Photos: Klea Blackhurst in ONE OF THE GIRLS

On February 21, Klea Blackhurst turned her long association with Broadway's Jerry Herman into a brand new show, ONE OF THE GIRLS at Birdland in NYC.

Considered one of Herman's premier interpreters, Klea officially became one of "Jerry's Girls" when she starred in the 50th Anniversary Production of Hello, Dolly! at Goodspeed Opera House. But they were introduced years before, when Jerry heard Klea sing one of the cut Hello, Dolly! songs written for Ethel Merman (the original choice to star in the show.) He immediately invited Klea to sing with the London Philharmonic at the Palladium and she's been singing his songs with symphony orchestras across the country ever since. ONE OF THE GIRLS will focus attention on the powerful, loving and memorable women in Jerry's life. Both real, like his dear mother Ruth, who taught him that you could throw a party simply because "It's Today" and characters like Mame, who encouraged us to "Open A New Window", Dolly Levi, who decided to rejoin the human race "Before The Parade Passes By" and Zaza, who bravely declared, "I Am What I Am." Jerry has lifted wonderful women off the page and into our hearts for almost six decades. The show was produced by Denise Cooper, directed by Mark Waldrop, with Musical Direction by Michael Rice, who led the Pocket Change Trio.

Photo Credit: Kevin Alvey