dragons tune.

Negan Doyle will offer The Trolley Song (Meet Me In St. Louis) and Wendy (Peter Pan). Ryan Kasprzak performs Bugle Call Rag (Stage Door Canteen – 1943 film) and Built for This (composer - Ben Sollee).

Jeff Shade is in the spotlight with Cross the Line (Bring it On: The Musical) and Jingle Bells (Barbra Streisand’s A Christmas Album). Richard J. Hinds offers A Song for Dancing (Ballroom) and You Could Drive a Person Crazy (Company).

BOND: A SOLDIER AND HIS DOG 2006 was one of the bloodiest years in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Iraqi society fractured and eventually devolved into sectarian violence, Saddam Hussein was executed and a young man with a yellow lab at his side found himself right in the middle of it all. In this one-man show Logan Black will tell the story of the bond created between K-9 and handler. Based on his experiences as Specialized Search Dog Handler and the year he spent working with SSD Diego in the Al Anbar province of Iraq.

A partnership between the World War I Museum and Fringe Festival KC, performances are April 8-10 at the World War I Museum in Kansas City and April 22-24 at the Polsky Theatre in Overland Park, Kansas.

JOHN LEGUIZAMO: LATIN HISTORY FOR DUMMIES Created and Performed by John Leguizamo.

Directed by Tony Taccone.

Class is in session with John Leguizamo’s new one-man show, Latin History for Dummies. John delivers rapid-fire laughs in his biting and comic take on 500 years of Latin History spanning the Aztec and Incan Empires to World War II. Tackling the contributions of Latin people left out of the history books, John is the most uproariously real teacher you’ve ever had. Returning to the Playhouse with this new workshop, as part of A Page-To-Stage Workshop Production, John shares his hilarious and satirical version of an often-overlooked part of history.

April 5 -17, 2016 at the La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla, California.

SPALDING GRAY A Celebration of His Life and Work, takes place April 11 at The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, located at The Graduate Center, City University of New York.

This all day celebration of his life and work will feature screenings of his work on film and an evening program that will present excerpts of his writing from Spalding Gray - Stories Left to Tell.. All-day screenings, followed by an evening panel that will include Kathy Russo and Lucy Sexton.

GALA-BALLET BOLSHOI performs in Dubai for the first time April 8-9 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The program features principle dancers from the Royal Opera House and the Berlin State Opera.

SIMON BOCCANEGRA the Verdi's compelling operatic portrayal of a man who is both a leader and an outsider, worn down by social and personal fragmentation, set against one of the most incisive depictions of politics ever, is being staged at the Metropolitan Opera in New York until April 16, with famed tenor Placido Domingo in the lead role. The spectacular cast includes tenor Joseph Calleja and another legend, bass Ferruccio Furlanetto, as Boccanegra’s rival, Fiesco.

A FEW GOOD MEN the powerful play by Aaron Sorkin will l adapt his stage play turned feature film into a live presentation set to air on NBC in 2017.

The play, Sorkin’s first professional effort, premiered on Broadway in 1989. I saw it at the Music Box Theatre and was enthralled by the performances of Tom Hulce as LTJG Kaffee, Megan Gallagher as LCDR JoAnne Galloway and Stephen Lang as Col Jessep.

Three years later Sorkin adapted it as a feature film directed by Rob Reiner that went on to land a Best Picture Oscar nomination. Riveting performances by Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Bacon and Demi Moore.

The television airing should be nothing short of mesmerizing.

ON MADELINE KAHN Over the course of a career that spanned movies and television, Broadway and opera, Madeline Kahn worked with many of the most creative talents of her time - from Leonard Bernstein to the Muppets. In this panel discussion, William V. Madison, author of Madeline Kahn: Being the Music, A Life, and some of Kahn’s friends and colleagues will share memories of the popular singing actress.

Panelists will include three actresses who worked with Kahn:

Barbara Barrie, co-star of Kahn’s final film, Judy Berlin
Maddie Corman, co-star of the TV sitcom Mr. President
Joanna Gleason, co-star of the TV film For Richer, For Poorer
Austin Pendleton, co-star of the films What’s Up, Doc?, Simon, First Family, and The Muppet Movie; guest-starred on the TV series New York News.

Media personality, celebrity interviewer and actress Valerie Smaldone moderates.

Tuesday, April 5, at 92Y in New York City.

