Sammy Williams Comes to Arthur Newman Theatre, 10/2

Born in Trenton, NJ, Sammy Williams toured in shows in upstate New York before making it to Broadway in 1973. While dancing in "Seesaw," a show by Broadway powerhouse Michael Bennett, Williams was picked for a group of dancers to participate in and be filmed, candidly discussing the trials and tribulations of life in the theater. What Williams didn't realize was that Bennett planned to turn the material into a history-making production called "A Chorus Line."

Williams was offered a role of Paul in the show when it opened in 1975, for which he won the Tony Award. In 1980 he went into a self-imposed retirement. "I had reached a point where I didn't want to dance anymore and was not being taken seriously as an actor," he said. "I was so well-known as Paul in "A Chorus Line' it was hard to break away from the mold, and decided to go off and do something different." He moved to North Hollywood to be a florist for nearly 10 years. Despite accolades for his work and floats in the Tournament of Roses Parade, he realized there was something missing in his life.

"I just really wanted to perform, I would go to shows and say, I miss this." Since coming out of retirement, Williams has performed in musicals across California, happy to ride the wave of his "A Chorus Line" success. He is also included with some of the biggest legends in show business who contributed their stories to a documentary in post-production - "Broadway: Beyond The Golden Age".

On October 2nd, Sammy will bring his one-man show based on his experiences before, during, and after, "A Chorus Line" and will include songs, stories, and - yes some dancing too. Accompanying Sammy on the piano is musical director; Ron Snyder who has a strong following in the Desert having played for numerous performers presented by Les Michaels' Life Is A Cabaret Productions. Show time is 7 PM with box office opening at 6 PM. Tickets are $10 cash at the door and on line at www.brownpapertickets.com.

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