TWITTER WATCH: CAGNEY Celebrates 100th Performance in Yankee Doodle Style.

By: Jun. 29, 2016
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Josh Walden, Ellen Zolezzi, Robert Creighton,
Danette Holden and Jeremy Benton in CAGNEY
(Photo: Carol Rosegg)

As a scrappy tough guy who would slug out dirty, yellow-bellied rats in one picture and flash quick-stepping tap shoes in the next, James Cagney was truly a Hollywood original. His performances in "The Public Enemy" and as George M. Cohan in "Yankee Doodle Dandy," show tremendous range and versatility.

But Robert Creighton, who co-authored and stars in the hit Off-Broadway musical CAGNEY, sure brings the spirit of the screen legend back to life, with tense dramatic scenes and rousing song-and-dance showstoppers.

This afternoon, CAGNEY's matinee performance was the 100th of its Westside Theatre run, so a celebratory cake was certainly in order.

"The idea for CAGNEY began when I was still in acting school," says Creighton. "And now, all these years later, it's a dream come true to share the stage with this amazing cast and celebrate this screen legend and native New Yorker."

Not even five and half feet tall, James CAGNEY's oversized talent catapulted him from scrappy Irish kid on the streets of New York to Hollywood legend on "the top of the world." A Vaudeville hoofer turned actor, CAGNEY made a splash on Broadway before Hollywood called and made him one of the Silver Screen's most iconic tough guys in legendary films including The Public Enemy, The G Men and White Heat. But it was his turn as song and dance man George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy that earned him the Academy Award and forever cemented his place as one of America's most beloved movie legends alongside the likes of Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Marlyn Brando, Jimmy Stewart and Fred Astaire.

CAGNEY's six-member cast stars Broadway's Robert Creighton (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Anything Goes) as the legendary James CAGNEY, with Jeremy Benton (Nat'l Tour of Irving Berlin's White Christmas), Danette Holden (Broadway's Annie, Shrek the Musical), Josh Walden (Broadway's Ragtime,La Cage aux Folles, A Chorus Line), Ellen Zolezzi (Seussical), and Bruce Sabath (Broadway's Company).

Directed by Bill Castellino (Grumpy Old Men, Jolson), and choreography by Tony Award nominee Joshua Bergasse (On the Town, Gigi), CAGNEY features a book by Peter Cooley (I'll Be Back Before Midnight) and score that blends original music by Robert Creighton and Christopher McGovern (Lizzie Borden) with classic George M. Cohan favorites, including "Give My Regards To Broadway," "Grand Old Flag," and Yankee Doodle Dandy."

CAGNEY features a scenic design by James Morgan, costume design by Martha Bromelmeier, lighting design by Michael Gilliam, sound design by Janie Bullard, projection design by Mark Pirolo, music coordination by Larry Lelli, fight direction by ChristIan Kelly-Sordelet and Rick Sordelet, casting byCarol Hanzel, and general management by Brierpatch Productions.

CAGNEY is produced by Riki Kane Larimer (Fiddler on the Roof, Tappin' Thru Life, On The Town, Gigi), in association with Jamie deRoy, Sharon Azrieli, Joe Cecala, Barbara Freitag, Joel B. Grossman, Joe Sirola, Mary Cossette, Emily Conner, Leonard Landau, 8350 Productions LLC, and In Fine Company.



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