THE JEOPARDY SHOW WHICH AIRED ON APRIL FOOLS DAY contained a most inventive and clever stunt. Periodically the current show would cut in a snippet of a previous show which had a similarity to the current show - such as a younger Alex Trebek asking the same question that was on the current show; or mega prize winner Ken Jennings answering the same question, which was also part of the current program. There were also some unusual sound effects.

PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE who will tour India April 10-16 have an extremely busy but fun schedule. On the docket for their first evening, The Duke and Duchess will be introduced to some of Mumbai’s leading figures, including some well-known names from Bollywood. They will attend a glittering reception and dinner being held in their honor to celebrate Mumbai’s film and creative industries. This will be hosted by The British High Commission in partnership with The British Asian Trust, of which The Prince of Wales is founder and President. The event will include red carpet arrivals, dance and musical performances, and of course fashion. The event will raise funds for the three charities that Wills and Kate will have met earlier in the day - Magic Bus, Doorstep, and Childline.




THE AMERICAN THEATRE CRITICS ASSOCIATION (ATCA) has awarded Jonathan Norton its 2016 M. Elizabeth Osborn New Play Award for an emerging playwright. The award will be presented at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville on April 9.

The Osborn Award recognizes Norton’s play, Mississippi Goddamn, which premiered in February, 2015 at the South Dallas Cultural Center in a production directed by Vickie Washington.

In Mississippi Goddamn, Norton takes us to the house next door to that of Civil Rights leader Medgar Evers and offers a drama about a family making tough decisions in a tumultuous time.

ATCA’s Osborn Award is designed to recognize the work of an author who has not yet achieved national stature. The award was established in 1993 to honor the memory of Theatre Communications Group and American Theatre play editor M. Elizabeth Osborn. It carries a $1,000 prize, funded by the Foundation of the American Theatre Critics Association.



ANYTHING GOES Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter. Original Book by Guy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse, Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. New Book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman.

Directed by Daniel Goldstein.

Choreographed by Kelli Barclay.

Bon voyage! Set sail on a "de-lovely" cruise through some of Cole Porter's most famous songs. A brassy nightclub singer, a starry-eyed stowaway and Public Enemy No. 13 are booked on a transatlantic luxury liner bound for romance and laughter. Hum along with an easy-to-love score packed with hits including I Get a Kick Out of You, You're the Top, It's De-Lovely, Blow, Gabriel, Blow and more! A tap-happy classic docks at Goodspeed for the first time.

Starring Desiree Davar (Erma), Stephen DeRosa (Moonface Martin), Hannah Florence (Hope), Benjamin Howes (Sir Evelyn Oakleigh), Kingley Leggs (Elisha J. Whitney), Denise Lute (Mrs. Wadsworth T. Harcourt), Patrick Richwood (Purser), Rashidra Scott (Reno Sweeney), and David Harris (Billy Crocker).

Scenic Design by Wilson Chin. Costume Design by Ilona Somogyi. Lighting Design by Brian Tovar. Sound Design by Jay Hilton. Wig & Hair Design by Mark Adam Rampmeyer. Music Direction by Michael O'Flaherty.

April 8-June 16 at Goodspeed in East Haddam, CT.

CONSTELLATIONS by Nick Payne.

Directed by Richard Seer.

"Physicist Marianne meets beekeeper Roland at a party. They hit it off … or perhaps they don’t. One of them is married … or maybe they’re both single. Nick Payne’s Constellations takes this chance encounter between two lost souls and opens the door to the infinite possibilities of their relationship. Breathlessly navigating through the spellbinding and romantic journey of being in love, Constellations looks at how the tiniest change in the details of our lives can lead us on completely different paths."

The cast of the two-hander includes Christian Coulson as Roland and Victoria Frings as Marianne.

The creative team includes David Israel Reynoso (Scenic Design), Elisa Benzoni (Costume Design), Bradley King (Lighting Design), Fitz Patton (Sound Design), David Huber (Vocal Coach), Caparelliotis Casting (Casting), and Annette Elena Nixon (Production Stage Manager).

Constellations will play April 9 - May 8, 2016, in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. The Old Globe in San Diego, CA.

RUSSIAN DOLLS by Kate Lock.

Directed by Hamish MacDougall.

Starring Stephanie Fayerman and Mollie Lambert.

