BOB FOSSE - 75th Anniversary

As far as American musical comedy is concerned, Bob Fosse was one of the leading directors, actors and dancers and quite possibly the greatest choreographer that ever worked on Broadway and in Hollywood films. Born in 1927 his razzle-dazzle choreography, musical staging and overall direction helped to create an almost unbroken succession of Broadway hits. He appeared in the film of Kiss Me Kate and directed the film of Cabaret with Liza Minelli. In his personal life he was so attracted to female dancers that he married three of them (not all at the same time) - namely, Mary Ann Niles, Joan McCracken and Gwen Verdon.

Our tribute includes items from Pippin, Kiss Me Kate, Chicago, Damn Yankees, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, How to Succeed in Business -and the Broadway tribute to Fosse entitled Dancin’.

Probably the best-known American of all time, Walt Disney has been central to the childhood dreams of our children (for better or for worse!) ever since Mickey Mouse first arrived on the scene in 1928. Disney’s greatest achievement was undoubtedly the series of full-length animated cartoons he produced, starting with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1938 and continuing after his death with such classics as Jungle Book and The Little Mermaid. These cartoons not only contained entrancing stories and wonderful characters, but also stupendous artwork and memorable music written by a host of talented composers. So sit back and revel in nostalgia!

Our tribute includes items from Pinocchio, Toy Story 2, Dumbo, Mary Poppins, Lady and the Tramp, Jungle Book, Pocahontas and The Lion King.

It’s now 20 years since Madonna put together her first hit album and this album generated three hit singles that all reached the top of the pop charts. 10 years ago she signed with Time Warner Inc. to create her own record, publishing and film company. She produced a book, Sex, which reached a million copies in its first printing and in 1999 received three Grammy Awards for her album Ray of Light. Film appearances include Dick Tracy and Evita. Definitely a lady to celebrate!!

Our tribute includes items from Ray of Light, Evita, Austin Powers 2, Dick Tracy, plus a selection of her solo songs.

A recent well-known musical publication stated that the music of Richard Rodgers is played more often than the music of any other composer who ever lived - including Mozart, Bach and Beethoven (not to mention Madonna!!). And no wonder! What marvellous tunes he wrote, most of them in collaboration with two superb lyricists. He spent the first half of his career collaborating with the acerbic Lorenz Hart whose caustic wit and sharp rhymes contrasted with those of Oscar Hammerstein II, Rodgers’ collaborator from 1943 until 1960. In the last years of his career one of his collaborators was Stephen Sondheim - but that’s another story! In our show we present some familiar items, and some lesser-known gems. Feel free to sing along with them all.

Our tribute includes items from Oklahoma, Spring is Here, State Fair, The Girl Friend, Love me Tonight, Flower Drum Song, Carousel, The King and I, and his final show, I Remember Mama.

Can you believe that it’s 25 years since Paramount’s film hit the big screen and started a craze for disc music that was to last a decade? In the film John Travolta exuded a sexuality that made him an icon of the seventies. Teenage girls, and their mothers, all fell in love with him! No wonder he won the Best Actor Academy Award. The film was a smash hit at the box office. So let’s celebrate the music of the Bee Gees and the sensational youth culture of the 70s.

Our tribute includes the songs If I can’t have you, More than a woman, How deep is your love, Night Fever, Staying alive - plus a dash of Beethoven’s 5th.

By the end of this week we hope that the total of our contributions to charity will have reached the sensational sum of £100 000. We can only make this target with the help of yourselves, our faithful audience - and we thank you for your support tonight, in the past, and well into the future. I know it’s a bit premature, but there’s nothing like optimism, so let’s finish our show by celebrating the fact that our monetary target is at least in sight.