RESPECT: A MUSICAL JOURNEY OF WOMEN Comes to The Delray Beach Playhouse

From Lillie Langtry to Cyndi Lauper and Betty Boop to Tina Turner, or from Rosie the Riveter to Britney Spears, female singers and pop stars and their music provide a vivid reflection of how much has changed for women since the beginning of the 20th century. Respect: A Musical Journey of Women, which has evolved from a one-woman dissertation by Columbia University Professor Dorothy Marcic to an international hit musical revue, is an entertaining, exuberant, and exhilarating look at the lives of women as reflected in the popular music of the times. Respect will run at the Delray Beach Playhouse from January 28th through February 13th.

Featuring an ensemble cast of eight and a live band, and combining excerpts of 60 songs including "I Enjoy Being a Girl," "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," "I Wanna Be Loved By You," "As Long As He Needs Me" and "Whatever Lola Wants" along with such modern standards as "Where the Boys Are," "It Must Be Him," "The Greatest Love of All," and "Stand by Your Man" with women's own stories about finding dreams, lost love, relationship issues, entering the workforce, gaining independence, and more, Respect has resonated with audiences around the world. Men as well as women will have no trouble at all identifying with the messages of encouragement and empowerment that Respect portrays.

"The show has changed a lot since it premiered in South Florida in 2003," says Respect's director Suzanne Dunn. "That's why we'd encourage anyone who's seen it before to come out and enjoy it again, because it has been updated with different songs and dialogue and will be a new experience. I'm thrilled to be working with the great team at the Delray Beach Playhouse (I first performed on stage there when I was in college at FAU, directed by Randy DelLago in See How They Run) and with this incredible group of actors.

"These very talented women, who are well-known throughout the theatre community, have been rehearsing under the strictest of COVID guidelines - singing and dancing with KN95 masks on every night!" she continues. "They have such a huge amount of enthusiasm and commitment, and audiences are going to have a blast taking this trip down memory lane with them."

Dunn's cast includes Kelley DiLorenzo, Spensyr Bach, Sara Hope Tripp, Amanda Gomes, Lissen Ellington, Rachel O'Hara, Jacynth (J.B.) Brown and Patricia Sotolongo.

Respect's Music Director is Karen Nagy and the show's Choreographer is Jeannie Krouch.

Stage Manager is Michele Popken, Technical Director is Andre Lancaster, Set Design is by Cindi Taylor, Lighting is by Sonia Buchanan, and Props and Costumes are by Susan Rose.

Respect: A Musical Journey of Women will run from January 28 - February 13 at the Delray Beach Playhouse. Tickets are $38 and can be purchased online at delraybeachplayhouse.com/, or by phone at 561-272-1281.The Delray Beach Playhouse is located at 950 NW 9th Street, in Delray Beach (33444).