Hilda is blind, lives alone, and is visited by a care giver once a week. Camilla is a young offender looking for her next mark. A surprising and curious relationship sparks off between these opposites as both search for connection and purpose. Kate Lock's insightful new play delves into maternal relationships and the line between friendship and family, and contrasts our current culture of blame and instant gratification with the self-worth and determination of the post-war generation.

Design by Becky-Dee Trevenen. Lighting by Joshua Gadsby. Sound Max Pappenheim.

Kate Lock’s Russian Dolls was selected as the winner of the 2015 Adrian Pagan award from over 600 entries. Performances April 5-25 at the Kings Head Theatre in London.

WHO'S WHERE

ELLIE GOULDING entertains Tuesday, April 5, at the memorial Auditorium in Sacramento, CA. Wednesday's show is at the SAP Center in san Jose, CA. Friday finds her at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and on Saturday she stars at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV.

KATHY GRIFFIN Kathy Griffin, a two time Emmy award winner, brings her pithy comments to the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College, performing an evening of standup on Sunday, April 10, 2016.

COLDPLAY performs tonight, Sunday, April 3, at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Chile. On Tuesday the show is at the Estadio Nacional in Lima, Peru. Thursday's show is at the Allianz Parque in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Next Sunday, April 10, they are on stage at the Maracana Stadium in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

RIHANNA appears at the Centre Videotron in Quebec City on Tuesday, April 5. On Wednesday the performance is at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC. Saturday's gig is at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, MD. Next Sunday, April 10, finds her at the TD Garden in Boston.

JANET JACKSON entertains Monday, April 4, at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland. Tuesday's stop is at the Arena in Manchester, England. Next Sunday, April 10, she's in the spotlight at the Accor Hotels Arena in Paris.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND are in the spotlight Tuesday, April 5, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. On Thursday the show is at the Spring Center in Kansas City. Next Sunday, April 10, finds them at the Coliseum in Greensboro, NC.

RUMER WILLIS the oldest daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore who won season 20 of Dancing with the Stars, going on to make her Broadway debut in Chicago as Roxie Hart performs April 5, 7, 8 and 9 at Cafe Carlyle in New York City.

FINAL OVATION

PATTY DUKE stage, film and television actress who won an Oscar for her role as Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker died March 28, 2016 in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, from sepsis caused by a ruptured intestine which had occurred the previous Thursday. She was 69.

On November 2, 2004, Duke announced that she would undergo single cardiac bypass surgery in Idaho. The surgery was successful.

"This morning, our beloved wife, mother, matriarch and the exquisite artist, humanitarian and champion of mental health, Anna Patty Duke, closed her eyes, quieted her pain and ascended to a beautiful place," read a family statement. "We celebrate the infinite love and compassion she shared through her work and throughout her life."

Her career gained fame on Broadway. John and Ethel Ross, who had managed her since she was eight, primed her for The Miracle Worker, intensively training her to do things without sight. She practiced with a blindfold for roughly a year. The regimen paid off: She was tapped by producers Arthur Penn and Fred Coe to play Keller, starring opposite Anne Bancroft. The Miracle Worker opened on Broadway in 1959. Duke won praise from critics for her work as the deaf-blind-mute woman. At the age of thirteen, her name was raised above the title of the play, the first to be done so at such an early age. Duke was voted the Theater World Award as Most Promising Newcomer. Her managers had her name changed from Anna to Patty Duke.

She is one of the few who originated a role on Broadway and also appeared in the movie version, for which, at the age of 16, she won an Oscar.

Despite her successful career, Duke was described as deeply miserable during her teenage years. The Rosses made efforts to portray her as a normal teenager, but she later indicated in her memoir Call Me Anna that she was virtually the Rosses' prisoner and had little control over her earnings or her life. The Rosses controlled her and her mother by allowing them only a small amount of money to survive on. They also started supplying Duke with alcohol and prescription drugs when she was 13; this along with her undiagnosed bipolar disorder contributed to her young-adult substance-abuse problems. As an adult, Duke accused both Rosses of sexual abuse. Upon turning 18 Duke became legally free of the Rosses, only to discover that they had squandered most of her earnings, in violation of the Coogan Act.

Duke was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1982, after which she had devoted much of her time to advocating and educating the public on mental health issues.

Duke became the second woman to serve as president of the Screen Actors Guild, serving from 1985-1988.

