ZACH Theatre Casts Broadway's Original Dreamgirl, Jennifer Holliday in Sophisticated Ladies

With much excitement, ZACH Theatre announces that Broadway's Original Dreamgirl, Grammy and Tony award-winning JENNIFER HOLLIDAY will star in this summer's Duke Ellington musical revue Sophisticated Ladies. For its premiere production in Austin, the show will play on the Topfer Stage from July 15 - August 23, 2015 under the direction of ABE REYBOLD.

Sophisticated Ladies will welcome audiences to Harlem's famed Cotton Club in this stylish, brassy musical celebration of Duke Ellington's greatest musical hits. A full on-stage orchestra backs superb jazz vocalists, extraordinary tap dancers, dazzling deco costumes, and unforgettable torch singers who bring classics like "Mood Indigo," "Take the A Train," "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" to vivid life in this grand Tony Award-winning Broadway musical.

"I'm thrilled that Jennifer is joining this incredible cast. She has a real affinity and love for Duke Ellington's music, which I know will come through in her performance and will bring something very special to this production," says Abe Reybold, Director. "I'm also excited to introduce Austin to the choreography of Dominique Kelley. He has a deep knowledge of this style of work and brings tremendous versatility. He toured Europe with the revue Black and Blue at age 12, so he has an authentic history with this style of movement, but also brings a modern perspective with contemporary dance influences. "

An actress and recording artist, Miss Holliday's show-stopping, heart-wrenching performance of the torch ballad "And I'm Telling You, I'm Not Going" in the smash hit Broadway musical Dreamgirls introduced her big soulful voice to the world and garnered her a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and her first Grammy Award for Best R&B Female Vocalist. She won a second Grammy for her memorable recording of Duke Ellington's sacred "Come Sunday." Holliday's other theater credits include Sing Mahalia Sing: The Mahalia Jackson Story, Downhearted Blues: The Bessie Smith Story, Harlem Suite (with Aretha Franklin), Chicago, Grease, and Black Nativity. Over the years, Jennifer has worked and recorded with many other major artists including Barbra Streisand, Luther Vandross, David Foster, Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, and Jennifer Hudson. She has also appeared on TV series such as Ally McBeal, Touched By An Angel, Hang Time, Happily Ever After, The Love Boat and Ellen. Holliday continues to perform all over the world with leading symphony orchestras in concert.

Additional casting will be released shortly.

ZACH Theatre's Associate Artistic Director, ABE REYBOLD (The King and I, The Three Little Pigs) will direct Sophisticated Ladies with choreography by tapper and dancer DOMINIQUE KELLEY of Broadway shows Wicked; Hot Feet; Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk; and Wild Women Blues. Kelley's movie credits include Fame, Little Manhattan, The Producers, Across the Universe, Bring It On 5, and Disney's The Princess and the Frog. He's tapped alongside Lionel Richie in the TV Land Awards and rocked out with Miley Cyrus in Hannah Montana: The Movie. Musical Director will be ALLEN ROBERTSON (The Who's Tommy, A Christmas Carol, The Gospel At Colonus) and will be joined by Set Designer J. AARON BELL (The Three Little Pigs), Properties Designer SCOTT GROH (Peter and the Starcatcher, In The Next Room, The Who's Tommy), Lighting Designer MICHELLE HABECK, Sound Designer CRAIG BROCK, Costume Designer SUSAN BRANCH TOWNE (The Who's Tommy, The Gospel At Colonus, A Christmas Carol), and Stage Managers CATE TUCKER and SHANNON RICHEY. Sophisticated Ladies features a concept by DONALD MCKAYLE, based on the music of DUKE ELLINGTON with music and dance arrangements by LLOYD MAYERS and vocal arrangements by MALCOLM DODDS and LLOYD MAYERS.

Duke Ellington (1899 - 1947), a musician, composer and bandleader, called his music "American Music" rather than jazz. He remains one of the most influential figures in jazz, if not in all American music and is widely considered as one of the twentieth century's best-known African American personalities. When asked what inspired him to write, Ellington replied, "My men and my race are the inspiration of my work. I try to catch the character and mood and feeling of my people."

Tickets start at $25 and are available online at www.zachtheatre.org, by phone at 512-476-0541 x1, or in person at the ZACH Theatre Box Office, in the Topfer Theatre, 202 South Lamar Blvd. (corner of Riverside Drive and South Lamar Blvd.) Monday through Saturday, noon - 7 p.m. ZACH Theatre is wheelchair accessible. Discounts are available for groups of 8 or more. Student Rush Tickets are $18 one hour before show time (with valid ID).

Tittle Sponsors of Sophisticated Ladies are Documation and Visa, with Executive Producers Carla Tyson and Bill Dickson, and Producers Annette Renaud, and Garry and Karen Goldstein. Mercedes Benz of Austin is the Official Car of ZACH Theatre.

About ZACH Theatre
A non-profit organization, ZACH creates intimate theatre experiences that ignite the imagination, inspire the spirit, and engage the community. As Austin's leading professional producing theatre, ZACH employs more than 300 actors, musicians, and designers annually to create its own diverse array of nationally recognized plays and musicals under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Dave Steakley and Managing Director Elisbeth Challener. Each year, ZACH serves nearly 115,000 Central Texans - 50,000 of which are children and youth who participate in our education and outreach programs, as well as inspiring camps and classes. ZACH Theatre is honored to host private and community events across the beautiful rental-ready spaces on our three-stage campus located in the heart of Austin. Founded in 1932 and in its 82nd season, ZACH is the longest continuously running theatre company in the state of Texas, and one of the ten oldest in the country. Visit www.zachtheatre.org<http://www.zachtheatre.org/> for more information.

ZACH Theatre's 2014-2015 Season is sponsored in part, by Applied Materials, Austin Catering, Baylor Scott & White Health, Holiday Inn-Lady Bird Lake, Kirk Tuck Photography, Marquee Event Group, OnRamp Access, Schlotzsky's, and KXAN TV 36; and by grants from The Shubert Foundation, the Junior League of Austin, The National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, and the Cultural Arts Division of The City of Austin Economic Development Department.

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