Theater News

Photo File

Jerry Orbach, Andrea McArdle, Mario Cantone, Carolee Carmello, Billy Joel, and other stars shine at various events around town.

New York City

Musical theater buffs were in their glory if they were lucky enough to attend last evening’s GMHC benefit concert Show Stoppers!, in which some pretty big stars sang representative songs of roles that they had created (or re-created) on or Off-Broadway. Most of the performances at Avery Fisher Hall were thrillingly backed by a full orchestra conducted by Robert Billig. Here are some photos from the after-party for the event, held at Tavern on the Green. We begin with Jerry Orbach, who had a major musical theater career long before becoming a TV star thanks to Law & Order. Orbach’s rendition of “Try to Remember” — a song that he introduced in The Fantasticks in 1960 — was one of the concert’s most beautiful moments.

Among the other Show Stoppers! on hand: Carol Lawrence, who sang a medley of songs from West Side Story, in which she created the role of Maria.




Andrea McArdle, pictured here with musical director-pianist David Lewis, belted out (what else?) “Tomorrow” from Annie.

Alice Playten offered a fascinating time capsule: “Nobody Steps on Kafritz” from Henry, Sweet Henry.

George Hearn, seen here with his Wicked co-star Carole Shelley, reprised his indelible performance of “I Am What I Am” from La Cage aux Folles (a Broadway revival of which is now in rehearsal).

Deborah Cox, the last Broadway Aida, performed “Dance of the Robe” and “The Gods Love Nubia” from that Elton John musical with members of the show’s ensemble.

How’s this for a reunion? Liz Callaway, who sang “The Story Goes On” from Baby, is seen here with Todd Graff, who played her husband in that Maltby-Shire show.




Colm Wilkinson, the man who will forever be inextricably associated with the role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, sang “Bring Him Home” from that pop opera.

Angela Lansbury, Liza Minnelli, Julie Andrews, Bernadette Peters, and other divas who could not participate in last evening’s concert were represented by the brilliant mimicry of Christine Pedi, best known for her work in Forbidden Broadway. Seen here with Pedi is Cheyenne Jackson, who was featured in Show Stoppers! along with Will Chase, Jay Douglas, Chuck Saculla, Danny Sherman, and Matt Stocke in the strip number “Let It Go” from The Full Monty.

Believe it or not, this is what the fabulous Ellen Greene looks like when she’s not done up as Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors. Greene’s touching performance of “Somewhere That’s Green” from the Alan Menken-Howard Ashman perennial was a crowd pleaser last night.

We leave Tavern on the Green with a shot of two beloved veteran performers, Robert Morse and Lainie Kazan. A sentimental highlight of the Show Stoppers! concert was Morse’s performance of J. Pierrepont Finch’s “I Believe in You” from the 1961 Frank Loesser musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Broadway events prompted several other recent celebrations. Here’s Carolee Carmello, who heads the new cast of Mamma Mia!, joining in a champagne toast following the Wednesday, October 20 performance.

Mario Cantone, who opened his one-man show Laugh Whore at the Cort Theatre on Sunday October 24, partied afterwards at The Rainbow Room with such notables as his Sex and the City co-star Kim Cattrall.

Finally, the one-and-only Billy Joel was very much a part of the second anniversary celebration of Movin’ Out, also on Sunday. Not only did Billy attend the show at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, he also got on stage and performed two numbers! Here he is with wife Kate Lee at the after party, held at the Time Hotel.