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RITA McKENZIE RITA McKENZIE's dazzling recreation of Ethel Merman's Broadway has electrified audiences worldwide. Her internationally acclaimed performance started Off-Broadway at the John Houseman Theatre in New York City, and she performed at Carnegie Hall, Pasadena Playhouse in Los Angeles, Harrah's Casino Hotel in Atlantic City and recently on an SRO eight city tour of Japan. The exciting original cast album of Ethel Merman's Broadway has just been released on Varese Sarabande Records. Miss McKenzie starred in the Los Angeles Premiere of the Off-Broadway musical Ruthless! and she can be heard on the Original L.A. Cast Recording of the show. She received rave reviews for her role as Phoebe Farber in the Pre-Broadway production of Hurry! Hurry! Hollywood! in Los Angeles and raves again as Maggie Jones in 42nd Street with Mariette Hartley. Her other starring roles include Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes, Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance, Belle Poitrine in Little Me, Domina in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Cleo in The Most Happy Fella, Widow Corney in Oliver!, Nurse Custer in Whoopee! and, of course, Mama Rose in Gypsy. Miss McKenzie is a popular Symphony Concert artist. She sang the rousing finale on the 1996 ratings smash - the Washington, DC Fourth of July Spectacular. She has been featured with the Philadelphia Orchestra Pops, as well as with the Cincinnati, St. Louis, San Diego, Austin, Ottawa, Canada, Baltimore, and Phoenix Pops and the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. Miss McKenzie honored Cole Porter when she appeared at his 100th birthday celebrations at Carnegie Hall with Donald Pippin and with Eric Kunzel and the Centennial Orchestra in Indianapolis. She made her London debut in the fall of 1995 in the Gala Celebration of the Anniversary of the End of World War II, "The Fleet's In." Miss McKenzie is currently touring the country in the 50th anniversary production of "Annie Get Your Gun" with Glenn Yarbrough and will soon be seen in Rodney Dangerfield's new movie "Meet Wally Sparks." TV audiences will remember Miss McKenzie for her role as Mrs. Littlejohn on NBC's "Frasier" as well as Rita Marcus on "Big Brother Jake" for The Family Channel and also for her recurring role on "Daddy Dearest" starring Richard Lewis and Don Rickles for the Fox Network. CHRISTOPHER POWICH Christopher Powich (Director-Writer) continues his association with Ethel Merman's Broadway! Call Me Ethel! After conceiving and directing both the Off-Broadway Houseman Theatre, N.Y. and the Pasadena Playhouse productions. Powich also wrote and directed Ms. McKenzie's symphony "pops" tribute to Ethel Merman with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Powich directed Ms. McKenzie and Carole Shelley in the reenactment of Ethel Merman and Mary Martin's famous 1955 television medley at Rainbow and Stars Nightclub in New York. He directed the world premiere of the comedy Snap Shots by Ralph Fredericks at the O'Neill Theatre in Waterford, Connecticut, as well as the Boston company of that show. He created, directed and performed in Class Act, a nightclub revue which toured the Eastern United States. With Class Act Powich continued his association with Ms. McKenzie, which started with their featured roles in The Most Happy Fella and carried through his direction of Ms. McKenzie's nightclub at Palsson's up to the current Ethel. MICHAEL ORLAND Michael Orland (Pianist/Musical Director) has played and conducted for many concerts and nightclub acts, including Wayland Flowers and Madame, Barry Manilow, Kaye Ballard, Roslyn Kind, Debby Shapiro Gravitte, Sally Kellerman, Sam Harris, Jennifer Holliday and Lucie Arnaz. Television appearances include Geraldo, The Maury Povich Show, Vicki and the Jim J. & Tammy Faye Show as well as several national telethons. As a songwriter he contributed material for the Off-Broadway revue "Next, Please!" and Alan Nicholson's "One Voice" at the Coronet Theatre. He composed incidental music for Theatre 40's "Eastern Standard" and Louise DuArt's opening number in "Catskills on Broadway." His songs are performed frequently by many great cabaret artists. Recording projects include Debbie Shapiro Gravitte's "Part of Your World," Sharon McNight's "In the Meantime," Kaye Ballard's "Then and Again," Rita McKenzie's "Ethel Merman's Broadway" and the Los Angeles Cast recording of "RUTHLESS!" The Musical. He also produced and arranged Roslyn Kind's "Come What May" and Lee Lessack's self-titled solo album.

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