Lyrics
& Lyricists Salutes
Walter Donaldson and
De Sylva, Brown & Henderson
NEW YORK,
NY: MARCH 4, 2001 Æ The biggest hit-makers of the 1920s, Walter Donaldson
and De Sylva, Brown & Henderson, are saluted in this the 31st season
of Lyrics & Lyricists at the 92nd Street Y Tisch Center for the Arts.
Broadway and film singing star Marni Nixthon hosts five performances
only: Saturday, March 17th at 8:00 pm, Sunday, March 18 at 2:30 and
8:00 pm, and Monday, March 19th at 2:00 and 8:00 pm. Tickets: $40
Performing
such hits as "Carolina in the Morning," Makin' Whoopee," "The Best
Things in Life Are Free," "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Life is Just a
Bowl of Cherries" are Joe Beredino (EVITA), Mark Hardy (TITANIC and
LES MISERABLES), Mike Burstyn (JOLSON), M. Kathryn Quinlan (WIZARD
OF OZ), Cindy Marchionda (WIZARD OF OZ), and recording artist Annette
Sanders. D. Jay Bradley is pianist and musical director.
Marni Nixon
was dubbed the "Ghostess with the Mostess" by Time magazine for her
recurring but unseen role as the singing voice for some of the greatest
film stars, including Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady" and Natalie
Wood in "West Side Story." She also dubbed the voices of Marilyn Monroe,
Janet Leigh, and Deborah Kerr. Nixon later toured extensively with
Liberace and Victor Borge and, more recently, appeared on Broadway
in James Joyce's THE DEAD and on tour as Fraulein Schneider in CABARET.
Walter Donaldson's
(1893-1947) catalog of hits may be the longest of any 1920s songwriter.
His best-known Broadway score was for WHOOPEE (1928), which starred
Eddie Cantor. The son of a piano teacher, Donaldson never formally
studied music but began writing songs in high school. He met Irving
Berlin during the war and later joined the Irving Berlin, Inc., Music
Publishers, staying for 10 years. During that time, he wrote many
of his finest hits, including "My Mammy," "Carolina in the Morning,"
"Yes Sir, That's My Baby," "My Baby Just Cares For Me" and "Love Me
or Leave Me." He later signed with MGM and contributed songs to several
Hollywood musicals, including "The Great Ziegfeld," "Panama Hattie"
and "Follow the Boys."
DeSylva, Brown
& Henderson was one of the most successful songwriting teams of the
20th century and typified the carefree, upbeat era of the Roaring
Twenties. The songs from this "hit machine" include "The Best Things
in Life are Free," "Button Up Your Overcoat," "Sunny Side Up," "You're
the Cream in My Coffee" and "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries." The
team, which included Lew Brown (1893-1958), Raymond Henderson (1896-1970)
and Buddy De Sylva (1895-1950), also wrote the songs that spawned
the Charleston dance craze, including "Black Bottom," "The Varsity
Drag" and Henderson's "Has Anybody Seen My Gal" (written with Sam
Lewis and Joe Young).
Lyrics & Lyricists
is conceived and directed by artistic director Barry Levitt and written
by Brenda Levitt. Pamela Sousa is the assistant director and choreographer,
John Kelly is the lighting designer, and Kitty Leech is the costume
coordinator.
Coming up
in the 31st season of Lyrics & Lyricists are "The Hits of Duke Ellington"
on April 21st, 22nd and 23rd; and "The Great Songwriting of Harold
Arlen" on June 9th, 10th and 11th.
For information,
tickets or a catalog of 92nd Street Y programs, the public may call
212-415-5500 or visit the 92nd Street Y Box Office (Lexington Avenue
at 92nd Street). The 92nd Street Y can be reached easily by the #4,
#5 and #6 subways to 86th Street.
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