Cooper, Belcon, Etc. Set for Porter's Sondheim Revue

Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, CT will present Being Alive, a world premiere musical revue with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, conceived and directed by Billy Porter (Ghetto Superstar: The Man That I Am - 2005 Drama League Award and GLAAD Media Award nominations; Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Moe, etc.).  It will feature additional text by William Shakespeare.  Being Alive will run through August 24 through September 9.

"Billy Porter has jazzed, blues'ed and hipped Sondheim's classic showtunes, creating a completely new perspective, woven together with Shakespeare's eloquence," state press materials.

The revue will feature Natalie Venetia Belcon (Broadway's Tony Award-winning Avenue Q), Chuck Cooper (The Life -Tony Award, Best Featured Actor; Caroline, or Change - Audelco Award), Joshua Henry (In the Heights), N'Kenge (Aida – Arizoni Award nomination, 3 Mo' Divas – Helen Hayes Award nomination), Leslie Odom, Jr. (Rent), Ken Robinson (Ain't Misbehavin', Jelly's Last Jam), and Rema Webb (The Lion King).

The production will feature musical staging by AC Ciulla, musical supervision by James Sampliner, vocal musical direction by Michael McElroy, musical direction by Mark Berman, sets by Allen Moyer, costumes by Anita Yavich, lighting by Kevin Adams, and sound by Brett Jarvis. 

Visit www.westportplayhouse.org for more information.

Photo of Billy Porter by Linda Lenzi