"Can I have a hug?," asked Days of Our Lives actor Yuval David. "That is the number one question ask of me," says Florence Henderson as she invited him to come up on stage to receive his hug on Tuesday night at Cabaret at the Castle.
At 75 years young, she is an extremely impressive woman with a great deal of energy and terrific sense of humor. Among those in attendance included, Romi Dames, Ilene Graff, Tippi Hedren, Ben Lanzarone, Kate Linder, and Florence's TV child, Eve Plumb (Jan Brady) among others. Making the evening extra special, was the fact that her own daughter, Barbara Chase, was in the audience celebrating her birthday.
As the title so aptly explains, Miss Henderson offers an intimate look at the many wonderful chapters of her life from early Broadway successes to becoming a television Icon. During a portion of the show, when Miss Henderson recalls what growing up in a family of 10 children during the post depression era ... "Don't laugh," she warns, "I was number ten" ... by passing a hat while performing as her mother would have her do as a child. A more than anxious audience filled the hat to overflowing, prompting Miss Henderson to match the amount and donate the funds to a local charity - An action that in tern encouraged director Dale Hindman to also match the amount raised.
Opening to tremendous success this week in Los Angeles at Cabaret at the Castle, Florence Henderson will be crossing the country with ALL THE LIVES OF ME under the Music Direction of Emmy winning Musical Director Glen Roven (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BE9fI_rL0o) with future engagements in Indianapolis (Indianapolis Symphony), San Francisco (The Rrazz Room), and New York (Joe's Pub).
Henderson is the very definition of a successful woman...in business, as a mother, a grandmother, a singer, a humanitarian, a philanthropist, as one of the top 5 American spokeswomen, and an actress who has conquered the boards of Broadway as well as both the silver screen and television --- And most of that before she ever became First Lady Michelle Obama and America's Favorite Mom on the Brady Bunch. Is it any wonder that in 2009, Florence was inducted into the Smithsonian Institute's first permanent Entertainment History Exhibit as one of the Leading Ladies of Stage and Screen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-GtXMAyYiM.
Whats next? She is currently in negotiations for the rights to publish her memoirs.
Florence Henderson with Eve Plumb and daughter Barbara Chase
Florence Henderson and the Castle staff
Florence Henderson, Eve Plumb and Tippi Hedren
Dale Hindman and Florence Henderson
Ilene Graff and Philip Casnoff
Kate Linder and Florence Henderson
Lavi Soloway, Florence Henderson and Glen Roven
Romi Dames & Florence Henderson
Yuval David receives his hug from Florence Henderson
Florence Henderson and daughter Barbara Chase
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