Chita Rivera – A Legendary Celebrationwith The Folsom Symphony

Monday, February 24, 2014; 7:30 pm Tuesday, February 25, 2014; 7:30 pm

CHITA RIVERAAn accomplished and versatile actress/singer/dancer, Chita Rivera has won two Tony Awards as Best Leading Actress in a Musical and received seven additional Tony nominations. She recently concluded a successful run starring in the new Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood on Broadway. She starred in the Broadway and touring productions of The Dancer’s Life, a dazzling new musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Graciela Daniele. She recreated her starring role in The Visit, the new Kander/Ebb/McNally musical at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA (originally done at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago in 2001). She also starred in the revival of the Broadway musical Nine with Antonio Banderas. She trained as a ballerina (from age 11) before receiving a scholarship to the American School of Ballet from legendary George Balanchine. Chita’s first appearance (age 17) was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam. Her electric performance as Anita in the Broadway premiere of West Side Story (1957) brought her stardom, which she repeated in London. Her career is highlighted by starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry’s Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony

Award), and the original Broadway casts of Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Wonderful. On tour: Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Zorba, Can-Can with The Rockettes. Chita was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in August, 2009. She received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in Washington, DC in December, 2002 and is the first Hispanic woman ever chosen to receive this award. In May, 2013, she was appointed to a special Kennedy Center Honors Advisory Committee. Chita’s current solo CD is entitled And Now I Swing. Her most treasured production is her daughter, singer/dancer/choreographer Lisa Mordente.

MICHAEL CROITER – Music Director/Percussion/GuitarMr. Croiter has performed with Chita on both the Broadway run and U.S. National Tour of Chita Rivera-The Dancer’s Life and on her national and international concert performances over the past eight years. Other credits include: Associate Music Director for Alan Cumming, drummer for Spencer Day on his Vagabond Tour and Broadway shows Avenue Q, Mary Poppins, Million Dollar Quartet and Ghost, Annie the national tour of The Buddy Holly Story, the European tour of Evita, drums for The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, orchestrations for the 2007 National Tour of Pippin and off-Broadway’s Dear Edwina.  He has performed with such diverse artists as Caissie Levy, Wynonna Judd, Florence and The Machine, Don Rickles, Elaine Stritch, Miche Dictor, and John Legend. Symphonic performances include the Florida Philharmonic, New World Symphony, American Ballet Theater, Aspen Music Festival and the Henry Mancini Institute. Michael’s studio, Yellow Sound Lab, currently serves as the musical home of Sesame Street on PBS, on which Michael plays drums and percussion, and is the music mixer (3 Emmy Awards).  Other clients include: Submissions Only (producer), PBS’s The New Electric Company (2011 Emmy Award), Disney’s Johnny and The Sprites (2008 Emmy Nomination), ABC’s One Life To Live (2008 Emmy for Song Of The Year). His mixing experience also includes dozens of films, documentaries, commercials and he has produced albums for many of New York’s finest composers and musicians. He owns the record company Yellow Sound Label, which has produced and distributed albums for such artists as Chita Rivera and Alan Cumming in addition to cast recordings of Matilda, First Date, Murder Ballad, The Burnt Part Boys, Fugitive Songs and See Rock City and Other Destinations.

StarringCHITA RIVERA

Music DirectorMICHAEL CROITER

THE MUSICIANSMusic Director/Percussion/Guitar Michael CroiterAssociate Music Director/Piano Michael Patrick WalkerBass Jim Donica

