Fred Barton Orchestra, Terri White, Sam Harri & More Set for AMERICAN SHOWSTOPPERS at Schimmel Center

On Saturday, October 18, noted arranger Fred Barton will bring the music of Broadway and the American Songbook showmanship to the Schimmel Center at Pace University in American Showstoppers: An Evening of Cy Coleman. The legendary Cy Coleman composed some of the most high-octane, brassy Broadway scores ever written, including Sweet Charity, Seesaw, Little Me, Barnum, The Will Rodgers Follies, and Broadway's ultimate big-band swing show, City of Angels. Fred Barton, collaborator with Cy Coleman on three of his productions, now brings the powerful pulse of Coleman's Broadway sound back where it belongs, front and center, with a hot twelve-piece swing orchestra and a cast of 20 Broadway singers and dancers, with direction and choreography by Scott Thompson. The concert will feature the top Cy Coleman hit songs as well as solid gold gems that deserve another hearing, performed by the Fred Barton Orchestra and a cast including Sam Harris and Terri White, original Broadway cast members of some of Cy Coleman's best-loved shows.

Broadway performers in the cast include Tony Nominee Sam Harris (Cy Coleman's The Life, Grease, The Producers) and Terri White (Cy Coleman's Barnum, Cy Coleman's Welcome to the Club, Follies, Chicago, Finian's Rainbow), in addition to Kevin Earley (Death Takes a Holiday, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Les Miserables), Deidre Goodwin (Chicago (Broadway and film), A Chorus Line, Nine), Tari Kelly (Anything Goes, The Boy From Oz, Show Boat), Damon Kirsche (One For My Baby (workshop), Encores' Ziegfeld Follies of 1936, Encores' Strike Up the Band, Encores' On A Clear Day), Karen Murphy (A Little Night Music, 9 to 5, 42nd Street, All Shook Up, Titanic), Lindsay Roginski (Chicago, One For My Baby (workshop)), and Leslie Stevens (La Cage Aux Folles, Victor Victoria, Big). The up-and-coming "New Faces of 2014" include Hannah DeFlumeri, AJ Hunsucker, and Jesse Luttrell. The Scott Thompson Dancers include Barrett Davis, Evan Campbell, Buddy Flowers, Jeff Metzler, Jeff Legace, Jeremy Miranda, Justin Henry, and Eric Rivas.

As Broadway and pop styles of today move ever farther in new and distant directions, The Fred Barton Orchestra and his cast of performers are dedicated to celebrating and maintaining the priceless legacy of the Broadway pioneers who forged the new and popular entertainment art form that defined American theatre music, and gave our culture one of its most unique and beloved traditions: musical comedy.

Ticket prices for American Showstoppers: An Evening of Cy Coleman at Schimmel Center at Pace University range from $29-$49. The performance will take place on Saturday, October 18 at 7:30pm.

FRED BARTON (Host, Producer, Arranger). Fred Barton's symphony arrangements are played regularly by the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and major symphonies around the country. On Broadway and national tour, Fred conducted Anthony Quinn in Zorba, Hal Prince's production of Cabaret, Cy Coleman's City of Angels and Robert Goulet in Camelot; he played in the pit of Cy Coleman's The Will Rogers Follies and appeared as actor and musical director in Coleman's Lawyers, Lovers, and Lunatics. Fred is currently co-librettist, musical supervisor and arranger for the Broadway-bound Harold Arlen musical One For My Baby. Fred debuted in New York as the original arranger/pianist for Forbidden Broadway. He created the book, music and lyrics for his one-man show Miss Gulch Returns! (Backstage Bistro Award), which is now being performed at theatres nationwide, wrote book, music and lyrics for The Two Svengalis, and wrote music and lyrics for Universal's Creature From The Black Lagoon. Fred's TV credits as composer and arranger include HBO's Cathouse: The Musical, "Olivia," "Wonder Pets!," and "The Magic School Bus" (Emmy Award.) He has produced and arranged numerous CDs. Fred's favorite activity is to present his concerts of classic show music with Broadway headliners and his orchestra in Pace's American Showstoppers series. See www.fredbarton.com for more.

SCOTT THOMPSON (Director/Choreographer) is an award winning Director, Choreographer, Writer and Producer. Scott has been working in theatre for thirty years and has directed and choreographed over one hundred professional productions nationwide. He has worked with a 'who's who' of contemporary Broadway stars, both in full musical productions and in concerts from Los Angeles to New York's Town Hall and Lincoln Center. Scott has won numerous awards, including five Connecticut Critics Circle Awards, two San Francisco Critics Awards, and the Los Angeles Ovation Award for his Direction and Choreography. He directed and choreographed HBO's Cathouse: The Musical, and he is Co-Author and Director/Choreographer of the new Broadway-bound musical One For My Baby.

