Walter Willison Biography

Additional Performances [not listed above]:

NIGHT OF YOUR NIGHTS: A Celebration of Broadway's Golden Age starring Walter Willison and Heather Mac Rae; Written by Walter Willison; Musical Direction & Arrangements by Jeffrey Silverman; Produced by Jeffrey Silverman & David Kates for BadaBing Entertainment, LA; LA, Phoenix, Mesa and Sunrise, AZ; February 2004

A TRIBUTE TO BOB MERRILL [Guest Star, with Neva Small, Sheila Smith & others]; The Lambs Club Theatre; 2003

13th ANNUAL CABARET CONVENTION: SOME ENCHANTED EVENINGS Produced by Donald Smith; Musical Director Dick Gallagher; starring Walter Willison, Heather Mac Rae, Karen Akers, Bill Hayes, Mary Rodgers, Nancy Dussault, Patricia Morrison, Julie Wilson and others; 2002

WALL TO WALL RICHARD RODGERS at Symphony Space; starring Walter Willison, Mary Rodgers, Judy Kaye, David Green, James Naughton, Sheldon Harnick, Debbie Gravitte, Melissa Erico & others

ANYONE CAN WHISTLE: In Concert as Cookie ["Bluebird Song"] etc.; Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Book by Arthur Laurents; Directed by Herb Ross; All-star Cast featuring Bernadette Peters, Scott Bakula, Angela Lansbury, Chip Zien, Walter Bobbie, Eric Riley, Marin Mazzie, Betsy Joslyn, Madeline Kahn, Walter Willison
& others

FROM BERLIN TO BROADWAY: A Pipe Night Tribute to Wright & Forrest; Music & Lyrics by Robert Wright & George Forrest; Concept & Musical Direction by Jack Lee; Written by Sheila Smith; with Alfred Drake, Jose Ferrer, Karen Akers, Lilianne Montevecci, Walter Willison, Joan Diener, Sheila Smith & others; 1990

A CELEBRATION OF RICHARD RODGERS with Music by Richard Rodgers; Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II & Lorenz Hart; Staged & Directed by Donald Saddler; Musical Direction by Colin Romoff; Produced by Anna Sosenko; Presented by The Museum of the City of New York; starring Mary Martin, Gordon Mac Rae, Jan Clayton, Walter Willison, Tricia O'Neal, Celeste Holm, Agnes DeMille, Gene Nelson, Pam Myers, Benay Venuta, Helen Gallagher, Terry Saunders, John Reardon, Johnny Green, Leonard Bernstein & others

Additional Recordings in release [not listed above]:
WALL TO WALL RICHARD RODGERS [Vocal] Fynsworth Alley; 2002
CYRANO: The Musical & GRAND TOUR with book & lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr.; Music by David Shire; Stage Manager, John Badham; Musical Direction by Arthur Rubinstein; Remastered from the original 1958/1959 Recordings and Produced by Walter Willison' with John Cunningham, Dick Cavett, Carrie Nye McGeoy, Bill Hinnant, Austin Pendleton, Gretchen Cryer, Nancy Currie [Ford], Lynne Meadow & others
UNSUNG IRVING BERLIN Produced by Bruce Kimmel;Verese-Serabande; 1995
JUDY KAYE: DIVA BY DIVA [Guest Artist]Produced by Bruce Kimmel; Verese-Serabande; 1995
LOST IN BOSTON III [Performer/Contractor] Produced by Bruce Kimmel; Verese-Serabande; 1995
LOST IN BOSTON II [Performer/Contractor] Produced by Bruce Kimmel; Verese-Serabande; 1994
COLLETTE COLLAGE with Book & Lyrics by Tom Jones; Music by Harvey Schmidt; Produced by Bruce Kimmel; starring Judy Kaye, Judith Blazer, George Lee Andrews, Jonathan Freeman, Rita Gardner, Walter Willison & others
UNSUNG SONDHEIM [Performer/Contractor] Produced by Bruce Kimmel; with Walter Willison, Kaye Ballard, Davis Gaines, Marilyn Cooper, Judy Kuhn, Harry Groener, Lynette Perry, Niki Harris, Rebecca Luker, Jason Graae, Judy Kaye, Debbie Shapiro Gravitte, Kaye Ballard, Sally Mayes, Christa Moore, Michael Rupert, Liz Calloway
TWO BY TWO [as Japheth] with Music by Richard Rodgers; Lyrics by Martin Charnin; Book by Peter Stone; Directed by Joe Layton; starring Danny Kaye, Walter Willison, Joan Copeland, Tricia O'Neil, Michael Karm, Harry Goz, Marilyn Cooper, Madeline Kahn; Originally recorded in 1971; Digitally Remastered CD released in 1993
GRAND HOTEL: The Musical with Music & Lyrics by Robert Wright & George Forrest; Book by Luther Davis; Additional Songs by Maury Yeston; Musical Direction by Jack Lee; Directed by Tommy Tune; starring David Carroll, Brent Barrett, Lilianne Montevecci, Karen Akers, Jane Krakowski, Timothy Jerome, Kathi Moss & others
THE ANASTASIA AFFAIRE [Original version, remastered as ANASTASIA: The Musical, See Above] Bay Cities; 1992