Members of The Folsom Symphony

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MICHAEL PATRICK WALKER – Associate Music Director/Piano Michael is an award-winning composer/lyricist, orchestrator, arranger and musician. He has worked with a diverse group of artists including Ms. Rivera, Cheyenne Jackson, Ana Gasteyer, Kelli O’Hara and many more. As a conductor and/or musician, his many Broadway and Off Broadway credits include: Avenue Q, Wicked, Thoroughly Modern Millie, La Bohéme, Tick, Tick…Boom! and The Fantasticks. As a writer Michael is best known as one of the creators and writers of the smash-hit musical, Altar Boyz (Outer Critics Circle Award Winner, Best Off Broadway Musical, 7 Drama Desk nominations including Outstanding Musical, Music and Lyrics). Michael’s newest musical, Dog And Pony (with book writer Rick Elice) will have its world premiere as part of the Old Globe Theatre’s 2013-2014 season. Other theatrical writing credits include: Land Of Dreams (with book writer/lyricist Brian Crawley) and Being Theo. Television: The Disney Channel’s Johnny And The Sprites and Nick Jr’s Olivia. Recordings: Out Of Context: The Songs Of Michael Patrick Walker, the Altar Boyz cast album and the Johnny And The Sprites album. Michael is a proud graduate of Carnegie Mellon University. www.michaelpatrickwalker.com www.twitter.com/mpatrickwalker

JIM DONICA – BassBassist Jim Donica has developed musically through gigging with a wealth of diverse artists including Maynard Ferguson and Joe Strummer as well as David Becker, Peter Erskine, Randy Brecker, Woody Witt, Chita Rivera and his own bands Urban Survival and the Quantum Mechanics. He’s graced the stage with innumerable symphony orchestras from The Debut Orchestra in LA, to the Garden State Orchestra in NJ as well as with the Radio City Orchestra. Donica received a coveted Performance Certificate while attending Indiana University (at Bloomington) Jacobs School of Music Department of Jazz Studies; one of the first and foremost jazz programs in the world. Along with a number of original recordings, Donica is featured on historic recordings such as Maynard Ferguson’s Big Bop Nouveau, Joe Strummer and The Latino Rockabilly War, Trash City, and Chita Rivera, And Now I Swing.

THE FOLSOM SYMPHONYFrom Beethoven, Brahms and Tchaikovsky, to beloved holiday favorites, to the best of America’s pop composers, The Folsom Symphony performs high-quality symphonic music for the pleasure and cultural enrichment of the people of this region. Now celebrating its 10th Anniversary, The Folsom Symphony has been an important Partner of Harris Center/Three Stages since the day the doors opened.

The Folsom Symphony was founded in 2004 under the direction of Folsom businessmen Bruce Woodbury and Dick Merz, educator and musician Marsha Williams-Miller, and with the contributions and efforts of a collaborative group of devoted local individuals, many of whom remain active with the organization today. Maestro Michael Neumann – accomplished violinist, long time music director for the Sacramento Youth Symphony, and a guest conductor throughout the West – was engaged as the music director and conductor of the orchestra at its inception and continues at the helm of the artistic side of the symphony today, selecting and producing the exciting and satisfying repertoire the symphony has become known for. 

CHITA: A LEGENDARY CELEBRATIONMarketing/Press Representative .................... MERLE FRIMARKPersonal Management ........................... ARMANDO DEL RIVEROPersonal Assistant to Ms. Rivera ..................... ROSIE BENTINCKDevelopment Consultants……………………...M&O MANAGEMENT, ROB O’NEILL, JERE MANSFIELDLighting Designer ................................................... ANDY FRITSCHConcert Booking.....LEE LESSACK, SPOT-ON ENTERTAINMENT, KEN DICAMILLO, WILLIAM MORRIS ENDEAVOR ENTERTAINMENTBusiness Manager .............MICHAEL LOBEL, SHULMAN/LOBEL Photography .............................................LAURA MARIE DUNCAN

www.chitarivera.comFollow Chita on Facebook

The use of any recording devices, audio or video, and the taking of pictures, with or without flash, without the written permission of Chita: A Legendary Celebration management, is strictly prohibited.

Chita Rivera – A Legendary Celebration continued

www.harriscenter.net SPRING 2014 PROGRAM GUIDE 41