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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 20 July 2018
Gary Beach, who won a Tony in 'The Producers,' dies at 70

By MARK KENNEDY James Kirkwood starring
NEW YORK (AP) — Gary two real-life theater leg-
Beach, a Broadway and ends, Mary Martin and Car-
TV veteran whose portrayal ol Channing.
of a truly terrible theater di- "The first day of rehearsal
rector in Mel Brooks' mon- in Los Angeles, there I was,
ster hit "The Producers" won sitting between Peter Pan
him a Tony Award in 2001, and Dolly Levi and trying
has died, according to his to pretend there was ab-
agent, Steven Unger. He solutely nothing wrong with
was 70. this picture," he recalled
Unger said Beach died with a laugh.
Tuesday at his home in After nearly 20 years in
Palm Springs, California. No New York, Beach moved
cause was given. to Los Angeles. "I fell in love
Beach's other Broadway with the idea of having a
roles included Lumiere in car like an adult," he said.
"Beauty and the Beast" and There, he acted in such
Albin in the 2004 revival of shows as "The John Larro-
"La Cage aux Folles," both quette Show," ''Murder, She
of which earned him Tony Wrote," ''Saved by the Bell"
nominations. and "Will & Grace."
"The Producers" opened in He stayed in California for
2001 and starred Nathan 13 years, only coming back
Lane as Max and Matthew to do "Beauty and the
Broderick as Leo, and fea- Beast." He broke his ankle
tured Cady Huffman as Ulla during the run after falling
and Roger Bart as Carmen off a stack of dishes, went
Ghia. In this Dec. 12, 2005 file photo, cast member Gary Beach arrives at the world premiere of the back to Los Angeles and
Beach played the self-ab- theatrical version of the musical "The Producers," in Los Angeles. got a call asking him to do a
sorbed and beyond-flam- Associated Press reading of "The Producers."
boyant director who gets Beach's favorite moment in
to go on as Hitler and leads hooked on musical theater. ginia, as a political science erables" and "Beauty and the show was a section of
the cast in "Springtime For "I always wanted to be a major but read a maga- Beast," and over 800 perfor- lyrics added to the "Spring-
Hitler," the show's most fa- performer, but it never oc- zine article about the North mances in "1776," the show time for Hitler" number dur-
mous number. He reprised curred to me to be a tele- Carolina School of the Arts, that got him to Broadway. ing the pre-Broadway run in
the role in the 2005 film. vision performer or a movie where "show business goes He survived flops — "The Chicago.
Born in Alexandria, Virginia, actor," Beach told The As- to school" — and found his Mooney Shapiro Song- "It's when Hitler does the
Beach at age 11 saw the sociated Press in 2001. "To true calling. book," a one-performance tap challenge with the Al-
original road tour of "The me, it was always Broad- He did over 1,000 perfor- bomb in 1981 — and mo- lies and ends up rolling the
Music Man," starring For- way." mances in New York and ments of intense gladness, wheelchair-bound Franklin
rest Tucker, at Washington's Beach started college at on the road of three mu- like the comedy "Legends" Roosevelt off the stage,"
National Theatre and was Old Dominion in Norfolk, Vir- sicals: "Annie," ''Les Mis- by "Chorus Line" author Beach explained. q

Bruce Springsteen surprises audience at Billy Joel concert

By MESFIN FEKADU "Born to Run." no to harmonica to guitar.
Associated Press Joel, 69, and Springsteen, He put on his sunglasses
NEW YORK (AP) — Bruce 68, hugged after their two- while he passionately sang
Springsteen propped him- song performance, and "New York State of Mind"
self on top of Billy Joel's pi- The Boss kissed Joel on his and twirled his microphone
ano to sing a duet with The head as he walked off- stand in the air and danced
Piano Man, who was cel- stage. happily after singing "Up-
ebrating his 100th concert A banner celebrating Joel's town Girl."
at Madison Square Garden 100th performance at MSG He said he had to think of a
on Wednesday night. rose to the ceiling near the special song to sing to cel-
Joel told the energetic top of the two-hour-plus ebrate his new milestone,
crowd he had a guest com- concert. Joel started per- and then performed "This Is
ing onstage who has won a forming a monthly residen- the Time."
Grammy, Oscar and Tony. cy at the arena in 2014. No "Maybe it'll hit me later," he
Springsteen emerged, sur- Musician Billy Joel performs during his 100th lifetime performance artist has performed at the said of his new feat.
prising the feverish and fa- at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, in famed venue more than Earlier on Wednesday,
natic audience, who loudly New York. Joel. "Good evening to you Governor Andrew Cuomo
cheered "BRUCE." Associated Press New York City," said Joel, proclaimed July 18, 2018,
"Congratulations Billy on whose 2-year-old daugh- as "Billy Joel Day." Joel, who
your 100th show," Springs- Springsteen encouraged — making it on his second ter, Della Rose Joel, sat on was born in the Bronx, first
teen yelled. the crowd to cheer loud- try — and sat on it while his lap. "I want to thank you performed at MSG on De-
"Ready, Billy?" he asked, as er and then sang "Tenth Joel played and the piano all for coming to our show." cember 14, 1978. His piano
Joel began to play while Avenue Freeze-Out." He slowly spun. Springsteen Joel was excited through- is on display in front of the
sitting at the piano. jumped onto Joel's piano then rocked his guitar for out his set, going from pia- venue. q