Additional Produced Plays [not listed above]:

HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN: The New 1940s Musical; Adapted & Directed by Walter Willison; Choreographed by Kay Cole; Musical Arrangements by Jeffrey Silverman & David Kates; Various Composers; BadaBing Entertainment, LA; LA & Phoenix, AZ Tour 2004

WONDERFUL LIFE!: The Musical with Book by Douglas Holmes; Lyrics by Walter Willison; Music by John Kroner; based on Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life"; World Premiere at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, Indianapolis, 1989; Produced annually at various venues around the US.

OPTIONS: a musical choice; Lyrics by Walter Willison; Music by Jeffrey Silverman; Concept & Direction by Michael Shawn; Circle Repertory Theatre, NYC; with Julie Budd, JoAnna Rush, Walter Willison & Jeffrey Silverman; 1983

FRONT STREET GAIETIES: Dodge City's Hottest Revue with Book & Lyrics by Walter Willison; Music by Jeffrey Silverman; Directed by Walter Willison; Choreographed by Wade Collings; Produced by Willison, Barbara Custer & Collings; starring Susan Watson, Charles Ward, Carol Swarbrick, Walter Willison & others; The Mayfair Theatre, Santa Monica, CA; 1980-81

Additional Director Credits [not listed above]:

ROBERT ANDERSON: GENTLEMAN PLAYWRIGHT [starring Robert Anderson, Shirley Knight, Walter Willison, Kate Hopkins & others] Written & Directed by Walter Willison; Musical Direction by Jeffrey Silverman; The 3rd William Inge Festival, Independence, KS, 1985
WILLIAM GIBSON: A Seesaw Life [starring William Gibson, Shirley Knight, Walter Willison, Kate Hopkins & others; Musical Direction by Jeffrey Silverman; The 2nd Annual William Inge Festival, Independence, KS; 1984

JEROME LAWRENCE: A Celebration of Lawrence & Lee [with Jerome Lawrence, Martha Scott, Walter Willison & Jeffrey Silverman]; Written by Jerome Lawrence; Directed by Jerome Lawrence & Walter Willison; Musical Direction by Jeffrey Silverman; The 1st Annual William Inge Festival, Independence, KS; 1983

THE GRASS HARP [West Coast Premiere] with Susan Watson, Chris Costello, Leonard Conner, Claudia West, Christina Applegate & others; American Theatre of Actors, LA; 1979-80
YOUR OWN THING directed by Walter Willison; The Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA

BOOKS:
Associate Editor of John Willis' THEATRE WORLD, Volume #42
Associate Editor of John Willis' THEATRE WORLD, Volume #43
Associate Editor of John Willis' THEATRE WORLD, Volume #44
Associate Editor of John Willis' SCREEN WORLD, Volume #37
Associate Editor of John Willis' SCREEN WORLD, Volume #38
Associate Editor of John Willis' SCREEN WORLD, Volume #39
Associate Editor of John Willis' SCREEN WORLD, Volume #40