So Kay at theatre
Published on November 6th, 2002
STONEHAM, MA - New England cabaret performer, John O'Neil, pays tribute to Danny Kaye with his recent solo show, So Kaye: The Songs of Danny Kaye, occurring at Stoneham Theatre on Thursday, November 7. The show will open with a Boston-debut performance by Christine Clayburg, vocalist and 7 News meteorologist.
So Kaye includes songs, stories and monologues from Mr. Kaye's illustrious career and a bygone era, including those from Broadway's Lady in the Dark and Let's Face It, and movies White Christmas and The Court Jester. The show premiered at the Blacksmith House in Cambridge in 2000 and has continued to receive excellent reviews ever since. It was also nominated for an IRNE award (Independent Reviewers of New England) in 2000.
Danny Kaye (1913-1987) entertained audiences with his masterful singing, dancing, acting, and comedy. He is probably most remembered for his performance in the musical "Hans Christian Anderson." Kaye was also a great humanitarian, having served as the first United Nations Ambassador for the children of the world. In 1952, Kaye was named the world's greatest performer. He had starred in various Broadway plays and movies, and had his own TV and radio shows.
After receiving the O'Neill Cabaret Symposium Fellowship, O'Neil discovered Danny Kaye and immediately became enthralled with his works. He decided to pay tribute to the performer's boundless musical legacy.
O'Neil will be performing some of Kaye's hits, which he recorded on his newly released CD.
The CD has also received rave reviews. Bay Windows said "O'Neil captures the essence of Kaye's witty wordplay, mischievous charm, and boundless compassion, qualities which O'Neil himself possesses." According to O'Neil, the show is now being taken around the country in order to promote the CD.
Kaye coined the "patter song" - pieces in which he would rattle off an amazing number of words.
"We are very similar in many ways, in particular because we love words. We pop them in our mouths, roll them around, and arrange them in amazing combinations" said O'Neil.
Among O'Neil's other accomplishments include his show Camp Songs which was named one of the year's ten best by Bay Windows in 2000. He recently made his New York debut in Being Ernest: The Songs of Ernie Lijoi, which was named one Boston's best shows in 2001. O'Neil's musical arrangements have been sung by the Boston Gay Men's Chorus in concert halls across the country including Boston's own Symphony Hall, and John appears with them on their CD, Freedom Merriment and Joy.
Christine Clayburg is slated to open Thursday night's performance. Clayburg had always sang in her high school choir, but decided to pursue music professionally after her geology advisor at Sacramento State University suggested the idea.
Clayburg's film credits include Newtown, A Gift, Jack Milton and The Human Stain starring Anthony Hopkins and Nicole Kidman (2003 release). Clayburg has sung publicly in Boston for fundraisers such as breast cancer awareness, where she sang the national anthem for the "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" walk. This, however, will be her first Boston cabaret debut.
"I'm excited. I'm really looking forward to it," Clayburg said.
The show is Thursday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 ($18 students/seniors/groups) and may be purchased by calling the box office at 781-279-2200. Stoneham Theatre is located at 395 Main Street in Stoneham. For more information contact Dawn Singh at 617-522-8633 or 617-501-7436 or dawnsingh@aol.com. Also visit the theatre's website at www.stonehamtheatre.org for more information on this or any of its other shows
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