She returned to the New York stage in 2002, playing Aunt Eller in a revival of Oklahoma! In May 2011, Duke directed the stage version of The Miracle Worker at Interplayers Theater in Spokane, Washington.

Duke's first three marriages ended in either divorce or annulment. Her third marriage to actor John Astin lasted 13 years. On March 15, 2016 she and her fourth husband, michael Pearce, celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. Duke married then drill sergeant Michael Pearce in 1986. Duke and Pearce had met during the production of A Time to Triumph, for which Pearce served as a consultant. The couple moved to Hayden, Idaho and adopted a son, Kevin, who was born in 1988. Pearce became a firefighter. From her marriage to Pearce to her death, Duke used the name Anna Duke-Pearce in her writings and other professional work.

In addition to her husband and son Kevin Pearce, she is survived by her actor sons Sean Astin and Mackenzie Astin, six grandchildren; her brother, Raymond; a stepdaughter, Charlene Gibson, from her marriage to Mr. Pearce. Another stepdaughter from her fourth marriage, Raelene Pearce, died in 1998.

SHANNON BOLIN singer and actress who was one of the original stars of the Broadway musical Damn Yankees died March 25, 2016. She was 99.

In both the original Broadway production and the film version of Damn Yankees, Bolin portrayed middle-aged Meg Boyd, the loyal and heartbroken wife of Joe Boyd, who was left behind to wonder if he would ever return, after he was transformed into Joe Hardy, an athletic young slugger.

Her other stage roles include: The Golden Apple (as Mrs. Juniper), Only in America (as Kate Golden), The Student Gypsy (as Zampa Allescu) Take Me Along (as Lily), Xmas in Las Vegas] (as Eleanor Wellspot), and Helen Goes to Troy, for which she used the pseudonym of Anne Bolin.

Bolin worked with Marc Blitzstein on Regina the opera based on The Little Foxes. She played the alternate lead when the work debuted on Broadway.

She appeared in a concert version of the opera Barbara Allen by David Broekman, conducted by Maurice Levine. She also appeared in a concert version of Morton Gould's opera Desire Under the Elms, based on the Eugene O'Neill play.

Her other appearances in a long career included film, television, radio and recordings.

Bolin married Milton Kaye, a New York pianist, composer and arranger who died in 2006.

PETER STANFORD co-founder with his wife Norma of the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City, died from a stroke on March 24, 2016 in in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. He was 89.

. "Peter was a persistent man, endlessly insisting that the apparently impossible could be achieved. Peter's life and work have been written about extensively and the tale is a good one. For us, he will forever be the founder. It was Peter's vision in the 1960s that led to the preservation of the counting houses of the Seaport, including Schermerhorn Row, one of New York City's treasures. It was Peter's work that led to the acquisition and preservation of Ambrose, Wavertree, Peking, Pioneer, and Lettie. And it was Peter's clear articulation of the import of these things that led the fledgling South Street Seaport Museum to a membership of more than 20,000 within five years," stated . Captain Jonathan Boulware, Executive Director, South Street Seaport Museum.

After leaving South Street, Peter served as President of the National Maritime Historical Society and editor of its journal, Sea History. He was president of the World Ship Trust, London, and trustee of the Lilac Preservation Project and Working Harbor Committee of New York. He was an Advisor to the Tug Pegasus Preservation Project in NY and the Working Harbor Committee of NY and the National Liberty Ship Memorial in San Francisco.

He graduated from Harvard with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1949, but missed the ceremonies opting instead to sail a 42-foot cutter to England. He received a master’s in English literature from King’s College, Cambridge.

Peter was heralded as a staunch defender of the defenseless. He marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, was jailed for helping integrate a "whites only" park in Maryland, and later, at South Street, he assisted in the creation of a marine-engine repair school for former teenage drug users, which Mayor Lindsay called the most effective of all the New York programs to find good employment for the young men.

He is survived by his wife Norma, his first wife Eva, his five children Thomas, Carol, Anthony, Robert and Joseph, and his grandchildren Nicholas, Luca, Kyan, Avani and Sarah Stanford.

Next Column: April 10, 2016
Copyright: April 3, 2016 All Rights Reserved. Reviews, Interviews, Commentary, Photographs or Graphics from any Broadway To Vegas (TM) columns may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, utilized as leads, or used in any manner without permission, compensation and/or credit.
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Laura Deni

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