John Tartaglia, Stephen Bogardus and More Featured on Chip Deffaa's New Album I MUST HAVE THAT MAN

SCAP Award-winning writer/producer Chip Deffaa's new CD, "I Must Have that Man"- being released June 30th- features such Broadway notables as Stephen Bogardus ("Bright Star"), John Tartaglia ("Avenue Q"), Seth Sikes ("The Band's Visit"), Lee Roy Reams ("42nd Street"), Charlie Franklin ("The Book of Mormon"), Belle Calaway ("Chicago"), Trent Armand Kendall ("Into the Woods"), Jon Peterson ("Cabaret"), and others. The album, an outgrowth of shows that Deffaa has presented at the venerable 13th Street Theater and elsewhere, features 25 rare- and, in some cases, never-before-recorded- songs with a "gay romance" theme.

The album is available from Amazon, iTunes, Footlight Records etc. and may be pre-ordered, as either a physical CD or a digital download, HERE.

"Gay love has been around as long as there have been human beings," Deffaa commented. "As Alfred Kinsey noted, it's part of our basic mammalian heritage. And on this album- being released as part of Pride Month- we'll have two dozen of the theater community's best artists- gay and straight alike- singing songs, old and new, touching on gay romance." Deffaa has taken great care to find just the right singer for each song.

"Stephen Bogardus, for example, has appeared memorably in more than a dozen Broadway shows from 'Love! Valour! Compassion!' and 'Falsettos' to 'Man of La Mancha' and 'White Christmas.' I've actually been an admirer of his work since he was 19, well before he got his first Broadway gig ('West Side Story'). He is a first-rate singing actor, and wonderfully versatile. He has fun here with a Cole Porter rarity, 'Is it the Girl or is it the Gown.' It's always an honor to record him.

"John Tartaglia, who starred on Broadway in 'Avenue Q' and on television in 'Jonny and the Sprites,' among many other credits, always puts a big smile on my face. And again, I've admired his work since before he became famous. He sings with such warmth and joy, he adds life to the album.

"But every artist on this album has been carefully chosen, whether he's a seasoned pro I've admired for years or a rising younger performer-to-watch like Alec Deland ("The Triangle Show"), Austin Owen ("Jersey Boys"), Luis Villabon ("A Chorus Line"), Keith Andersen ("Fairy Tales"), Luka Fric ("The Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic"), Ellis Gage ("James and the Giant Peach"), Michael Kasper ("The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue"), Samantha Cunha ("Rent"), Dave Warren ("George M. Cohan & Co."), or Amanda Adams, John Brady and Cody Jordan ("Mad About the Boy"). Different singers are chosen for different strengths. There are superb younger singers in my theatrical family--like Erich Schuett, Tyler DuBoys, Tyqaun White--who've got such fine, appealingly youthful voices that they're just right for certain songs. Other songs require older singers, with more life experience. It's all good, and it all adds to the fun."

Richard Danley is the primary music director for the album (with Sterling Price-McKinney on select tracks). Steve Garrin and Matthew Nardozzi are associate producers. Slau Halatyn is the recording engineer. Frank Avellino handled graphic design. Production assistance provided by Jessee D. Riehl and Peter Charney.