Press Releases

July 18, 2002
Melissa Errico Headlines American Musical Theatre Salutes

Tribute to the Rodgers Family at Southampton College

Contact:
Darren Johnson (PR@southampton.liu.edu)
(631) 287 8313
Fax: (631) 283 4081

Melissa Errico, Broadway's silver soprano, will be appearing as a part of The American Musical Theatre Salutes at Southampton College in "Oh What a Beautiful Melody: The Music of Richard Rodgers." She will be joined by Tony Award nominee Martin Vidnovic and special guest Mary Rodgers-Guettel, a writer who is the daughter of the legendary composer.

This toe-tapping production will be held in the Avram Theater on Saturday, July 27, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40. Call 631-287-8480 for reservations.

Melissa Errico began her career as a teenager playing Cosette in "Les Miserables," and then went on to star in such Broadway musicals as "Anna Karenina," "My Fair Lady," and "High Society." She has enjoyed great acclaim for her participation in the City Center "Encores!" series, most notably for her portrayal of the sultry and witty Venus in Kurt Weill's "One Touch of Venus."

Melissa has recently starred as Dot in "Sunday in the Park with George" at the Kennedy Center, part of the critically acclaimed Sondheim Celebration this spring in Washington, D.C. In recent years, she has worked in television and film, appearing on such TV series as "Central Park West," "The Norm Show" and "Ed." She has also appeared in the film "Frequency" and can be seen in the new Twentieth-Century Fox movie "Life or Something Like It" opposite Angelina Jolie, Edward Burns and Stockard Channing.

Melissa is currently working on an album for Capitol Records with legendary producer Arif Mardin. She is about to return to Broadway, starring in "Amour" at the Music Box Theatre in October. "Armour" is an off-the-wall musical comedy with an original score by Michel Legrand and is directed by James Lapine.

Melissa received the 1996 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress for her performance in "One Touch of Venus." She was a New York Drama League honoree for her work in both "Major Barbara" (at the Irish Repertory, where she is a member) and "High Society." She received a Helen Hayes nomination for "My Fair Lady," as well as two Outer Critics Circle nominations and Drama Desk Award nominations for her performances in "My Fair Lady," "High Society" and "The Importance of Being Earnest." Melissa was also awarded the Bay Area Theater Critics Circle Award as Best Actress in a Play or Musical for her performance in "High Society." She has made solo appearances on such concert stages as The Kennedy Center Opera House on PBS and Symphony Space.

Martin Vidnovic received a Tony nomination as Tommy in "Brigadoon," a Drama Desk Award for Nick in "Baby," and an L.A. Drama Critics Award for Jud in the 1980 revival of "Oklahoma!" during its pre-Broadway tour. Other Broadway credits include Luntha in Yul Brynner's 1977 revival of "The King and I," Antonuous in "Home Sweet Homer," Saul in Disney's "King David," Sky Masterson in "Guys and Dolls" and won a Backstage Bistro Award for his performance in "A Grand Night for Singing." Vidnovic can be heard as the voice of the King in the animated film of "The King and I," currently in video release.

An accomplished author, screenwriter and composer, Mary Rodgers-Guettel's Broadway career began as the composer of the 1959 musical, "Once Upon a Mattress" starring Carol Burnett, later broadcast on television and revived repeatedly; to this day, more than 400 productions of "Once Upon a Mattress" are presented each year in the U.S. and Canada alone, and a 1997 Broadway production starring Sarah Jessica Parker earned a Tony nomination for Best Musical Revival. Additional theater credits include "Hot Spot" starring Judy Holiday, "The Mad Show," "Working," and several scores for the Bil Baird Marionettes, and Theatreworks/USA. Her musicals have been celebrated in a revue, "Hey Love," directed by Richard Maltby, Jr. She has been a popular author of fiction for young people ever since her first book was released in 1972; "Freaky Friday" received the first prize at the Book World Spring Book Festival Awards, The Christopher Award, and was cited on the ALA Notable Book List. In 1977 Disney Studios adapted "Freaky F riday" into a movie, with the screenplay by Rodgers-Guettel, and starring Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster; a remake was broadcast on the ABC television network in 1995, and a musical version by Rodgers-Guettel and John Forster, was presented by Theatreworks/USA. Currently Rodgers-Guettel is Chairman of the Board of the Julliard School, and serves on the boards of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc., the Dramatists Guild Council, and the Advisory Board of Theatreworks/USA.