DREAM
Leslie
Ann Warren
John Pizzarelli
Margaret Whiting
with
The production opened on April 3rd, 1997 and closed on July 6th, 1997 The cast: Margaret Whiting
The stars of the sixteen member cast are Margaret Whiting, John Pizzarelli and Lesley Ann Warren. This web page has been enhanced, and I encourage you to spend some time going though it to find some fantastic graphics from the show as well as full color images of many of the show tunes. The information in these archives are for you to enjoy. This production is the first time that a Broadway show has been created to honor Johnny Mercer. Here are a list of his lyrics featured in DREAM: DREAM
MUSIC BY; Johnny Mercer, Hoagy Carmichael, Walter Donaldson, Matt Malneck, Harry Warren, Richard Whiting, Bernie Hanighen, Harold Arlen, Rube Bloom,Victor Schertzinger, Jerome Kern, Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn, Ziggy Elman, David Raksin, Henry Mancini, James Van Heusen Conceived by: Jack Wrangler and Louise Westergard DREAM which is Wayne Cilento's contemporary "Take" on Johnny Mercer's ageless songs, is a big, glamorous song and dance musical that uses some of Americas's most popular and well-loved music as we travel from Savannah in the 1920's, through the decadent cafe society and elegant Rainbow Room of the 30's, the jitterbug and bittersweet sound of the War Years to Mercer's Hollywood songs in the 1960's. The cast of singers/dancers plus legendary singer MARGARET WHITING tell the story using only Mercer's lyrics. The on stage orchestra, featuring jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli and the John Pizzarelli Trio, grows from a Dixieland Band to a jazz quartet to the 40's Big Band to a full Broadway orchestra. THE PRIMARY CAST The legendary MARGARET WHITING who has performed and is known world wide; without doubt is the only artist fully capable to interpret Johnny's poetry. Margaret grew up in a musical family with her late father, the legendary Richard A. Whiting. From an early age she had the distinct opportunity to know Mercer. When Johnny started the Capitol Label(with Buddy DeSylva and Glen Wallichs) he lost no time in signing the very young Margaret Whiting to this new CAPITOL LABEL. Who would have known some fifty years ago the impact that Mercer and Capitol would have on contemporary American Music. Margaret Whiting has recorded in excess of 500 songs,[with 12 Gold Records] on numerous LP's. Her CD's can be found in music shops throughout the world. Hearing her rendition of "Moonlight in Vermont" ~ gives you only a taste of Margaret Whiting's artistry. I am certain that she presently has more fans then the entire population of that great state! LESLEY ANN WARREN is best known for her Oscar-nominated role as "Norma," the confused showgirl in the film "Victor/Victoria". Her TV awards range from the ACE Award winning role in Tennessee Williams' "27 Wagons Full of Cotton" on the Arts and Entertainment Network to her role as "Cinderella" in Rogers and Hammerstein's TV version of the children's classic. If we think back; we will remember what joy she brought us all in Cinderella. What excitement she will bring back to Broadway. JOHN PIZZARELLI has appeared in numerous entertainment venues from Carnegie Hall, to film , to a 1994 performance when he "opened" for Frank Sinatra. His soothing voice is popping up on numerous CD's; that are rapidly appearing. A musician and singer of the 1990's - he brings a "touch of the contemporary" to Mercer's lyrics and music. The JOHN PIZZARELLI trio features Martin Pizzarelli on Bass and Ray Kennedy on Piano.
ADDITIONAL CAST MEMBERS BROOKS ASHMANSKAS recently played "Bud Frump" in the hit Broadway revival of "How to Succeed." JONATHAN DOKUCHITZ has appeared on Broadway in "COMPANY," "TOMMY,"" INTO THE WOODS" and "ASPECTS OF LOVE." CHARLES McGOWAN played "Mike" in both the Broadway and Film production of " A CHORUS LINE" and has appeared in several other films including "ANNIE," "GREASE II," "BEACHES" and "DEATH BECOMES HER." JESSICA MOLASKEY played "Mrs. Walker" in "TOMMY" and also appeared on Broadway and/or in national companies of "FALSETTOS," "CITY OF ANGELS," "CRAZY FOR YOU," "LES MISERABLES," "CATS," "CHESS" and "OKLAHOMA!" DARCIE ROBERTS co-starred with Tommy Tune in the pre-Broadway tour of "BUSKER ALLEY" and played both "Polly" and "Irene" in "CRAZY FOR YOU" on Broadway, She won the Drama-logue Award for "BABY" in Los Angeles and has toured in "ASPECTS OF LOVE" and "42nd STREET."
The cast of "DREAM" will also feature singer/dancers Todd Bailey, Angelo Fraboni, Amy Heggins, Jennifer Lamberts, Nancy Lemenager, Susan Misner, Kevin Morrow and Timothy Edward Smith. Standby for Leslie Ann Warren: JANE SUMMERHAYS FIVE SCENES in two acts: Scene 1 - "Savannah - The Age of Innocence" JACK WRANGLER, the co-conceiver, of this production, has directing credits with Jane Russell, Sal Mineo, and Betty Hutton. Recently he conceived the popular production of the John Berendt Book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" which successfully toured the United States. During the Olympics this past Summer he directed the Mercer event AND THE ANGELS SING (As the late great Sylvia Syms used to say; "there is hardly a man alive who does not remember And the Angels Sing"). As an aside, the Ziggy Elman-Benny Goodman-Martha Tilton-Johnny Mercer "And the Angels Sing" was recorded on February 1, 1939, almost sixty five years ago. This piece propelled a 30 year-old Mercer into the living rooms of America. If you can remember the "Camel Caravan" radio programs, then you may recall that Elman played the klezmer inspired music "Fralich in Swing"(Der Shtiler Bulgar) on the show (live, of course-as radio was in those days) and Goodman gave Mercer a challenge to write the lyrics within a week. Johnny was slow on this one, it took him two weeks (he was known to write a lyric in a few minutes). There you have it...back to the production of DREAM Here is an historical perspective of Johnny Mercer(1909-1976) by Jack Wrangler: His great American songs span four decades, and include the timeless standards,
"Black Magic","Fools Rush In", "Days of Wine and Roses" and
"Moon River". He wrote songs for motion pictures, winning four of the seventeen
Academy Awards for which he was nominated. And for Broadway. he wrote shows including St.
Louis Woman and L'il Abner. Johnny Mercer was the founder and President of Capitol Records and creator of the
Songwriters Hall of Fame. He discovered and nurtured the talents of Margaret Whiting, Jo
Stafford, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. His lyrics, came naturally from the colorful w Now the rain's a-fallin'
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