Tony Nominee Michel Bell Joins SHOW BOAT at Reagle Music Theatre

Tony Award nominee and renowned Broadway actor Michel Bell will make his Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston debut this July!

Bell will revive the role of Joe, the performance that earned him a 1995 Tony Award nomination in Hal Prince's Broadway production of Show Boat. Bell's bass-baritone delivery of the iconic song "Ol' Man River" brought audiences to their feet on Broadway, leading critics to call his voice "a force of nature" (Washington Post) and "so impossibly deep and luxurious that the audience gasps." (The Christian Science Monitor).

Bell will bring his immense talents to the Reagle stage from July 6-16 for 8 performances only, in this intimate Goodspeed Musicals version of the Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II masterpiece.

Rachel Bertone, Director/Choreographer (IRNE Award Winner, Carousel, Wild Party); Musical Director and Conductor Daniel Rodriguez (Carousel, Barnum). Original set design by Mike Micucci. Producing Artistic Director Robert J. Eagle.

Tickets can be purchased at www.reaglemusictheatre.com, by calling 781-891-5600, or at the theater box office (617 Lexington Street, Waltham, MA).

Michel Bell began singing at an early age as a member of Carter Memorial AME Church in Fresno, California. He performed as vocal soloist at many different churches in the area. He was awarded a Vocal Scholarship to Chapman College in Orange County, California.

Mr. Bell received a Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of "Joe" in Hal Prince's production of Show Boat in his Broadway debut. Mr. Bell also appeared on Broadway in the musical Civil War as well as Riverdance: the Musical. He also had his West End debut at the Prince Edward Theatre in Show Boat. At the "America's Millennium" celebration in 2000 Michel performed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. in front of more than 600,000 people including the President and First Lady.

This recipient of the Jefferson Award (Chicago), Ovation Award (Los Angeles) and the Outer Critic's Circle Award (Broadway) and most recently the Kevin Kline Award (St. Louis) is especially known for his emotional portrayal of "Porgy" in Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, which he performed in the United States, Berlin, Cairo, Tokyo, Pompeii, Paris and Eritrea. Michel has performed with the San Diego Opera, Michigan Opera, Opera Pacific and Lyric Opera of Kansas City as well as the L.A. Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony, Fresno Philharmonic, Berlin Radio Orchestra and also the New York Philharmonic. He recently performed at the Royal Room Cabaret at the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach, and one reviewer wrote ..."his take on Ol' Man River, which closes the show, is simply the best. Ever. Period."

He was formerly a member of The Fifth Dimension pop vocal group and has performed with entertainment greats including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Julie Andrews, Perry Como and Sammy Davis Jr. Michel has just finished recording his new CD "My Angel" at Capitol Records in Hollywood. He will also perform as soloist in a World Premiere of the Fabio Luisi Mass later this year in New York.

Show Boat is based on Edna Ferber's bestselling novel, following three generations of the Hawks family on the Cotton Blossom river boat from 1887-1927. The story chronicles the fortunes of naïve Captain's daughter Magnolia and her troubled husband Gaylord Ravenal, and the lives of the performers, stagehands, and dock workers whose lives are affected by the ever-changing social current along the Mississippi River. Show Boat was the first fully integrated "book musical", tackling issues of unhappy marriage, miscegenation and racial prejudice. The musical's classic songs, including "Ol' Man River, "Only Make Believe," "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man," and "You Are Love," have become mainstays of the Broadway canon.

Performance Schedule: Thurs, July 6th at 2:00 PM; Fri, July 7th at 7:30 PM - PRESS NIGHT; Sat, July 8th at 7:30 PM; Sun, July 8th at 2:00 PM; Thurs, July 13th at 2:00 PM; Fri, July 14th at 7:30 PM; Sat, July 15th at 7:30 PM; Sun, July 16th at 2:00 PM.

Show Boat will also star Ciarán Sheehan as GAYLORD RAVENAL*; Sarah Oakes Muirhead* as MAGNOLIA HAWKS and Yewande Odetoyinbo as Queenie. *Denotes Member of Actors Equity Association.

Broadway stars Rachel York and Tom Wopat will turn up the heat in Reagle's final show of the 49th Summer Season -- 42nd Street, running from August 3-13. The ultimate show-biz musical, 42nd Street celebrates Broadway, Times Square, and the people who make the magic of musical theatre. Director and Choreographer Eileen Grace and Co-Choreographer Susan Chebookjian will a recreate Gower Champion's original choreography for the production. Producing Artistic Director Robert J. Eagle, Musical Director and Conductor Daniel Rodriguez.

Single adult tickets for each production in Reagle's 49th Summer Season are $37-$65; discounts apply for seniors, students and groups of 10 or more. Student rush seats at 50% off are available one hour before curtain with a valid college ID. To purchase, visit www.reaglemusictheatre.com, call 781-891-5600, or visit the theater box office at 617 Lexington St, Waltham, MA, 02452. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., with extended hours from 9:00 am to curtain on performance days.

Music by Jerome Kern. Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, based on the novel "Show Boat" by Edna Ferber. The Reagle will be performing the latest version of the musical, arranged and premiered by Goodspeed Opera House. Show Boat is presented through special arrangement with R & H Theatricals: www.rnh.com.