Award-winning producers, Michael & Barbara Ross, will present the 2008 Back Stage Bistro Award Winning Greg Purnhagen in BABALU-CY – the art of Desi Arnaz, Off-Broadway, at the Actors Temple Theater, beginning August 23rd. Conceived & written by Greg Purnhagen, BABALU-CY takes a look at Arnaz' career from his tremendous success as a bandleader/singer to his relationship with America's favorite red-head. Complete with a seven-piece Latin band led by Musical Director/Arranger David Cook, BABALU-CY is directed by Leonard Peters.
Greg Purnhagen was born in Manhattan & raised on Long Island in Massapequa Park, where he did not know
Jerry Seinfeld, the Baldwin Brothers or Joey Buttafuoco. A classically-trained singer (NYU, Mannes College of Music), Greg, along with his long-time musical director,
David Cook, has created several well-received shows at clubs in New York, As a cast member of Rendezvous - An Evening With Piaf, Brel, Aznavour& Friends (2008 MAC Nominee), he appeared at Feinstein's at Loews Regency & the Metropolitan Room. BABALU-CY – the Art of
Desi Arnaz, debuted at the Metropolitan Room in July 2007, winning a 2008 Back Stage Bistro Award for "Best Theme Show." Purnhagen has toured extensively in the US, Europe, the Far East, Australia & Russia, working with such avant-garde luminaries as
Philip Glass,
Mary Zimmerman,
Robert Wilson,
Meredith Monk &
John Kelly. He has appeared in several Off-Off Broadway shows & during the 90's, he was a BMG recording artist as a member of the á cappella quartet Toby Twining Music. His recordings include the Glass works he has premiered; Avant-Garde Opera, Early Music, New Music & several Original Cast Albums. He is especially proud to have been a guest vocalist on Bjork's CD, Medulla.
Leonard Peters has been directing, coaching & teaching in New York City for the past 35 years. He has worked with the finest diversity of talents in the business, including
Joanna Gleason,
Theodore Bikel,
Lilia Skala,
Bill T. Jones,
Amanda Plummer,
Penny Arcade,
Lois Nettleton,
Robert Joy,
Craig Wasson,
Michael Learned,
Dennis Boutsikaris,
John Randolph,
Elizabeth Franz,
John Heard & the list goes on. He is the director of the Obie Award winning Craig's Wife.
New York City pianist/composer
David Cook has played with a number of world-class vocalists, including Academy Award-winner
Jennifer Hudson,
Marianne Faithfull, Broadway stars
Billy Porter,
Darius DeHaas &
Shoshana Bean. He has toured with several multi-platinum pop acts, beginning with NSYNC (2000-2002),
JC Chasez (2003), American Idol (2004) & Disney's High School Musical (2007). In 2007, David was selected to represent the US in the American Music Abroad program with the band Exegesis, sponsored by Jazz at Lincoln Center & the US State Department, traveling to Bahrain, Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates & Kuwait, giving performances to audiences across the region.
MICHAEL &
Barbara Ross produced the Broadway show PIAF - A Remembrance, which won the Theater World Award for Juliet Koka. Off-Broadway, they are the award-winning producers of Jelly Roll! (starring
Vernel Bagneris -
Lucille Lortel Award, Obie Award, Outer Critic's Circle Award, Drama Desk Award Nominee), The World Of
Kurt Weill, Piaf Remembered, We'll Meet Again, Two Hearts Over Easy & Mamelah! They also produced the pre-Broadway tryouts of Bingo Long & His Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (book by
Ossie Davis, music by
George Fishoff), Song & Dance, A Celebration of
Gene Kelly, Princess Grace & the Fazzari's (with
Dorothy Loudon &
Lois Nettleton), Never Too Late (starring
Eddie Bracken), Millions Of Miles (starring
Rue McClanahan &
Milo O'Shea, directed by
Barry Nelson) & The Kid From Brooklyn, (a one-man show about
Danny Kaye). They also produced Comedy Tonight! at Foxwoods, starring
Dick Capri, Professor
Irwin Corey &
Henny Youngman, plus the National & International Tour of The
Duke Ellington Orchestra, conducted by the late
Mercer Ellington.
