©Broadway Online
July 17, 2001


Debbie Gravitte to Star in
Paper Mill Red, Hot & Blue!
By Robert Viagas

Tony-winner Debbie Gravitte will star in Paper Mill Playhouse's fall 2001 revival of Cole Porter's Red, Hot & Blue!, in the role originated by Ethel Merman.

The production is set to play Oct. 24 - Dec. 2, 2001. Originally a vehicle for Ethel Merman, Jimmy Durante and Bob Hope, the 1936 show includes such standards as "It's De-Lovely" and "I've Got You Under My Skin."

Gravitte also starred in a 2000 Goodspeed Opera House revival of the 1936 musical, recreating the role of Nails O'Reily Duquesne, originated by Merman.

A largely nonsensical story about a wealthy former manicurist who holds a lottery to help her lawyer find the lost love of his life, the original musical featured Porter hits “It’s De-Lovely” and “Ridin’ High.” Leeds' revised book incorporates Porter hits “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and “Just One of Those Things," along with trunk songs cut from the original, including one titled “Goodbye, Little Dream, Goodbye.”

In the original production, Ethel Merman and Jimmy Durante became embroiled in a memorable battle over who would get top billing. The problem was "solved" by an unprecedented crisscrossing of their names on the show's posters and programs.

At Paper Mill Playhouse, Bruce Adler will play Policy Pinkle, the role originated by Durante, and Michael Gruber will play Fingers.

Gravitte won a 1989 Tony Award for her performance in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, and starred as Gypsy Rose Lee in Ain’t Broadway Grand. She was a mainstay of the Varese Sarabande stable of talent and can be heard on many of the company's compilation albums, as well as on the cast album of Ahrens & Flaherty's Lucky Stiff and her solo albums The MGM Album and Part of Your World, the Music of Alan Menken.

Tickets go on sale July 30 on the Paper Mill website, or call (973) 376-4343.


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