Broadway by the Bay, a Peninsula-based musical theatre company, and the Broadway by the Bay League announced “An Evening with Ken Page,” a benefit gala concert featuring acclaimed Broadway performer Ken Page on Sunday, October 17, 2010 at Hotel Sofitel San Francisco Bay (223 Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City). Proceeds from the evening support Broadway By the Bay and its education initiatives. The evening will also honor Ingrid and Dick Sponholz for their years of support for Broadway By the Bay. Tickets prices are $150 for single tickets or $1,500 for a table of ten and are on-sale now at the Broadway By the Bay box office.
“We are honored and thrilled that Mr. Page will be lending his support to raise money for the many programs offered by Broadway By the Bay,” said Executive Director Jim Gardia. “It is a real treat to have a Broadway star of his caliber performing in such an intimate setting.”
Described as having “A pop style with more than a little southern soul in it…and openly theatrical” by The New York Times, Page made his Broadway debut in The Wiz, playing the role of The Lion. In the 1976 all-black revival of Guys and Dolls, Page played the role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Theatre World Award) and won critical praise for his rousing gospel rendition of “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat.” Page went on to star in the original cast of the Tony Award-winning hit musical, Ain’t Misbehavin’, a role that garnered him a Drama Desk Award. He also originated the role of Old Deuteronomy in the Tony Award- winning musical Cats on Broadway.
Other theatre credits include Les Misérables (Thenardier), Jesus Christ Superstar (King Herrod), Aida (Amonasro), The Wizard of Oz (The Cowardly Lion) and It Ain’t Nothin’ but the Blues. Film fans will recognize Page as the voice of Oogie Boogie in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. He has also had roles in several other films including All Dogs Go To Heaven, Torch Song Trilogy and most recently, Dreamgirls. In 2008, Page released Page By Page, a two-disc album of his one man show recorded live at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts in California.
The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a pre-dinner cocktail party followed by a gourmet three-course dinner at 6:30 p.m. Starting at 8 p.m., Page will take the stage to perform a concert of his biggest hits from the Great White Way and beyond!