Leo Manzari News

'Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie,' 'Maestro: Leonard Bernstein,' 'The Devil's Music: The Life and Times of Bessie Smith,' 'One Night with Janice Joplin.' What do these all have in common? They are shows that Cleveland Play House has staged in the last several years, and they are productions that showcase the musical talents of a particular artist.

Cleveland Play House enthusiastically welcomes dance legend Maurice Hines to Cleveland in the toe-tapping extravaganza, Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life. Co-produced with Alliance Theatre and Arena Stage, CPH audiences will be dazzled by this infectious production, which brings the history of American tap to life. Directed by Tony-nominee Jeff Calhoun (Newsies) and featuring contemporary tap icons The Manzari Brothers and music from the all-female big band The Diva Orchestra, Tappin' Thru Life will dance its way onto PlayhouseSquare's Allen Theatre stage for an extended run from today, May 30 - June 29. Special gratitude is given to CPH's generous sponsor, Zinner & Co.

Cleveland Play House enthusiastically welcomes dance legend Maurice Hines to Cleveland in the toe-tapping extravaganza, Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life. Co-produced with Alliance Theatre and Arena Stage, CPH audiences will be dazzled by this infectious production, which brings the history of American tap to life. Directed by Tony-nominee Jeff Calhoun (Newsies) and featuring contemporary tap icons The Manzari Brothers and music from the all-female big band The Diva Orchestra, Tappin' Thru Life will dance its way onto PlayhouseSquare's Allen Theatre stage for an extended run from May 30 - June 29. Special gratitude is given to CPH's generous sponsor, Zinner & Co.

The show is a celebration of the life of Maurice Hines, his brother Gregory, and their parents who Maurice fondly remembers throughout the show. Adding to emotional content, moveable screens that divide the orchestra from the performing area were often used to display photographs of the Hines family in their early days. And throughout the show, Hines, now a young 70 years old, expresses sheer joy in entertaining his audience, singing and dancing with a passion from deep within his soul. You can't help but be pulled into the magic!

The Wallis Center for the Performing Arts presents Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life for 19 performances only from today, May 9 - 24, 2014 in the Bram Goldsmith Theater.

The Wallis Center for the Performing Arts presents Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life for 19 performances only from May 9 - 24, 2014 in the Bram Goldsmith Theater. Maurice Hines, a Tony Award nominee, is a celebrated dancer, choreographer, director, and singer, whose impressive career spans over 40 years. Directed by Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun (Broadway's Newsies and Grey Gardens), Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life features D.C.'s dynamic tap-dancing duo, the Manzari Brothers, 11-year old tapping phenomenon Luke Spring, as well as the all-female, nine-piece big band, The DIVA Jazz Orchestra.

The Wallis Center for the Performing Arts presents Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life for 19 performances only from May 9 - 24, 2014 in the Bram Goldsmith Theater. Maurice Hines, a Tony Award nominee, is a celebrated dancer, choreographer, director, and singer, whose impressive career spans over 40 years. Directed by Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun (Broadway's Newsies and Grey Gardens), Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life features D.C.'s dynamic tap-dancing duo, the Manzari Brothers, as well as the all-female, nine-piece big band, The Diva Jazz Orchestra.

Lifelong performer and Tony Award nominee Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Eubie!) captivates audiences with stories, songs and smooth choreography for his return to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater with Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life. Under the direction of Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun (Broadway's Newsies and Grey Gardens), Hines, who started performing at five years old, brings the history of American tap to life and pays tribute to his brother Gregory and the singers who inspired him, from Frank SinatratoLena Horne. A co-production with ALLIANCE THEATRE at the Woodruff and Cleveland Play House, Maurice Hinesis Tappin' Thru Life runs now through December 29, 2013 in the Kreeger Theater. Watch a preview of Hines in action below!

