TWO ON TAP Comes To The Manatee Players 12/10

A song and dance filled afternoon musical revue is coming to the Manatee Players for one performance on Saturday December 10. Showtime is 2 p.m. TWO ON TAP is a fast-paced and fun-filled show, classic songs by Gershwin, Mercer, Berlin and other Tin Pan Alley songsmiths performed by a high-spirited dance couple are guaranteed to please both audiences looking for a heartwarming trip down "Memory Lane" and theatrical newcomers looking for sophisticated and exciting entertainment. TWO ON TAP marks the creative collaboration of celebrated musical theatre performers (and longtime friends) Melissa Giattino and Ron DeStefano. Their combined love for the beautiful melodies from the early days of Broadway along with the classic precision of tap choreography take center stage in their hit show. Reveling in the chemistry and artistry of iconic song-and-dance couples like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, TWO ON TAP shows why those famous dancing duos continue to impress. The high energy show interweave tons of their trademark tapping with audience favorites (and some unexpected musical surprises!) to rediscover the thrill of "falling in love." With exciting song-and-dance pieces created by noted tap choreographer Richard Schwartz as well as their own original numbers, TWO ON TAP weave sung standards and fancy footwork together to engage young and old audiences alike.

Melissa Giattino began her professional performing career at the age of 17 in the National Tour of A Chorus Line and hasn't looked back since. While appearing in the all-Gershwin musical Crazy for You at the famous Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia, Ms. Giattino auditioned for the Hal Prince/Susan Stroman production of Show Boat and soon found herself singing and dancing alongside an all-star cast on London's West End. Her talents as a true "triple-threat" performer eventually led her back to her home state of New York, where she made her Broadway Debut as an original revival cast member of the tap-dancing spectacular, 42nd Street.

Her incredible talents have been featured as a member of the most well-known kick-line in history, the Radio City Rockettes, and she has assisted and dance-captained for some of the most famous tap choreographers in the business, including Tony Award winner Danny Daniels and Tony Award nominee Randy Skinner. Gifted with a beautiful voice as well, Ms. Giattino has starred in musicals on stages around the world, including the title role in the International Tour of Peter Pan, Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, Esther Smith in Meet Me in St. Louis and Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun. More information on Ms. Giattino can be found at her website: www.missytaps.com.

Ron DeStefano has garnered rave reviews and awards for his performances around the world, from the hottest cabaret venues of New York City to the lavish opera houses of Europe. Originally from South Florida, Mr. DeStefano spent his college years balancing classical vocal performance studies at Florida State University with professional musical theatre roles at Seaside Music Theater in Daytona Beach. Following graduation, he made his way to Manhattan, began auditioning for the Broadway stage, and only months later found himself making his international debut with the Tony-Award winning musical Evita.

Since then, he has crisscrossed North America, singing and dancing at some of the most historic and well-reputed venues in the United States, including New York City's Lincoln Center (Babes in Toyland), Connecticut's Goodspeed Opera House (No, No, Nanette) and New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse (Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella). Mr. DeStefano appeared opposite Academy Award nominee Theodore Bikel in the National Tour of Fiddler on the Roof, and he has lent his lyric tenor to song-and-dance roles in many shows including 42nd Street, Anything Goes, and Sugar Babies. No stranger to the New York City nightclub circuit, he received the coveted Back Stage Bistro Award for his cabaret work and has multiple studio recordings to his credit, including his most recent release - a solo album of romantic songs from the theatre entitled Where Is Love..., now available on iTunes, Amazon or his website: www.rondestefano.com.

Contact info:
Website: http://www.two-on-tap.com

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets may be reserved by calling 748-5875 Monday - Friday from 9-5 and one hour before curtain on performance day or on the Manatee Players' website: www.manateeplayers.com. The performance is at 102 Old Main Street in downtown Bradenton.

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