The event featured cast members and associates from Mame, Dear World, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd and her last musical appearance in A Little Night Music.
Dancers over 40 presented a very special and intimate salute to Dame Angela Lansbury, Monday, May 15th at 8pm at the Actors' Temple Theatre in NYC - and it was the highlight of the Spring season. The evening, hosted by Kurt Peterson (Dear World) featured cast members and associates from Dame Angela's ground-breaking musicals Mame, Dear World, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd and her last musical appearance in A Little Night Music. Panelists included John Sheridan Beecher, Anthony Marciona and Richard Sabellico (Gypsy), Sarah Rice (Sweeney Todd), Diane Coupé (Mame), Karen Murphy (A Little Night Music) and Jane Coleman (Dear World), and performances by Jesse Luttrell, Sarah Rice, Kurt Peterson and Karen Murphy.
See photos below!
Also attending and offering remembrances of Dame Angela's career were longtime friends, performers and associates, including columnist Rex Reed and actress Sondra Lee (Hotel Paradiso, Hello, Dolly and more), Broadway publicist Josh Ellis (The King and I revival), personal assistant Clark Bason, along with special guest Charles Kirsch (Backstage Babble). Lots of video clips and notes from cast members and DO40 members unable to attend - Carolyn Kirsch and Mary Zahn (Dear World, Mame), choreographer Larry Fuller (Sweeney Todd) and Mame dance captain Diana Baffa Brill.
DO40 members in attendance included Lawrence Leritz, Ken Bloom, Patrick McCarthy, Sasha Spielvogel, Loni Ackerman Kennedy, Eileen Casey, Karin Baker, Greg Kayne, Patti Mariano, JoAnn Mariano, Jamie DeRoy, Penny Worth, Virginia Seidel, Joe Ahumada, Dennis Birchall, Leslie Burgin, John Sheridan, Damon Evans, Ellen Fluhr, Linda Rose Iennaco, Kathleen Conry, Ann Johnson, Remy Holzer Kirsch, Charles Kirsch, Thomas McRoberts, Anthony Marciona, Leni Anders, Sharon Wendrow, Bobby Hedglin-Taylor, Sandy Nance, James Dybas, Jack Hagan, Jean Preece, Margaret Schuette, Roger Preston Smith, Joshua Ellis, Barbara Wasson and David Wynen. Brava performance on the keyboards by musical director Fred Barton, and such great support from DO40 volunteers on the board of directors, Bobby Hedglin-Taylor, Patrick McCarthy, Sharon Wendrow, Leni Anders, Ken Bloom and Sasha Spielvogel.
Cast bows
Kurt Peterson, Clark Bason, Rex Reed, Sondra Lee, Joshua Ellis
Karen Murphy, Jane Coleman, Kurt Peterson
Kurt Peterson, John Sheridan, Anthony Marciona, Charles Kirsch, Sarah Rice, Richard Sabellico
Loni Ackerman, Wayne Scherzer, Sasha Spielvogel
John Sefakis, Diane Coupe
Jamie deRoy, Sarah Rice, Virginia Seidel
Eileen Casey, Penny Worth
Videos