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Tommy Tune in STEPS IN TIME with the Manhattan Rythm Kings

Presented by Performance Riverside at Landis Performing Arts Center

December 12, 2010

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TOMMY TUNE taps into Performance Riverside in "STEPS IN TIME: A Broadway Biography in Song and Dance Featuring The Manhattan Rhythm Kings" December 12!


Nine-time Tony award-winner Tommy Tune, Director/Choreographer of The Will Rogers Follies, My One And Only, Nine, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, Grand Hotel, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas teams with longtime collaborators "The Manhattan Rhythm Kings" for a personal look back at his incredible career, featuring timeless standards, elegant choreography, and Tommy’s own unique charm and warm-hearted humor.



To view a promotional video for "TOMMY TUNE in STEPS IN TIME: A Broadway Biography in Song and Dance Featuring The Manhattan Rhythm Kings", visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watchv=ZVE_sVcQaaM



TOMMY TUNE


Known as one of the most prolific theatre men of the Twentieth Century, Tommy Tune has enchanted audiences over the past 50 years with his charisma, vision, and innovation. A native Texan, Mr. Tune began his career as a dancer in the Broadway shows, Baker Street, A Joyful Noise, and How Now Dow Jones. He would soon step out of the chorus and into a principal role in the Broadway musical Seesaw, which garnered him his first Tony Awards for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. Less than a decade later, he won a Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in My One and Only.
However, Mr. Tune's talents were not limited to his onstage performances. Throughout his career, he would go on to win an additional seven Tony Awards, four for Best Choreography (A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, Grand Hotel, My One and Only, The Will Rogers Follies) and three for Best Direction of a Musical (Nine, Grand Hotel, The Will Rogers Follies), bringing his total to an unprecedented nine Tony Awards.



In addition, his talents have been recognized by receiving eight Drama Desk Awards, three Astaire Awards, and the Society of Directors and Choreographers George Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement. He is also the recipient of the The National Medal of Arts, the Country's highest honor for artistic achievement.


Mr. Tune's talents extend beyond the stage, however. His film credits include Hello Dolly, The Boyfriend, Mimi Bluette, Fiore Del Mio Giardino, and Hollywood Blvd. He has been honored with a star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame. Throughout his career he has toured extensively in productions of Irma La Douce, Seesaw, Tommy Tune Tonight, My One and Only, Bye, Bye, Birdie, and his act with The Manhattan Rhythm Kings. In his spare time, Mr. Tune enjoys painting in his Manhattan tower studio.



THE MANHATTAN RHYTHM KINGS


Known for their polished performances of American popular music from the ‘20's, ‘30's and ‘40's, the Manhattan Rhythm Kings have gained a large and enthusiastic following across the country. While frequently compared with such musical greats as the Mills Brothers and Paul Whiteman’s Rhythm Boys, the trio has established a unique character of its own with a combination of close harmony singing, virtuosic instrumental work, and spectacular tap dancing. The Rhythm Kings started performing together on the sidewalks of New York in 1980. From there these song and dance men graduated to playing cabarets, colleges and concert halls across the country. In fact, the King’s recent concert in Stowe, Vermont marked the 50th state the group has performed in!



It was their sparkling combination of song and dance that first attracted the attention of Broadway’s Tommy Tune. In 1984 Mr. Tune asked the trio to assemble an act based on the songs written by Fred Astaire. Their collaboration continues today and the act has performed together in venues as diverse as Carnegie Hall and Atlantic City’s Trump Plaza, and a tour of the former Soviet Union, where they commanded standing ovations in Moscow, Tblisi, and St. Petersburg.



The King’s are favorites at symphony pops concerts and have performed with over 70 orchestras, including the Boston Pops, The Pittsburgh Symphony, and the orchestras of Baltimore, Detroit, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Atlanta, among others. The Rhythm Kings have made numerous appearances on TV, most notably “Evening at pops”, with John Williams, Tommy Tune and the Boston Pops, as well as the Emmy Award-winning “Celebrating Gershwin” with conductor Michael Tilson-Thomas. In addition, they’ve starred in their own special for Nebraska Public Television, and were featured with Andrew Litton and the Dallas Symphony on their PBS special. Other TV credits include “The 1992 Tony Awards”, the “Today” show, “CBS, This Morning”, the 1992 “Kennedy Center Honors”, “Entertainment Tonight”, “As the World Turns”, as well as several appearances on “The Charles Grodin Show”.



In 1992, they were back on Broadway, this time indoors at the Shubert Theatre. They were featured as Mingo, Moose, and Sam, a trio of crooning bumpkins in the “new” Gershwin musical Crazy for You, winner of three Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Choreography.



The MRKs have shared the stage with Bob Hope, George Burns, Sandy Duncan, Liza Minelli, Leonard Bernstein, Judy Collins, Bette Midler and Gregory Hines, to name a few. They also appeared with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall’s Easter Spectacular.



After two decades of performing together, the Manhattan Rhythm Kings look forward to more symphony pops dates, another tour of Italy and Europe, concert performances with Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks and their pal, Tommy Tune.


Don’t miss "TOMMY TUNE in STEPS IN TIME: A Broadway Biography in Song and Dance Featuring The Manhattan Rhythm Kings", a rare chance to view the personal side of this quintessential song-and-dance man and Broadway legend, December 12 at 4pm at Landis Performing Arts Center, 4800 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside. Tickets are $20, $45, and a $75 ticket special that includes a VIP Reception following! Master Classes in tap and casting will also be available Saturday, December 11. For tckets and further information, call The Landis Box Office at (951) 222-8100 .