Broadway’s Trent Armand Kendall has been touring the country with his new musical LOUIS-AND-ELLA! which has been called “a fun, inventive journey with two greats of music.” Fresh off the heels of a mini – national tour that included stops in Maryland, Texas, New Jersey and Florida, LOUIS-AND-ELLA! is returning to NYC’s The Cutting Room (44 E 32nd Street) on Sunday, March 5 at 6:30pm (doors open at 5:30pm and tickets are $20-$25). For tickets please visit thecuttingroomnyc.com or call 212. 691.1900. For more information and updated performances schedule please visit www.LouisandElla.com.
Featuring over 25 songs – LOUIS-AND-ELLA! follows the Architect of Jazz and The First Lady of Song as they meet in heaven sharing the stage one more time. The musical includes some of the most enduring hits of all time such as “Something to Live For,” “What a Wonderful World” and “A Tisket a Tasket.” Directed by Broadway’s Jeff Whiting, the band includes: Mark Berman(as The Bandleader, Music Direction), Eli Asher (Trumpet), Belden Bullock (Bass), Brian Floody (Drums & Percussion), Sean Nowell (Tenor Sax). The show is written by Trent Armand Kendall and is produced by Onemoe Music; Geoffrey M. Cohen, General Manager.
TRENT ARMAND KENDALL (writer/Louis) has been called “Broadway’s Renaissance Man” – BroadwayWorld.com.He currently enjoys a thriving career as writer/producer, actor, front man, international headliner, recording artist and radio host. LOUIS-AND-ELLA! By Trent Armand Kendall is an original concept and longtime labor of love, now brought to the stage. Kendall is also the award-winning writer/star of the acclaimed one man musical, Picture Incomplete (Best Musical – United Solo) that has appeared off-Broadway and enjoyed sold out runs Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and South Africa. Theater: Into The Woods, All-Star Hair, Chess in concert, Purlie!, Wizard of Oz(Broadway/New York), Bat Boy the musical [Outer Critic’s Circle Award], Nunsense A-Men!, Juba, God’s Trombones(Off-Broadway) Five Guys Named Moe, Hey Mr. Producer!, Handful of Keys (London’s West End) The Scottsboro Boys (Los Angeles Premiere – Ovation Award), The Cocoanuts revival (Guthrie Theater), The Music Man (Two River/NJPAC), Thunder Knocking on the Door (Cincinnati Playhouse), Ain’t Misbehavin (Cape Playhouse), Children of Eden (American Premiere), Joseph …Dreamcoat (Canadian Premiere), The Color Purple, Smokey Joe’s Cafe’ (1st National Tour).TV/Film/Radio: “Iron Fist” (Netflix), “Nicki” (ABC Family), “Blue Bloods” (CBS), “Law & Order,” “Law & Order SVU” (NBC), “Strangers With Candy” (Comedy Central), Pink Panther (MGM), VH1, Five Guys Named Moe(VCI), “Hey Mr. Producer!” (PBS), “Trent Armand Kendall’s Broadway Download “(CWRN – host, producer). Kendall is the celebrated front man of the 10-piece jazz, blues, soul orchestra, Brass ILLUSION. Recordings include multiple cast albums, Introducing Trent Kendall (Dress Circle), Picture Incomplete (LML) and Trent Armand Kendall + Brass ILLUSION (Onemoe Music).trentkendall.com
NATASHA YVETTE WILLIAMS (Ella) Broadway credits: Currently staring as Matron Mama Morton in Chicago on Broadway. Recently: A Night With Janis Joplin (Aretha Franklin, Joplinaire), The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess(Mariah), The Color Purple (Sofia). NaTasha has been a featured singer with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, The Ottawa Symphony, The Edmonton Symphony, The Naples Philharmonic, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Pops in the production of Irving Berlin: Rags to Riches. At Lincoln Center, she was Sarah’s friend inRagtime in Concert and she was also in Dessa Rose. NaTasha was Mammy in Trevor Nunn’s London West End production of Gone With the Wind. Some National Tours: Xanadu (Melpomene), The Drowsy Chaperone (Trix the Aviatrix), All Shook Up (Sylvia), Seussical the Musical (Sour Kangaroo), Cinderella (Grace), Parade, The Goodbye Girl (Mrs. Crosby). Selected Regional credits: Velma and Mabel in Crowns at Arkansas Repertory Theater and Arena Stage respectively. MotorMouth Maybelle in Hairspray at Papermill Playhouse, Mahalia in Mahalia at the Cleveland Playhouse, and Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Papermill Playhouse. NaTasha was the first Kraft foods New Voice of Gospel Winner. NaTasha’s CD’s are available. For more information, please visit her website at www.natashayvettewilliams.com.
JEFF WHITING (Director/Choreographer) recently acclaimed as a ‘director with a joyous touch’ by the New York Times, Jeff Whiting is a director and choreographer for theater, opera, television, special events and concerts around the world. On Broadway, Jeff is the Associate/Resident Director for Broadway productions Big Fish (dir. Susan Stroman) and Bullets Over Broadway (Woody Allen, Susan Stroman). Other Broadway credits (as Associate Director/Choreographer) include The Scottsboro Boys (12 Tony nominations), Hair (Tony Best Revival), Young Frankenstein, and Wicked (5th Anniversary). National Tour credits include Young Frankenstein (director), Hairspray(assoc. director), The Producers (assoc. director).Having been praised on THE VIEW as ‘a truly remarkable talent’, Jeff’s theatrical direction and choreography includes The Scottsboro Boys (Philadelphia Theatre Company), Hairspray(Brazilian production), Young Frankenstein (National Tour), Kiss Me Kate (Glimmerglass), Tarantella: Spider Dance(Theater for a New City), Bye Bye Birdie (Cortland Rep), Thrill Me: Leopold & Loeb (Southeastern Premiere),Fashion 47 (Minneapolis CTC), All Night Strut (Cortland Rep), My Way (Cortland Rep), I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Arkansas Rep), The Donkey Show.
Photos by James E. Alexander
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