Westchester Broadway Theatre Presents CAN-CAN, 8/30-10/7

 The great Cole Porter’s Can- Can, hits the Westchester Broadway Theatre stage this Fall. Written by Caleb Porter and Abe Burrows, the story revolves around the lovely Pistache, who owns the only café that features the sexy and provocative Can-Can. She spars with Aristide Forestier, a self-righteous judge, determined to close all Parisian dance halls. The show features the provocativly delightful Can-Can, the high-energy and physically demanding music hall dance which is a hybrid of the Polka and The Quadrille. First danced in circa 1822, it was outlawed for a number of years as immoral and prohibited by the police! How times have changed!

The dazzling musical features such Porter classics as "I Love Paris," "It's All Right With Me," and "C'est Magnifique". As worded in a 1953 review by the New York Times, Brooks Atkinson applauds Cole Porter’s writing talent: “Composer of some of our most immortal melodies, Mr. Porter never comes to the theatre empty-handed. He never writes a score without personality.”

Can-Can opened at the Shubert Theatre on Broadway in 1953 and ran for almost 900 performances during a three year span. The cast featured Lilo as Pistache and Peter Cookson as Aristide. Can-Can also was made into a film in 1960 which Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine and Maurice Chevalier. The show was also revived on Broadway for a short time in the 1980s. It is the winner of two Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress (Gwen Verdon) and for Choreography.

The WBT production features Glory Crampton as Pistache, Tony Lawson as Aristide, Lauralyn McClelland, as Claudine, Patrick Richwood as Boris, Charles West as Hilaire and William McCauley will play Paul. Hercule will be played by Michael Linden, Etienne by Joshua Phan-Gruber and Todd MacIntyre is Theophile.
The multi-talented ensemble features: Bjorn Bolinder, Karolina Blonski , Courtney Chilton, Laura Elizabeth Henning, Chloe Hurst, Darrell T. Joe, Peter Marinos, Kaitlin Niewoehner, Elliot Reiland , Tim Roller and Marguerite Willbanks.

The production is Directed and Choreographed by WBT favorite, Richard Stafford, who had been at the helm for several WBT productions including George M!, Hairspray, Beauty & The Beast, Gypsy and Singin’ In The Rain. Jonathan Stahl is the Associate Director/Associate Choreographer. The musical director is Craig Barna, Set Design is by John Farrell, Set coordinator is Steve Loftus, Lighting Design by Andrew Gmoser, Sound Design by Jonathan Hatton, Costume design by Loren Shaw Production Stage Manager is Victor Lukas and the Assistant Stage Manager is Ron Rogell. Properties are by Grumpy’s Props. As with all our productions, Lisa Tiso is The Associate Producer.

Glory Crampton is thrilled to be back home at WBT having started her career here in the ensemble of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, as well as starring in Nine, Gigi, Phantom and My Fair Lady. She originated the role of Christine for the world premiere of Kopit/Yeston's PHANTOM. Recent credits include, Sarah in Guys &Dolls w/Richard Kind, “Irene” in Hello Dolly w/ Leslie Uggams, the Songbook Series at Lincoln Center, Mame, with Charles Busch & Swoozie Kurtz, Luisa in The Fantasticks (Robert Goulet/ National & NYC) and 9 leading ladies at Paper Mill Playhouse, including, My Fair Lady, Camelot, Carousel and Jane Eyre. Glory recently completed recording her solo CD singing Broadway favorites with The London National Symphony/Abbey Road- England with the title song from Nine, “Unusual Way” (released 2010). She was chosen by Jose Carraras (of The Three Tenors) to sing with him at Radio City Music Hall and she was a Guest soloist at the United Nations.

Tony Lawson (Aristide Forestier ) has been seen at WBT in Barnum/ P.T. Barnum, Kiss me Kate/ Fred Graham and The Pirates of Penzance/ Pirate King. He appeared on Broadway in Les Miserables as Thenardier. National Tours/Off-Broadway: Gaston/ Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Joe Hardy/ Damn Yankees- with Dick Van Dyke, Raoul/ Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera, Sheldrake/ White Christmas, Pat Denning/ 42nd Street- with Loretta Swit, Les Miserables and Kismet. New York/Regional: Robert Lincoln/ Case of Mary Todd Lincoln (York Theatre), Colonel Falstaff/ Lone Star Love (5th Avenue Theatre), Bruce Granit/ On the Twentieth Century (Goodspeed), Fagin/ Oliver! (Paper Mill Playhouse), Harold Hill/ The Music Man (Arena Stage) and South Pacific (Carnegie Hall). "Je t'aime Krista-Marie"

Ticket Prices: Dinner & Show range between $52.00 and $80.00 PLUS TAX depending on the performance chosen. Beverage Service & Gratuities are not included in the ticket price. Discounts are available for children, students, and senior citizens at selected performances. Also check the website for on-going Special Offers! More news at: www.BroadwayTheatre.com

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