A new musical comedy revue, "DON'T LEAVE IT ALL TO YOUR CHILDREN!", written and directed by SAUL ILSON and starring Barbara Minkus ("Picon Pie"), Marcia Rodd ("The Last of the Red Hot Lovers"), Steve RossI (of Allen & Rossi) and RONNIE SCHELL (Gomer Pyle), will make its New York debut on Wednesday, May 6th at off-Broadway's Actors Temple Theatre, 339 West 47th Street, NYC. Musical numbers will be staged by Rudy Tronto.
"DON'T LEAVE IT ALL TO YOUR CHILDREN!" is a laugh-filled 90 minutes of music and comedy that celebrates the occasionally bumpy but always amusing journey as baby boomers become ‘seniors'.
You don't have to be a boomer to enjoy the show - it's about people we all know and love - our parents, grandparents and friends and, perhaps, ourselves.
The musical, which has been warmly embraced in Palm Springs (4 seasons at the Annenberg Theatre) and Walnut Creek near San Francisco, begins previews at The Actors Temple Theatre, 339 West 47th Street (west of 8th Avenue) on May 6th with the official press opening on Wednesday, May 20th at 8 PM.
Director/Writer SAUL ILSON was nominated for 5 Emmy Awards and won the Writer's Guild of America Award for comedy during his hugely successful 40+ years in television. As partner of Ilson/Chambers Productions, Saul produced and wrote some of the most successful comedy-variety series and specials on television including the legendary Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. He began his career writing musicals for television in Canada in the early 60s - one introducing an actor by the name of Robert Goulet and was directed by a Norman Jewison. He subsequently moved to Hollywood working with Billy Crystal, Dick Van Dyke, Bill Cosby, Bea Arthur, Carol Channing, Frank Sinatra and many others. He won an International Emmy and a Juno Award, (Canada's version of the Grammy) for his score for "Rich Little's Christmas Carol" which aired in Canada, on HBO and in 27 other countries. "Don't Leave It All To Your Children" is Saul's second stage production - he wrote and directed a musical-comedy called "How The West Was Sung", starring Mel Tillis, which ran for more than two years in Branson, MO.
Barbara Minkus made her NY debut in Julius Monk's "Bits and Pieces" and received raves playing Fanny Brice in "Funny Girl" around the country. She starred on Broadway in "The Education of Hyman Kaplan" under George Abbott's direction. On TV she was a popular guest on all the top talk shows and a regular on "Love American Style for six seasons. More recently she played Molly Picon off-Broadway in "Picon Pie"; Jennie Grossinger in "Saturday night at Grossinger's" in LA and Miss Lynch in "Grease" at the St Louis Muni.
Marcia Rodd made her Broadway debut as the only American actress in Joan Littlewood's OH, WHAT A LOVELY WAR! She created the role of ‘Olivia' in the award-winning musical YOUR OWN THING, traveling with it to Los Angeles and London, and followed that with the creation of the fast-talking, pot-smoking "Bobbi Michelle" in Neil Simon's LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS. Marcia garnered a Tony nomination as Best Actress in a Musical for her starring role in Cryer & Ford's SHELTER and played Hal Linden's daughter in Herb Gardner's I'M NOT RAPPOPORT. Other New York credits include leading roles in DAUGHTERS, I CAN'T KEEP RUNNING IN PLACE, THE MAD SHOW and THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR at the New York Shakespeare Festival. Her films include Jules Feiffer's LITTLE MURDERS, T.R. BASKIN, CITIZENS' BAND (aka HANDLE WITH CARE), THE SCOTTISH TALE, THE SCOUT, MULLIGANS and WANTED. She has played leading roles in regional theatres across the country and on TV appeared on 13 QUEENS BLVD, THE DUMPLINGS, FOUR SEASONS, FLAMINGO ROAD, TRAPPER JOHN MD, and played the mother of heart-throb Johnny Depp on 21 JUMP STREET.
Steve RossI is half of the world famous comedy team of Allen and Rossi. At the age of 6 he appeared in "Going My Way" with Bing Crosby, "The Jolson Story" and over 30 movies. After appearing with Mae West in concerts across the country, he teamed with Marty Allen in 1957 and soon became America's #1 comedy team. They appeared on every top TV show from Ed Sullivan to The Tonight Show and also starred in several Paramount films. In addition to producing the star-studded 25th Anniversary Allen & Rossi Special, Steve has produced 11 comedy albums and sold more than 2 million copies of his hit record "More." In 1999 he was inducted into the Show Business Legends Hall of Fame at Las Vegas' Tropicana Hotel.
RONNIE SCHELL began his career as a stand-up comedian at San Francisco's Purple Onion while still in college. After headlining at the top supper clubs in NY and Chicago he began his TV career playing Duke on "Gomer Pyle". He many TV credits include co-starring with Goldie Hawn on "Good morning World,; playing Marlo Thomas' agent on "That Girl" and guest appearances on "General Hospital", "Yes, Dear" and Disney's "Phil of the Future". He has appeared in over 24 films including Disney's "Gus, The Shaggy DA," "The Devil and Max Devlin" and Carl Reiner's "Basic Instinct" as well as voicing many cartoons. In 2002 Ronnie received the first California Standup Comedy Legend Award and was also inducted into San Francisco State's Hall of Fame.
Rudy Tronto received a TONY Award nomination as Best Director for "SUGAR BABIES". He directed and choreographed "MUSICAL CHAIRS" on Broadway and also appeared in the Broadway productions of "BALLROOM," "MAN OF LA MANCHA" as Sancho Panza, "CARNIVAL" and "IRMA LA DOUCE." Set Design will be by Josh Iacovelli with lighting by Graham Kindred.
