Stephen Byrd
Broadway choral director and arranger Chapman Roberts –Your Arms Too Short, Eubie, Five Guys Named Moe, Smokey Joe’s Cafe– has created this blockbuster evening of showstoppers saluting a parade of some of the greatest musical heroes in history including Louis Jordan, Eubie Blake, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, Paul Robeson and a special tribute to Langston Hughes.
This unprecedented assemblage of Broadway’s Best will include performances by Tony Award winners and nominees Ben Vereen (Pippin), Chuck Cooper (The Life) Ben Harney (Dreamgirls) Billy Porter ( Kinky Boots) Norm Lewis (Porgy and Bess) Keith David (Jelly’s Last Jam) Andre De Shields (Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Wiz) Larry Marshall (The Color Purple, Porgy and Bess) original cast members of “Five Guys named Moe”, “Smokey Joe’s Café”, “Motown”, Maurice Hines (Sophisticated Ladies), Scottsboro Boys, Bring in The Noise, Bring in The Funk), 3 time Tony Award winner Hinton Battle (Miss Saigon, Tap Dance Kid) Clifton Davis of “Aladdin”, “Matilda” “Lion King” and “Raisin”. Larry Marshall appeared in the film “Jesus Christ Superstar”, as Cab Calloway in “Cotton Club” with Richard Gere and with Sting in “Three Penny Opera”. Keith David appeared in and narrated more than 150 films and TV presentations including THE BIBLE and is currently represented on the Hollywood screen by “Cloud Atlas co-starring with Halle Berry and Tom Hanks.
“Live The Dream” Executive Producer Norm Lewis was seen as Javert in Cameron Macintosh’s 25th Anniversary TV production of “Les Miserables”, in the TV series “Scandal” opposite Kerry Washington and now Broadway as the new Phantom of the Opera.
“Black Stars” Conceiver and three time Grammy winner Chapman Roberts (the original HAIR, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Hello Dolly”) who created acclaimed vocal arrangements for numerous Broadway hits including the original jukebox musical “Bubbling Brown Sugar” will supervise and direct the entire production.
Highlights of the evening will include the Inaugural presentation of The Black Stars of The Great White Way Award to two time Tony Award winner Geoffrey Holder (The Wiz), Choreographer Louis Johnson (Purlie and The Wiz with Michael Jackson and Diana Ross) “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”, Producer Stephen Byrd, Motown founder/producer Berry Gordy and The first Black Phantom Robert Guillaume by Phylicia Rashad, Chita Rivera and Cicely Tyson.
Tickets: Carnegie Hall Box Office 57 and Seventh/carnegiehall.org/Carnegie Charge 212 247-7800.
Additional Celebrity participants TBA For immediate release Contact Chapman Roberts 212 868 1412