When the legendary performer Lena Horne told Maurice Hines to 'Love them [the audience], make it real' you can tell he took that advice to heart when conceiving Tappin' Thru Life currently playing at Arena Stage. For Tappin' Thru Life seems determined not only to love the audience, but to entertain them, and it succeeds at doing just that! While Tappin' Thru Life does have some flaws, it's hard to find anyone who isn't won over by Hines showmanship, humor, timing and above all else, talent.

Lifelong performer and Tony Award nominee Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Eubie!) captivates audiences with stories, songs and smooth choreography for his return to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater with Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life. Scroll down for photos from the opening night reception, featuring Maurice Hines, cast members and brothers John & Leo Manzari and Max & Sam Heimowitz, director Jeff Calhoun, Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith, Italian Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton!

Lifelong performer and Tony Award nominee Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Eubie!) captivates audiences with stories, songs and smooth choreography for his return to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater with Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life. Under the direction of Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun (Broadway's Newsies and Grey Gardens), Hines, who started performing at five years old, brings the history of American tap to life and pays tribute to his brother Gregory and the singers who inspired him, from Frank Sinatra to Lena Horne. A co-production with ALLIANCE THEATRE at the Woodruff and Cleveland Play House, Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life runs tonight, November 15-December 29, 2013 in the Kreeger Theater.

Lifelong performer and Tony Award nominee Maurice Hines(Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Eubie!) captivates audiences with stories, songs and smooth choreography for his return to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater with Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life. Under the direction of Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun (Broadway's Newsies and Grey Gardens), Hines, who started performing at five years old, brings the history of American tap to life and pays tribute to his brother Gregory and the singers who inspired him, from Frank Sinatra to Lena Horne. A co-production with ALLIANCE THEATRE at the Woodruff and Cleveland Play House, Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life runs November 15-December 29, 2013 in the Kreeger Theater. Check out the photos below!

Lifelong performer and Tony Award nominee Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Eubie!) captivates audiences with stories, songs and smooth choreography for his return to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater with Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life. Under the direction of Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun (Broadway's Newsies and Grey Gardens), Hines, who started performing at five years old, brings the history of American tap to life and pays tribute to his brother Gregory and the singers who inspired him, from Frank Sinatra to Lena Horne. A co-production with Alliance Theatre at the Woodruff and Cleveland Play House, Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life runs November 15-December 29, 2013 in the Kreeger Theater.

Star of stage and screen Maurice Hines returns to D.C. to teach a free master class at Howard University and hold open dance auditions at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater to connect with the D.C.-area dance community and search for the next young tap star to appear in Arena Stage's Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life, running November 15-December 29, 2013 in the Kreeger Theater.

Star of stage and screen Maurice Hines returns to D.C. to teach a free master class at Howard University and hold open dance auditions at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater to connect with the D.C.-area dance community and search for the next young tap star to appear in Arena Stage's Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life, running November 15-December 29, 2013 in the Kreeger Theater.

Maurice Hines puts his passion for tap, his late brother Gregory, and classic Big Band music on display in TAPPIN' THRU LIFE: AN EVENING WITH MAURICE HINES. Backed by the Berklee College of Music Select Big Band, under the direction of drummer Sherrie Maricle, Hines tells his story, shows off his vocal chops, and delights the audience with his warm, relaxed presence. The program is stingy with his dancing, but The Manzari Brothers ratchet up the excitement and kick up a lot of dust in their turn in the spotlight.

If you are ever in Harlem make sure you visit the Apollo Theater. During the 30's and 40's this was one of New York City's hottest night clubs, the place where the music of Billie, Ella, Dinah, Sarah, Duke, and Dizzy became legendary. In an effort to recapture that bygone glory, the theater is presenting Apollo Club Harlem, an enterprising and captivating attempt not only to revive the jazz spirit of 125th Street, but rekindle it as well for a new generation of jazz and pop music enthusiasts.

While Arena Stage will not make an official announcement for its 2013-14 season just yet, a recent newsletter teases that the season will include a new musical collaboration from Maurice Hines and the Manzari Brothers.