John McDaniel to Direct Shirley Jones in TheatreZone Fundraiser, 11/9

Grammy and two-time Emmy Award-winning music director and composer John McDaniel (Bonnie and Clyde, The Rosie O'Donnell Show) is coming to Naples to music direct Oscar-winning actress Shirley Jones at TheatreZone's gala fundraiser "An Evening with Shirley Jones" on Sunday, Nov. 9.

Ms. Jones will be backed by a live three-piece band that includes TheatreZone artistic director Mark Danni playing drums, John McDaniel on piano, and Joe Choomack on bass.

McDaniel composed Rosie O'Donnell's theme song and led the band for her rollicking TV talk show for six years. He also arranged music for the Tony Awards; conducted Grease; received the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his musical direction ofChicago; won a Grammy for producing the Annie Get Your Gun Broadway cast album; and recorded a solo piano CD. He was the musical director for Catch Me If You Can, based on the Steven Spielberg film. He's also composing the music for two shows, The Titansand It's A Wonderful Life.

His association with Rosie dates back to 1994 when he conducted the Broadway revival of Grease, for which He also created new vocal and dance arrangements, went on to become Broadway's longest running revival. Stars who John added to the cast throughout its run included Brooke Shields, Jon Secada, Sheena Easton, Chubby Checker and Jennifer Holliday.

McDaniel has been a featured pops conductor for the Milwaukee Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony and the Utah Symphony orchestras and has been invited for multiple return engagements with the Indianapolis Symphony, the Buffalo Philharmonic and his hometown Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Additionally, McDaniel was the supervising Music Director of the Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun, starring Bernadette Peters (and subsequently Reba McEntire), which won the 1999 Tony award for Best Revival of a Musical and for which he received his Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. He also conducted the smash hitChicago on Broadway, the 1993 reunion of the original Broadway cast of Company in concert at Lincoln Center, the U.S. tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber'sStarlight Express, off-Broadway's Blame It On the Movies, and solo performances artists such as Cab Calloway, Nell Carter, George Burns and Al Jarreau.

In addition, John has enjoyed a long association with Patti LuPone, arranging the show Patti LuPone on Broadway, having both arranged and conducted the recording of Patti LuPone Live!

McDaniel served as Resident Conductor of the Long Beach Civic Light Opera for several seasons, music directing such shows as Into the Woods (starring Leslie Uggams), Pal Joey (starring Elaine Stritch and Dixie Carter), Company (starring Carol Burnett) and Queen of the Stardust Ballroom (starring Tyne Daly) and Chicago (starring Juliet Prowse and Bebe Neuwirth).

Finally, he has recorded three solo CDs, John McDaniel at the Piano: Broadway, John McDaniel at the Piano: Christmas, and his latest, John McDaniel at the Piano: Compositions, which is exclusively original works composed by Mr. McDaniel.

Tax deductible tickets cost $275 per person for the gala only and $425 for the VIP ticket which includes the pre-event reception, gala, a wine bar, beer and a special "Shirley" cocktail, plus a variety of hot and cold hors d'oeuvres. Couples' discounts are also available. All proceeds benefit TheatreZone, a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation.

Seating is limited to 150 guests. Contact gala co-chairperson Karen Kayser Benson at (239) 293-0354 for more information.

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