The highly-troubled production was generally an unhappy one with the cast at odds with the subject matter, the director unhappy with the production decisions of the earlier helmsman and threats of boycott and even arson from groups who disapproved of the project. Despite her vocal talent, she was dubbed by a full-on opera singer, as were costars Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge.
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Having appeared on various TV variety shows as a vocalist and with an occasional acting gig, Carroll was cast in another all-black musical, this time Gershwin's Porgy and Bess (1959), which was to be directed by Rouben Mamoulian until he was fired and replaced by Carmen's director Otto Preminger. Carroll's personal life would always be more contentious and troubled than her career.
Though the show only lasted five months, she won great reviews and introduced two songs, including "A Sleepin' Bee."Ĭarroll risked the security of her family life when she wed Jewish record producer Monte Kay in 1956 (her father declined to attend the nuptials.) The first of four marriages, this one lasted until 1960.
She next was handed a plum role in Broadway's House of Flowers, a Harold Arlen-Truman Capote musical starring Bailey. It was a colorful supporting part in Otto Preminger's Carmen Jones, an all-black updating of the opera Carmen, which starred Harry Belafonte, Dorothy Dandridge and Pearl Bailey. Nineteen year-old Diahann Carroll (as she was known from her first appearance on Arthur Godfrey) was cast in her first film in 1954. As a teen, she entered and won (for three weeks running) a contest on the radio show Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, which led to further competitions, nightclub appearances and in time, an ingenue role on Broadway! We refer to Miss Diahann Carroll and today pay tribute to her legacy on stage and screen.Ĭarol Diahann Johnson was born on July 17th, 1935 in the Bronx, New York (but was raised in Harlem.) Her parents (a subway conductor and a nurse) lent great support to their daughter's interest in music, dance and modeling and she won a scholarship from the Metropolitan Opera to New York's High School of Music and Art. Her career spanned at least six decades as she reached for the heights in several categories, sometimes scaling them. Where: Welk Resorts Theatre, 8860 Lawrence Welk Drive, Escondido.The other day, on October 4th, the entertainment world lost a longtime singer and actress who managed to mark a few firsts in the business and, as a result, helped make it a little bit easier for those who came after. But rather than just rest on the show’s reliable draw, director Raben and choreographer Warden have injected it with so much new life, its (Champagne) cup runneth over. Rory Brown designed the simple but serviceable island scenery, Jennifer Edwards designed lighting and Patrick Hoyny designed sound.ĭespite its simple book and by-the-numbers song presentation, “Mamma Mia!” is a surefire crowd-pleaser, and it’s packing audiences in at Welk. Music director Justin Gray leads an electric guitar-supplemented seven-piece pit orchestra. And Chris Bona, Jake Bradford, Shirley Johnston, Jillian Barnett and Cheyenne Omani fill out the principal cast.ĪBBA’s music is known for its multilayered vocal harmonies, so the show’s hard-working song-and-dance ensemble also deserve a shoutout: Lindsey Denham, Collin McCarthy, Koda Montoya and Megan Stys. Veteran local performer Richard Bermudez brings welcome dimension and nuance to the usually bland role of Sophie’s fiance Sky. And Nancy Snow Carr is sweet and down to earth as Donna’s other bestie, Rosie, who falls for Bill. 3, Harry, a onetime rock-and-roll headbanger from England. Mike Bradford is endearingly mild-mannered as dad No. In June, Vista’s Moonlight Stage Productions produced “Mamma Mia!” and two of its best featured performers are reprising their roles at Welk.īarbara Schoenhofer steals every scene she’s in as Donna’s thrice-married socialite bestie Tanya, and Lance Arthur Smith is ruggedly charming as Sophie’s potential dad No. Humphrey, is strong, sincere and a rock-solid singer in the role. Engel, who alternates in the role with actor David S. 1, Sam, Donna’s true love who broke her heart 21 years before by marrying someone else. On Saturday, David Engel starred as potential dad No.