KEVIN EARLEY (Principal Performer). Recently played "Tommy" in the re-worked Brigaoon at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. Broadway credits include Les Miserables, Thoroughly Modern Millie, A Tale of Two Cities. Kevin was a Drama Desk Nominee for his portrayal of the title role in Maury Yeston's Death Takes a Holiday. Cast Recordings include Death Takes a Holiday, A Tale of Two Cities, and Earley Standards.

DEIDRE GOODWIN (Principal Performer). Broadway credits include A Chorus Line, Chicago, Nine, The Boys from Syracuse, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Rocky Horror Show, Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life and Never Gonna Dance. As a "Merry Murderess" in the Oscar-winning film Chicago, she garnered a piece of the 2003 SAG Award for Best Ensemble. Other film credits include The Bourne Legacy, Love and Other Drugs, It's Complicated, Across the Universe and the documentary Every Little Step. Television appearances include "30 Rock," "Law & Order SVU," "Nurse Jackie," and three appearances on "The Tony Awards." She is also the co-creator of The Broadway Warm-Up: A completely synchronized vocal and dance warm-up. Broadwaywamup.com for more info.

SAM HARRIS (Principal Performer). Broadway: The Life (Tony, OCC, DD Nominations, DL Award), The Producers, Grease (DL Award, DD Nomination). Off-Broadway/Regional: Joseph... (National Tour), Hair, Pippin, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cabaret, The Jazz Singer, and The First Wives Club. TV: premiere winner on "Star Search," "The Class," "Rules of Engagement." Harris is a multi-million selling recording artist with 9 studio CDs, and has toured the globe in concert, appearing with The Boston Pops and other prominent symphonies. Sam wrote the stage musicals Hard Copy, Revival, Hurry! Hurry! Hollywood!, and the LA smash hit, SAM. For television, he co-created/wrote the television sitcom "Down To Earth," supervised segments of "Michael Jackson's 30th Year Anniversary at Madison Square Garden," and co-produced the television special "Love Letter to New York." He also wrote and directed the concert event New York's Finest, and co-wrote Liza's Back at the Palace. Sam's released his first book HAM: Slices of a Life in January 2014, and a show of the same name is in development for an upcoming Off-Broadway run.

TARI KELLY (Principal Performer) brought down the house playing "Reno Sweeney" in the recent Anything Goes revival on Broadway. Her other Broadway credits include How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Boy >From Oz, and Hal Prince's revival of Show Boat. On national tour she headlined Little Shop Of Horrors, Show Boat, and regional leading roles include The End Of The Rainbow, Cabaret, Thoroughly Modern Millie, White Christmas, Man of La Mancha, Funny Girl, and Chicago.

DAMON KIRSCHE (Principal Performer). American baritone and stage and screen actor. On screen, Kirsche can be seen in Ted Turner's epic Gods and Generals, the TV series "LA Confidential," and "StarTrek: Voyager." Kirsche can be heard on the Decca Broadway Original Cast album of The Ziegfeld Follies of 1936, and the Carnegie Hall archival recording of The Gershwins' Tip-Toes, as well as the vintage swing recordings Goblin Market and Devil's Serenade, and is featured on the recording In Here: Music and Lyrics by Charles Bloom. His concert and theatre work includes both early Broadway rarities and premieres, including Very Warm for May and The Gershwins' Tip-Toes, and numerous appearances with both NY's Encores and LA's Reprise series with Peter Matz. He was the feature performer at Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall in Eric Whitacre's Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings, and played leading roles in the new Harold Arlen musical One for My Baby and Seth Rozin's A Passing Wind (Philadelphia's Kimmel Center; Barrymore Award nomination).

KAREN MURPHY (Principal Performer). Karen's collaboration with Fred Barton goes back 30 years (this month!) to the opening of Forbidden Broadway in Boston. Since then, their mutual admiration society has produced their award-winning show Torch Goddess (Backstage Bistro Award Best Debut), and numerous stints with Pops Orchestras throughout the USA and Canada. Career highlights include stepping in for Angela Lansbury during the 2010 Broadway revival of A Little Night Music, singing "Feed the Birds" in Mary Poppins (National Tour), My Vaudeville Man (DD Nomination), Zombie Prom (Encore Taking Off Award), and Forbidden Broadway in New York and Tokyo. Additional Broadway credits include 42nd Street, Titanic, 9 to 5, the original cast of A Christmas Carol, and National Tours of White Christmas, The Wizard of Oz, and Les Miz. Off-Broadway: My Vaudeville Man, Zombie Prom, Showtune, L'Amour, The Merrier!, Hysterical Blindness. Special thanks to agent/manager Ellie Goldberg for 25 years of leadership. Her CD Torch Goddess is available from iTunes, CD Baby and in the lobby after tonight's performance.

