Woman of the Year, the 1981 Kander & Ebb musical that won four Tony Awards including Best Book and Best Score, will get a concert performance at Feinstein’s/54 Below on November 29—but with a special twist. Each song will be performed by a different star, including Dee Hoty, Christine Pedi, and Barbara Walsh.
Recently announced to join them: Tony Award-winning actor Alice Ripley (Next to Normal) and Three’s Company co-star Joyce DeWitt.
Based on the 1942 film of the same title starring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, the Broadway musical provided a vehicle for Lauren Bacall as a TV reporter who goes into battle mode when she is parodied by a chauvinistic cartoonist.
In addition to the previously announced Christine Pedi (Chicago), the Bacall/Hepburn role of Tess Harding will be played by Tony Award winner Debbie Gravitte (Jerome Robbins Broadway), three-time Tony Award nominee Dee Hoty (The Will Rogers Follies), Tony nominee Barbara Walsh (Falsettos), Deidre Goodwin (A Chorus Line), Christine Toy Johnson (Hello, Dolly!), and Eve Plumb (The Brady Bunch).
Also newly added to the cast: Mary Callanan (Mamma Mia!), Bradley Dean (A Little Night Music), Anita Gillette (Cabaret), Robbie Rozelle (Songs From Inside My Locker), and Kevin Zak (Clinton: The Musical).
Schneider said, “The idea for the concert is that each song will be sung by an actress associated with the work of Kander and Ebb. This will also extend to the male characters as well. For example, we have Robert Cuccioli (Jekyll & Hyde) and Jim Walton (And the World Goes ’Round), Todd Buonopane (Chicago), plus some original cast members like Michael Kubala.”
Previously announced for the supporting cast: Brad Oscar (Something Rotten), John Epperson (Lypsinka), Annie Golden (Orange Is the New Black), and Hunter Ryan Herdlicka (A Little Night Music).
There will be two shows, 7 and 9:30 PM, on November 29. Tickets ($35–$80 plus a $25 minimum) are on sale at 54Below.com.
A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to The Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative.
It will be a busy week for Ripley at Feinstein’/54 Below, where she is also appearing in the cabaret show Unattached November 28 and 30, and December 1 and 2:
Read: Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner Set Fall Encore for Unattached Cabaret Show
Ripley and Pedi have been a special guest performer on Playbill’s Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Tickets are now on sale for Playbill’s Broadway on the High Seas July 2018 cruise to Iceland, accompanied by Judy Kuhn, Christine Ebersole, Rob McClure, Jarrod Spector, Carmen Cusack, and Sierra Boggess. Visit PlaybillTravel.com for booking and information.
