Never Gonna Dance - Creative Team

Ira Gershwin, the first songwriter to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize, was born in New York City on December 6, 1896. In 1917 The Evening Sun published his first song ("You May Throw All The Rice You Desire But Please Friends, Throw No Shoes"). Four years later Ira enjoyed his first major stage success, Two Little Girls in Blue, written with another Broadway newcomer, Vincent Youmans. In 1924 Ira and his brother, George, created the smash hit Lady Be Good and went on to continue their remarkable collaboration through a dozen major stage scores, producing such standards as "Fascinating Rhythm," ... read more Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) director in musical theater for nearly 40 years. He won eight Tony Awards and two Academy Awards for Best Original Song. Many of his songs are standard repertoire for vocalists and jazz musicians. He co-wrote 850 songs. He is best known for his collaborations with composer Richard Rodgers, as the duo Rodgers and Hammerstein, whose musicals include Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. Described by Stephen Sondheim as an "experimental playwright", Hammerstein helped bring the American musical to new ... read more DARRYL ARCHIBALD (Musical Director/Conductor): The Color Purple (Broadway tour of the 2015 revival ); Motown The Musical (Broadway and national tour); Wicked at the Pantages Theater (substitute conductor); Memphis Broadway tour; Dreamgirls national tour (associate conductor); Disney's The Lion King Broadway tour (vocal coach/assistant conductor); Dear World with Tyne Daly (VPAC); Jonathan Dove’s Innocence (Banff Centre and Manhattan Theatre Club); Two By Two with Jason Alexander, How To Succeed... with John O’Hurley, The Fantasticks with Eric McCormack, Once On This Island with Ledisi, Li'l Abner with Cathy Rigby and Fred Willard (Reprise); Great Expectations, My Fair Lady, 1776, Camelot, and ... read more Additional credits include: OKLAAHOMA Musical Theatre West February 2012 Long Beach, CA Love Always... Patsy Cline 22Q Entertainment July 2014 El Portal Theatre, North Hollywood, Ca RENT Sant Clarita performing arts center May 2014 Into The Woods 3D Theatricals Plummer auditorium April 2014 The Producers 3D Theatricals Plummer Auditorium January 2014 Larry Raben recently completed a stint starring as Leo Bloom in the Las Vegas production of Mel Brook’s THE PRODUCERS. This came after playing Leo and Carmen Ghia on Broadway in the New York production. He is best known to LA audiences as Sparky in FOREVER PLAID at the Canon Theatre (Ovation Award, L.A. Drama-Critics, and Dramalogue Awards). He also appeared in the original New York and London West End (Apollo Theatre) productions. While in London he performed a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II and had an audience with her. Other NYC credits include: CHESS revival in concert at ... read more