LES CHANTEUSES Announced At IndyFringe Festival

Klein and Alvarez Productions, LLC is proud to present an electrifying homage to African-American divas for IndyFringe Festival Aug. 15-25, 2019. This year marks the 15th anniversary of Indianapolis' premier theater event. This production will be equally as special, as three accomplished local artists celebrate The Supremes, Aretha, Whitney, Beyoncé and other icons, alongside some of the city's most talented musicians. "Les Chanteuses" is a tribute to black divas, who have not only made major contributions to the entertainment world, but have also blazed trails for African-American women.

"'I am really excited about 'Les Chanteuses' because of the rich music," said pianist and music director Dustin Klein. "The African-American catalogue of songs is immense and I picked my favorites in creating the show. From Billie Holiday to Destiny's Child, there is something for everyone and I can't wait to see the audience's reaction. It is so rewarding to be able to bring a diverse show like this to the stage and showcase these three very talented black women."

This marks Rayanna Bibbs's second performance in a Klein & Alvarez production, having wowed Fringe Festival audiences last summer in "Broadway's Leading Ladies: A Tribute." The Indianapolis native's credits include Motormouth Maybelle in "Hairspray," Sofia in "The Color Purple" and Effie White in "Dreamgirls." Bibbs earned a bachelor's degree in theatre from Indiana State University, where she appeared in several musicals.

Enjoli' Desiree is an Indianapolis actor-singer, whose most recent credits include Summit Performance's "Same Blood: Stories of Inequity from 10 Black Women Living in Central Indiana" at Phoenix Theatre, and "Legally Blonde" at Footlite Musicals. She earned a BA in Theatre Performance from University of Southern Indiana, where she performed in several productions, such as "Spring Awakening" and "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee."

Bridgette Ludlow most recently appeared in "The Christians" at Phoenix Theatre, "Murder Ballad" at Footlite Musicals, and "The Full Monty" at New Harmony Theatre. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Arts from University of Southern Indiana, she moved to Orlando to be an acting and education intern at Orlando Shakespeare Theater, where she regularly performed on stage.

"'Les Chanteuses' perfectly fits our mission of promoting inclusiveness and discovering and showcasing new talent," said producer and managing director Tom Alvarez. "Klein & Alvarez Productions can't wait to present what we hope will be another Fringe favorite."

Dustin Klein and Tom Alvarez of Klein & Alvarez Productions, LLC created "Broadway's Leading Ladies: A Tribute" for the IndyFringe Festival 2018, the top-selling show at its venue and second highest-selling show of the festival. The creative team also produced the best-selling show of IndyFringe Festival 2016, "Calder, The Musical," which they turned into a full-length production that made its debut in January 2017 to packed houses in Indianapolis. Klein and Alvarez are working to take the award-winning biographical musical to other markets, while simultaneously presenting their critically acclaimed Magic Thread Cabaret series, which regularly sells out The Cat Theatre in Carmel. The final show of the current season is "Singing Streisand: An Evening with Brynn Kathryn Tyszka" October 11-13, 2019.

The set list for "Les Chanteuses" one-hour Fringe show includes, "Stormy Weather," "Midnight Train to Georgia," "I Have Nothing," and "I Am Changing." In addition to Dustin Klein playing the piano, the show will feature Millard Stafford on drums and Scott Caroll on bass. In the spirit of the vaudeville tradition, model Johnnie Taylor will introduce songs titles by placing signs on an easel. Jerico Hughes is the choreographer and Cheryl Harmon of Costumes by Margie will dress the cast. The show is generously sponsored by Diane Meyer Simon, BMO Harris Bank, Patsy Solinger, Frank and Katrina Basile, Mario and Kristy Garcia and Jeff and Amy Goodwin.

Tickets for "Les Chanteuses" are $15 and will be on sale at IndyFringe.org or at the door of The District Theatre Main Stage, 627 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis.

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