Broadway Songs Go Down 'Memory' Lane

By GEORGE WILKENS The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 10, 2007

TAMPA - "Broadway Comes to Tampa" is at a new venue this year, but the cast will be familiar to anyone who tracks the credits of America's top stage productions.

Saturday's eighth annual black-tie-optional event at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel, 700 S. Florida Ave., will showcase veteran vocalists from some of the best-known recent musicals.

A few tickets remain for the New Tampa Players fundraiser, which is traditionally a sellout, said Doug Wall, artistic director of the community theater troupe.

"It's a larger venue," Wall said of the Marriott, "but we maintain a smaller house to keep the intimacy." Fewer than 300 tickets at $175 each are sold for the evening, which starts at 6 p.m. with hors d'oeuvres, cash bar and silent auction, followed an hour later by dinner. The concert is at 8 p.m.

"The silent auction is going to be huge," Wall said. The donated items range from sports memorabilia and elegant jewelry to a dog-training package valued at $2,500, Wall said.

Appearing are:

•Neil Berg, composer/lyricist of the hit off-Broadway musical "The Prince and the Pauper" and composer of the new Broadway production "Grumpy Old Men," based on the movie classic starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.

•Rita Harvey, who just completed her run as Hodel in the Broadway hit "Fiddler on the Roof," the cast of which included Rosie O'Donnell and Harvey Fierstein.

•Carter Calvert, seen in the world premiere of "Forbidden Vegas" in a role she originated.

•William Michals, whose Broadway debut was as the Beast in "Disney's Beauty and the Beast."

•Danny Zolli, best-known for his monumental number of performances as Jesus, Judas and Annas in more than 18 different productions of "Jesus Christ Superstar."

•Ron Bohmer, who has starred on Broadway and national tours as some of musical theater's most memorable heroes and villains, from "Phantom of the Opera" to "The Scarlet Pimpernel."

New Tampa Players Inc. is working to acquire a suitable site for a building to showcase performing and visual arts.

"We're hoping this is going to be our biggest year yet," Wall said.

Anyone needing a last-minute ticket should call Wall at (813) 781-1171.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4847 or gwilkens@tampatrib.com.