Ethel Merman Revue 'CALL ME MISS BIRDS EYE' Makes Pre-Broadway Debut at A.C.T. Tonight

Australia's Acoustic Voice, the only acoustic theater company in the world, announced today the North American premiere of Call Me Miss Birds Eye: A Celebration of Ethel Merman, in its pre-Broadway run at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater tonight, July 8, through July 19, 2015.

Written by Jack Tinker and starring Denise Wharmby as Ethel Merman, Call Me Miss Birds Eye chronicles and celebrates the life of one of Broadway's most legendary performers who came to be known as the First Lady of Musical Theater. The revue includes more than 30 songs from Merman's extensive song catalogue and follows her journey from a day job as a stenographer to when she became the star in her first musical Girl Crazy, and how she balanced her family life, handled rejection and stood her ground against the opinions of musical theater's most famous composers. The story of Merman's life on and off the stage, is punctuated by the songs that defined her career, including "There's No Business Like Show Business," "Everything's Coming up Roses," "I Get A Kick Out of You" and "Anything You Can Do." Highlighting the work of the songwriters who were inspired by her, including George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Cole Porter, Call Me Miss Birds Eye is performed Bel Canto, the traditional Italian vocal technique that Merman perfected and which engulfed audiences with the richness and nuances of the voice in a pure, acoustic form.

The performance schedule is as follows: Tonight, July 8 at 7:30 p.m., Thursdays - Sundays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. Press night for Call Me Miss Birds Eye is Wednesday, July 8, 2015. Tickets (ranging from $20-$65) are available at the A.C.T. Box Office at 415.749.2228 or online at www.act-sf.org.

"As the only theater company in the world that works exclusively with the Bel Canto technique, Acoustic Voice has long celebrated Merman's talent and now we look forward to sharing her life and songbook in its most authentic form," said Dr. Graham Clarke, Artistic Director, Acoustic Voice. "Acoustic Voice uncovered the only remaining script of Tinker's Call Me Miss Birds Eye two years after we learned of the show's original and only incarnation on the West End in 1985 and are excited to share this gem of a show with the San Francisco Bay Area this summer."

The cast of Call Me Miss Birds Eye includes Denise Wharmby as Ethel Merman, Martin Grimwood as lead male incluing narration and performance and Don Bridges as supporting male, including some narration and performance. Directed by Frank McCarty, the creative team includes Musical Director Dr. Graham Clarke, Designer Damien Muller, Choreographer Rick Wallace and Production Manager Daniel West.

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