LINDSAY ROGINSKI (Principal Performer). Recently starred on Broadway as "Roxie Hart" in Chicago, as well as in the national tour and at Sacramento Music Circus (2013). Starred as "Lola" in Damn Yankees opposite Richard Kind. Off-Broadway: La Goulou the Fartiste. She was featured in Heat Wave: The Jack Cole Project, directed and choreographed by Chet Walker. Her other credits include One for My Baby, Grease, 42nd Street, Godspell, Crazy for You, Closer Than Ever, My One and Only, and Annie. She recently made her New York cabaret debut at the prestigious Metropolitan Room, Iridium Jazz Club and 54 Below. She is currently working on her new cabaret show set to debut later this year. www.lindsayroginski.com

LESLIE STEVENS (Principal Performer) has moved between acting and dance worlds all her life. Broadway: La Cage Aux Folles (OBC), Victor/Victoria (with Julie Andrews). Off-Broadway/Regional: Sweet Charity (Austin Musical Theatre and Downtown Cabaret Theatre), Into the Woods and Parade (3D Theatricals), Chapter Two (Laguna Playhouse), God of Carnage, Chicago (Hollywood Bowl). Leslie danced as a soloist with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Dayton Ballet and In 15 productions with LA Opera. Her TV and film work includes leading roles in feature films The Boarder and Threshold, and guest appearances on "Private Practice," "The Fosters." "Young & the Restless." She is thrilled to perform Cy Coleman's music with fabulous artists and the Fred Barton Orchestra. www.lesliestevens.net

TERRI WHITE (Principal Performer). Broadway and Off-Broadway include Cy Coleman's Barnum, Ain't Misbehavin' (1978 and 1988), Cy Coleman's Welcome to the Club, Tommy Tune's The Club (Obie Award), Nuncrackers, Finian's Rainbow (Drama desk and Outer Critics Circle Nominations, 2010), Stepping Out at Radio City with Liza Minnelli. Other shows include, Show Boat, Damn Yankees, Bubbling Brown Sugar, Juba, The Jungle Book, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Chicago, And The World Goes 'Round, Little Shop of Horrors, and most recently in the Tony Award nominated productions of Follies (Kennedy Center, Broadway, and LA.). She can be seen on VHS and DVD in Nunsense I & II, Liza Live at Radio City Music Hall, Boys on the Side, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Recent concerts appearances include 92nd St. Y, Joe's Pub, Birdland, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, John W. Engeman Theatre, Feinstein's, Waterfront Theatre (Key West), San Carlos Theatre (Key West), The Razz Room (San Francisco), Barre Vermont (LA), The Terrace Theatre (Barbara Cook Spotlight Series), Kennedy Center , The Crest Theatre (Delray Beach, FL), and 54 Below.

HANNAH DeFLUMERI ("New Face of 2014" Performer). Tours: Legally Blonde: The Musical. Regional: Rocky Horror Picture Show, Cats, Les Miserables. NY Theatre/Readings: Deployed (NYMF); Pumped; Billy, Goat, Gruff. hannahrosedeflumeri.com

AJ HUNSUCKER ("New Face of 2014" Performer) is excited to return to the Michael Shimmel Center stage with the Fred Barton Orchestra. Off-Broadway: Fabulous! The Queen of New Musical Comedies. Regional: World Premiere of S'Wonderful (Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera), 42nd Street, Hairspray, Cats, Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph..., High School Musical (West Virginia Public Theatre), Kiss Me Kate, The Wizard of Oz, and East Coast Premiere of Watson: The Last Great Tale of the Legendary Sherlock Holmes (Gretna Theatre), Hairspray (Arizona Broadway Theatre), Gypsy, Oliver, Bat Boy: The Musical, Chicago, Damn Yankees, The Music Man (Red Mountain Theatre Company), Carousel (Birmingham Symphony Orchestra). AJ would like to thank Fred, Scott, and Nancy Carson at the Carson-Adler Agency, Inc.

JESSE LUTTRELL ("New Face of 2014" Performer) is considered by many the consummate 'modern-day' vaudevillian. He has appeared nationally and internationally in musicals, cabaret, and concert engagements. His critically acclaimed vaudeville/burlesque musical revue Bawdy has been running in New York City at Stage72/The Triad since 2009. Select theatrical credits include: Joseph..., Cabaret, The Rocky Horror Show, and Cats. Jesse trained and danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and The Rock School/Pennsylvania Ballet. His historic debut album, orchestrated/conducted by Fred Barton, was recently the last album recorded at the legendary Nola Recording Studios and is available on iTunes.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit http://schimmel.pace.edu or call toll-free (866) 811-4111.

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