Gallery Players Presents Jana Robbins And Haley Swindal in WE JUST MOVE ON!

Gallery Players and the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus has announced their next virtual program on Saturday, March 6 beginning at 7:15PM. Performed and recorded in NYC just for their Columbus audience, WE JUST MOVE ON! Songs of Kander and Ebb is going to be a virtual event you won't want to miss! The stream will be available at 7:15PM on March 6 and the actors, Jana Robbins and Haley Swindal, will be joining in for a live Q&A at 8:45PM. The evening also includes a tribute to the legacy of Fred Luper (of blessed memory). Tickets are $15 per device and can be purchase online at columbusjcc.org/wejustmoveon.

Kander and Ebb were a highly successful American songwriting team consisting of composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb. Known primarily for their stage musicals, which include Cabaret and Chicago, Kander and Ebb also scored several movies, including Martin Scorsese's New York, New York. Recorded by many artists, "New York, New York" became a signature song for Frank Sinatra.

Jana Robbins is making her return to the Gallery Players stage since she stared in the first Gallery Players Production of "Funny Girl" as Fanny Brice. Jana made her Broadway acting debut in "GOOD NEWS" originally directed by Abe Burrows. Broadway shows that followed were I LOVE MY WIFE directed by Gene Saks: the Pulitzer Prize-winning "CRIMES OF THE HEART, ROMANCE/ROMANCE;" and "GYPSY" directed by Arthur Laurents, where she played Mazeppa. On television, Jana guest-starred on an Emmy Award-winning episode of "Cheers", and other TV appearances include a stint on "General Hospital" as Sheila Houston, as Ambassador Tal on "Babylon 5" and guest star appearances on "Law and Order: SVU", "Criminal Intent" and "Law and Order." She recently appeared on "NURSE JACKIE" and "THE GOOD WIFE." Jana was lead producer for the recent Broadway production of "Fiddler on the Roof" in Yiddish.

Haley Swindal is a dedicated actress with many credits. She recently appeared in Jekyll & Hyde on Broadway, The Secret Garden at Lincoln Center, as a guest soloist, at Carnegie Hall with the NY Pops Orchestra, and is featured in the upcoming live-action movie version of Anastasia. Haley most recently starred as Mama Morton in "Chicago" on Broadway and has family connections in Columbus. Haley is the granddaughter of George Steinbrenner.

This event is coming to fruition because Fred Luper Z"L prior to his passing, had a desire for Jana Robbins to return to the Gallery Players stage. Fred, and his wife Carol, became friends with Jana during her time in Columbus and wanted to see her return to her roots. When Fred passed away this summer, his longtime friends and former JCC Executive Directors, Allan Finkelstein and Carol Folkerth, wanted to make his wish come true, even though he would not be here to see it. Allan explains, "This show was one of Fred's dreams, as his fondness for Jana was clear from her starring in Funny Girl in 1985, up through his advocating for her to be 'back' either as a guest star or in an evening like this."

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, Gallery Players is not able to get Jana to Columbus in person but Jana was excited to make this event happen virtually. Jana and Haley will perform and record their performance in NYC and it will be available from the comfort of your living room. This is not exactly how Fred envisioned it but Carol Folkerth adds, "As a leader, Fred had the philosophy Ready Fire Aim. Do not wait around for things to be perfect because maybe they will not be. Just go for it! He taught me so much about never giving up on your dreams." The JCC and Gallery Players will not let the global pandemic stand in their way of producing outstanding cultural arts programming, Fred would not have wanted that! Pivoting to an online format for their cultural arts programs takes time, dedication and resources. The JCC would like to thank all of the supporters who made this event possible: Ron Blank & Beverly Weston, Dr. Roger & Marilyn Friedman, Bonnie & Allan Finkelstein, Carol & Jeff Folkerth, Al Friedman, Dr. Andrew Glassman, Julie Block Glassman, and Carol Glassman, Rev. Deborah Lindsay, The Luper Family and The Schuster Family, Luper, Neidenthal & Logan, Dr. Jackie & Wendy Berkowitz, Jeffrey Jenkins, and Christina & Bill Logan.

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