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SHOWS CAST DIRECTORS DESIGNERS TECHNICAL DIRECTOR STAGE MANAGER CHOREOGRAPHER MUSICAL DIRECTOR |
LAFFS, BUMPS & GRINDS was conceived and directed by Emil Sanzari. A CHORUS LINE , the New York smash hit, rated standing ovations every performance for the very talented cast and for leaving audiences wanting more. Many of the performers in this production had been with other companies of the show. Howard Crabtree went on to write, costume and produce his own shows in NY. The apprentice group included Laura King (daughter of actor Everett King, an actor in the early Hampton years… to make one feel old) and Alicia Miller who would be with us for several seasons. Orchestra members were John Buccini, Matt Roberts and Kevin Kuhn. This season marked the first year for John Buccini as bass player. A native of Haverhill, John has been a member of our musical company ever since.
Ann Carnaby remembers…
“Many of the actors stayed at my house over the years. The day before rehearsals for CHORUS LINE began I came home to find Lois Englund (who sang/danced the “Tits and Ass” number) upstairs with her four week old infant breast-feeding! Lois had been in the show on Broadway for two or three years, and was invaluable in helping with the choreography. She danced through rehearsals with the baby (often nursing while tapping), used a bureau drawer in her room at my house for a crib, and had an apprentice assigned as baby sitter in her dressing room at every performance!”
Gary John LaRosa remembers…
“I met Phillip Corrubba. Actually, Alfred, John & I hired him from a chorus call. We became an ‘item’ that summer and have been partners ever since. For twelve years (July 31 anniversary) we have lived and loved together and I find it so amazing that (of course) it happened during the course of a summer at the Playhouse. The magic of the place had affected our lives in so many special ways and continues to do so as I return for a sixth summer this year.”
Bob Rizzo remembers…
“After 13 seasons working at the Hampton Playhouse there have been many memorable moments but it I had to pick one it would be the first season I was at the Playhouse. I was brought in to direct and choreograph the original production of A CHORUS LINE. It was the first summer the show had been released so I was very excited about restaging the production. After arriving on Sunday afternoon I had my first tour of the grounds and was quite impressed by the charm of the place. Most of the cast of A CHORUS LINE arrived the same day and we decided to go and see the comedy that was running that evening to see how the theatre operated. After taking our seats an announcement came over the loudspeaker, ‘ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage the worlds oldest living equity actress’ … and with that an elderly gray haired woman (then unknown to me, Sarah Christie), walked center stage, welcomed the audience to the show and sweetly gave a brief run down of the upcoming season. She finished by mentioning that the final musical would be a burlesque show. ‘I hope to see you all at the burlesque show and I promise to MEET YOU ‘ROUND THE CORNER IN HALF AN HOUR,’ which she exclaimed with a full bump and grind and final pelvic thrust to the audience (complete with off stage drum beat). Well, my jaw dropped. I was both shocked and amazed and very curious to see what I was in for. It didn’t take long for me to think about it as the audience went wild with laughter as they were regular patrons and knew what was in store with the upcoming Burlesque show. At that moment I realized I had arrived… Needless to say, A CHORUS LINE was very successful and I have been in love with the theater and John and Al ever since.”