Bill Russell & Alice Ripley at the Duplex Dec. 13 and 20

The Duplex Cabaret Theatre is pleased to present BELTERS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH, a celebration of the lyrics of Bill Russell, the esteemed lyricist of Side Show, Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens and Pageant, among other projects. Belters. will be performed for two special performances only, Mondays, December 13 and 20 at 7pm. There is a $10 cover charge, as well as a two-drink minimum; no one under 21 is permitted. The Duplex Cabaret Theatre is located at 61 Christopher St. on the second floor, in the heart of New York's West Village. For reservations, please call 212.255.5438.

Joining Mr. Russell for both performances are three of Broadway's most venerable performers: Alice Ripley (Sunset Boulevard, Side Show, The Rocky Horror Show, James Joyce's The Dead, The Who's Tommy, Les Miserables), Marcy Harriell (Rent, The Kennedy Center production of Company, Little Fish, Lucky Duck, NBC's Ed), and David McDonald (Side Show, Les Miserables, Forbidden Broadway, Lucky Duck, ABC's All My Children).

In 1980, Bill Russell made his off-Broadway writing debut, penning book and lyrics for Fourtune (music by Ronald Melrose). The show ran for over half a year at the Actors Playhouse and was subsequently performed around the country and in Rio de Janeiro.

In 1985, he teamed up with composer Albert Evans and co-author and lyricist Frank Kelly, to create The Texas Chainsaw Musical off-Broadway -- a revue of unlikely musicals. In 1987, Family Style, with music by Janet Hood, was presented by the Minnesota Musical Theater Workshop and in 1989 their AIDS piece titled Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens premiered at the Ohio Theatre in Soho with Bill directing. Elegies... has been produced all over the U.K. and in Germany, Sweden, Israel and Australia, among many other countries. An all-star benefit performance in New York in April, 2001 with a cast of 52 was recorded by Fynsworth Alley.

In 1991, Pageant, another collaboration with Evans and Kelly, opened off-Broadway at the Blue Angel where it ran for over a year. That project was conceived and directed by Robert Longbottom, and subsequently toured Japan and continues to be produced around the country. In 2000, Bill directed a fringe production at the King's Head Theatre in London which transferred to the West End at the Vaudeville, receiving two Olivier Award nominations, winning one for Best Featured Performer in a Musical. Bill also directed productions in Chicago and Los Angeles.

Side Show, with music by Henry Krieger, marked Bill's Broadway debut as a writer (though he had contributed material to Monteith & Rand's show at the Booth in 1979). The musical, inspired by a true story, opened in October of 1997. It received Tony nominations for Best Musical, Best Score (music and lyrics), Best Book and a rare joint nomination for Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner as Best Actress in a Musical for their portrayal of the conjoined Hilton Sisters. Bill and Henry's second collaboration (with Jeffrey Hatcher) -- a wacky version of the ugly duckling idea, has received five major productions under the title Everything's Ducky. A revised version under the title Lucky Duck premiered at the Old Globe in San Diego in July, 2004, directed by Tony-winner John Rando, and starring Marcy Harriell and David MacDonald.

Mr. Russell also collaborated with Henry Krieger on Kept -- their version of Camille set in and around Studio 54. It premiered in April, 2002 with TheatreWorks of Palo Alto, directed by Scott Schwartz.

Also with Henry, Bill wrote "Santa's Gonna Rock and Roll," the opening number of the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular since 1994. They were commissioned to write "Take the Flame" for the opening ceremonies of Gay Games IV. The song, performed by Lillias White, was repeated at the closing ceremony at Yankee Stadium and was subsequently selected as the official anthem of the Gay Games.

Mr. Russell has received two Commendation Awards from the Gilman-Gonzalez/Falla Foundation and was given an honorary degree by Morningside College in May of 2003.