Photo Flash: Crystal Cruises’ Film and Theatre Voyage
Broadway's biggest luminaries both current and classic, including Ethel Merman, Frank Loesser and Zero Mostel were the featured subjects in more than 2 dozen performances and presentations aboard Crystal Cruises' "Film and Theatre" themed voyage from San Francisco and Tinseltown to New York City from August 25 to September 13, 2011.
The star of the original "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" and Drama Desk award winner for "Seesaw," Michele Lee, and theatre impresario John Loesser, the son of "How To Succeed" composer/lyricist, Frank Loesser, were guest lecturers. Performance highlights featured Rita McKenzie in the longest running one-woman musical, "Ethel Merman's Broadway" and Jim Brochu in his Drama Desk award winning "Zero Hour." Brochu and other performers joined theatre-phile Herb Keyser, Brian Kellow, best selling author of "Ethel Merman - A Life," and talent agent Victoria Morris in speaking about theatre history, stage personalities and the business of show.
In an exclusive alliance with the current Broadway revivals of "How To Succeed..." and the cruise ship-set "Anything Goes," tickets and merchandise were donated by Roundabout Theatre Company for guest bookings and gifts. Private screening room matinees of theatre related films with live introductions and post-film discussions were scheduled in the Hollywood Theatre and were made available for further viewing on the passenger's in-room TVs. "Anything Goes' behind-the-scene interviews were also made available on stateroom screens.
Guest vocalists, including Karen Morrow and Christine Andreas, paid a musical homage to celluloid memories which included authentic costumes from Hollywood legends - courtesy of guest speaker Greg Schreiner, the owner of one of the world's largest private collection of Hollywood costumes.
Photo Credit: Scott Stander
