Ann Morrison has been a theatre actress for 35+ years (and writer & director) and she’s got a lot of backstage gossip to dish when she appears at Broadway’s Nightclub 54 Below on September 2nd in “Now You Know: An Evening of Steve, Lenny – And Annie.” You may hear some or all about her experiences in “Merrily We Roll Along” as one of the original cast members. Guess the only sure way to know is to be there!
Ann and I had a nice phone conversation the other day – she’s living in Florida – and makes trips back and forth to New York. While she was in town this past May/June, plugging her solo award-winning plays, she appeared in “Sondheim Unplugged,” hosted by Phil Geoffrey Bond at 54 Below, her reviews so glowing that it resulted in this upcoming solo show.
It seems that Lenny and Steve have crossed her path many times and so the upcoming show was already taking form, only needing Annie to fill the gap. And that’s how it was born! Ann will be doing lots of storytelling as well as singing, the show having previewed in her home state of Florida, with her Musical Director Michael Sebastian.
It’s been 28 years since Ann did a cabaret act in New York; the last time, she was 8 1/2 months pregnant with her son Huck – wondering how she would do it with her diaphragm all squwoosed and Huck in breach position! Huck Walton is now busy in L.A. and Ann and her ex, Blake Walton, have formed GotAVan Productions, traveling and performing around the country, something that friend Hal Prince is very excited about.
Ann, who also appeared in LoveMusik, Goblin Market, created a theatre company in Florida for adults and children who are developmentally disabled – music being the great healer, developing the solo play Word Painting: Soliloquies Around An Easel, as well as a series of monologues. Among others, she has won a Theatre World Award, Drama Desk Nomination and Best Actress Award in the United Solo Festival 2012 for her piece Linda Lovely Goes to Broadway.
One place you will get to hear mucho gossip is in her upcoming project with Lonny Price (original Merrily cast member), who is directing “Our Time: A Documentary About Growing Up,” giving a blow by blow journey of each of the cast members. You’ll get to meet and hear their stories and also hear a special parody that Jason Alexander and David Shine wrote for Ann at that time (which will be part of the Sept. 2nd show).
From what I gathered “Now You Know: An Evening of Steve, Lenny – And Annie” is overflowing with humor, surprises and pizzazz, and will include songs from West Side Story; Anyone Can Whistle (with an usual twist) and – – – she won’t give anything more away! “Now You Know!”
54 Below, 254 West 54 St. (Cellar) NYC General Information: (646) 476-3551
To purchase tickets visit TicketWeb.com or call (866) 468-7619
