Off Broadway: Maurice Hines TAPPIN' THRU LIFE A Song and Dance Musical - Previews Begin December 23 2015

From a media release:

Off Broadway:
Maurice Hines
TAPPIN' THRU LIFE
A Song and Dance Musical
Directed by Jeff Calhoun

Previews begin December 23, 2015 - Twelve Weeks Only

Get the Deals:
• The discount code TLMPW15 has been extended!
• You can now use the code to purchase tickets at $49 for all performances until Jan. 31.
• The price goes up to $79 with the same code on Feb. 1. In other words, buy early and save more. The regular ticket price is $95.
• Group tickets are just $35 if you book and pay for your group by Jan. 31. The price increases to $49 on Feb. 1.

• Get Your Tix

NEW YORK CITY - He's going to put a smile on your face and song in your heart.

Maurice Hines Tappin’ Thru Life is a swinging, song and dance musical that celebrates the astonishing showmanship of one of the last great tap dancers of a bygone era still working today and whose collaborators were a jaw-dropping, who's who of theatre, music, film and television. Co-starring the fierce tap dancing Manzari brothers and the all female vivacious Diva Jazz Orchestra, the show is directed by Jeff Calhoun (Newsies, Deaf West’s Big River, Grease).

• Performances begin Wednesday, December 23rd at New World Stages (340 W. 50th Street), and opening night is Monday, January 11th.

Maurice began working when he was five years old and his brother Gregory was three. He shares funny and heartbreaking experiences about his life with Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, Judy Garland and many others. The show is a tribute to his loving family, both on stage and off. “My interest is in the today and tomorrow of life and popular culture. I love discovering and mentoring new talent as well as performing and telling stories about the greats,"
said Hines.

Maurice Hines with John and Leo Manzari. Photo by Tony Powell

Maurice Hines Tappin’ Thru Life has set design by Tobin Ost (Newsies, Jekyll and Hyde), sound design by Michael Hahn (Two Gentleman of Verona, Hamlet), lighting design by Michael Gilliam (Bonnie and Clyde, Brooklyn), and projection design by Darrel Maloney (Allegiance, On Your Feet!).

Co-starring in the show are two of Maurice's discoveries, John and Leo Manzari, a pair of tap dancing siblings reminiscent of a young Maurice and his brother Gregory. The Diva Jazz Orchestra is led by drummer Sherrie Maricle.

MAURICE HINES 
Star of stage, screen, and television, Maurice Hines commenced his acclaimed career at the age of five, studying tap at the Henry LeTang Dance Studio in New York City. Mr. LeTang recognized his extraordinary talents and was soon choreographing numbers specifically for Maurice and his brother Gregory. Soon the brothers were appearing on  Broadway and touring as the opening act for such headliners as Lionel Hampton and Gypsy Rose Lee.Their father then joined the act and shortly thereafter, "Hines, Hines, & Dad" was performing to rave reviews in New York, Las Vegas and Europe. Mr. Hines has made 35 appearances on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson.

Image by Tony Powell

Mr. Hines pursued a solo career and success soon followed when he was chosen to star as Nathan Detroit in the National Touring Company of Guys and Dolls. After his thrilling performance, Broadway beckoned, and Mr. Hines created a sensation during the 1978-79 season with his singing and dancing in the hit musical Eubie! He followed this performance with celebrated roles co-starring in Bring Back Birdie with Chita Rivera and Donald O'Connor and starring in Charles Randolph Wright’s Sophisticated Ladies.

Next, Mr. Hines made his big screen debut in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Cotton Club." As the film hit theaters across the country, so did Ballet USA, a dance company created by Mr. Hines and Mercedes Ellington. Mr. Hines then conceived, directed, and choreographed the musical Uptown…It’s Hot! which played for 17 sold-out weeks in Atlantic City. He joined the cast when the show moved to Broadway and received a 1986 Tony Award nomination as Best Actor in a Musical. He followed this achievement by codirecting and choreographing the National Tour of the musical Satchmo produced by Kenneth Feld. As one of the few stars who truly loves the road, Mr. Hines then directed, choreographed and starred in the National Tour of the musical Harlem Suite with successive leading ladies Jennifer Holliday, Stephanie Mills and Melba Moore.

With Gregory in Cotton Club:



Mr. Hines turned his attention to direction and choreographing music videos, including “I’ll Be Good To You”, the first release off of Quincy Jones' “Back On The Block” album. Mr. Hines has directed The Radio City Spectacular (the first African-American director for Radio City Music Hall). In the 1994-1995 season, Mr. Hines starred as Jelly Roll Morton in the forty city first-class National Tour of the musical Jelly’s Last Jam.

In 2006, Mr. Hines, collaborating with Maurice White, choreographed and directed the Hip-Hop Broadway musical Hot Feet featuring the music of Earth, Wind, and Fire. Mr. Hines’s latest album on Arbor Records, “To Nat ‘King’ Cole, With Love”, was released to critical acclaim. Recently, Mr. Hines choreographed productions of Hairspray in Santo Domingo, Sophisticated Ladies at The Lincoln Theatre, as well as a new show called Dance, Dance, Dance, Snap. Mr. Hines is the recipient of the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography for Cool Papa’s Party at MetroStage.

Trailer from a previous performance in DC (dates don't apply):