BWW Blog: Meet BWW's May Blogger, Andrea McArdle

Hello everybody at BWW! My name's Andrea! What's yours?!

You know I just had to start out with a musical lyric take-off for my BroadwayWorld blog, right? I'm so excited to spend the next few weeks with all of you, I'll be giving you the birds eye view of my crazy days and nights as I rehearse, perform, rehearse, perform, and rinse and repeat on a bunch of really fun projects including an incredible partnership with Oceania Cruises for their upcoming Life In The Theater series, more on that later this month!!

As a long time "family member" of this website, I remember the early days of our Standing Ovations concerts and the many, many photo ops with my beloved Linda Lenzi and Walter McBride, and my very own BroadwayWorld concert at Joe's Pub way back in 2005. It was directed by my show biz fairy godfather Richard Jay-Alexander and it was quite a night, such fun, and as always when it comes to BWW, a sold out benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. Robert Diamond and his team are always first in line when it comes to giving back and caring for our community.

So here I am, recently moved back to midtown (so happy to be two blocks from Times Square again), and busy as hell! That's the way we like it right, no free time, all singing, all dancing? I'm SO LUCKY to be a part of the fabulous new touring production of the legendary 4 GIRLS 4, I'm performing alongside an INCREDIBLE roster of INSANELY TALENTED ladies, who are they you ask? Drum roll please, Faith Prince, Maureen McGovern, and Donna McKechnie! Hello? Amazeballs much? We joke that we've bestowed Faith the honorary surname of "McPrince" so she can join our little "McCrowd", hah, boy are we having a blast!

About two years ago-I believe, my beautiful angel of a manager, Wayne Gmitter, who also represents, Donna, Faith and Maureen , thought that we'd all make an ideal cast to revive the magic of Rosemary Clooney's inspired idea of an act, 4 GIRLS 4. Wayne along with his co-producer and our musical maestro extraordinaire John McDaniel, purchased the trademark from Ms. Clooney's estate, gathered up the troops, booked the various dates, and let us loose. I cannot tell you how special it is to share the stage with these amazing women, the talent, caring, and support they show me every gig is just a gift, and to make it even more delicious, joining us from time to time, to cover a spot when one of us might have a conflict, are Leslie Uggams (my darling cast mate from JERRY'S GIRLS -one of the best ladies ever-LOVE HER!), and the stunning Christine Andreas, wow, is she incredible.

It's been a whirlwind putting it all up, including me nearly breaking my leg a day before our first performance, nothing like working a crowd and a gown with a huge Terminator like boot on your foot, "I'll Be Back...with one more song!"

Our next date is this Friday at Strathmore in Bethesda, MD, shout out to my Bethesda peeps, come and join us! In addition to 4 GIRLS 4 on Friday, I'm performing, alongside my musical director, muse and brother from another theatrical mother, Steve Marzullo, as part of Symphony Space's WALL TO WALL Cabaret

(BWW link here: http://www.broadwayworld.com/cabaret/article/Barbara-Cook-and-More-Set-for-Symphony-Spaces-WALL-TO-WALL-Cabaret-53-20140403#.U2F2WseKTPg)

I'll arrive back Saturday afternoon, drop off my bags, jump in the shower, work up the hair and makeup and zoom up to 95th street, it's going to be a really incredible night I think, Barbara Cook, James Naughton, Billy Stritch, Andrea Marcovicci, Steve Ross, Christine Pedi (my HILARIOUS chum from doing NEWSICAL -go Team D'Angora!) and many other towering talents will all be performing, I'm really excited. On that note I have to run to rehearsal for the event, so until next time, keep on keepin' on BWW peeps and I'll check back in soon, I'll try and get some backstage pics and stuff, just for you!

Andrea first captured the hearts of theatergoers in 1977 when she originated the title role in the mega-musical hit Broadway musical ANNIE, based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie. Since then, she has starred in several Broadway musicals as well essaying leading roles on stages the world over.

Andrea has brought her award-winning vocal talents to national and international concert halls from Carnegie Hall to the Las Vegas Hilton to the Hong Kong Philharmonic as well as several remarkable television appearances through the years. Ms. McArdle has sung for each American President from Gerald Ford to Bill Clinton. She honed her craft by working with some of the legends of the entertainment industry such as Ethel Merman, Liza Minnelli, Julie Andrews, Bob Hope, Liberace, Frank Sinatra, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Stephen Schwartz, Tim Rice, Trisha Yearwood and Elton John to name just a few.

As Annie she became the youngest performer ever to be nominated for a Tony Award as Best Lead Actress in a Musical. She also received the Theater World and Outer Critics' Circle Awards for the girl with the red hair and big voice. She subsequently conquered London with her portrayal of Little Orphan Annie in the West End. Andrea was then tapped to portray Judy Garland in the acclaimed NBC television movie “Rainbow”. She appeared in the 1999 Rob Marshall-directed TV version of “Annie”, singing the "Star To Be" segment of the song "N.Y.C."

The stage has continued to welcome Andrea “home” throughout the years, she starred in the Jerry Herman musical JERRY’S GIRLS alongside Carol Channing and Leslie Uggams as herself; as Fantine in the original Broadway run of LES MISERABLES; as the sassy Smoking Car, Ashley, in the original Broadway cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s STARLIGHT EXPRESS; as Belle in Broadway’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and as the original Margy Frake in Broadway’s STATE FAIR. Andrea was lauded for her portrayal of Sally Bowles in both the US National and International tours of the Tony Award winning revival of CABARET and also toured as Eponine in LES MISERABLES,. Other notable roles include: Mrs. Johnston in BLOOD BROTHERS; Eva Peron, in EVITA; Nancy in OLIVER; Sandy in GREASE; the Narrator in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT; Miss Hannigan in ANNIE; Annie Oakley in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN , Rose in GYPSY; Esther (the Judy Garland role) in MEET ME IN ST LOUIS; Sonia in THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG; as PETER PAN and appeared as herself in Off-Broadway’s The Vagina Monologues. Ms. McArdle recently starred in the 2012 version of the comedic hit, NEWSICAL: The Musical!, Andrea followed internet sensation Perez Hilton as the production’s celebrity guest star to celebrated acclaim. Her most recent stage triumph was essaying the title role in Jerry Herman’s Broadway classic MAME at the newly renovated and long acclaimed Bucks County Playhouse.

Andrea is a much in demand vocalist and has performed in the showrooms of many of the Las Vegas and Atlantic City’s top hotels and casino’s, and in cabarets and niteclubs such as New York City’s renowned Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre, Feinstein's at the Regency Hotel, among many others. She can be heard on the Grammy Winning, Platinum selling Original Broadway Cast recording of ANNIE, as well as the cast recordings of JERRY’S GIRLS, STATE FAIR, the television soundtrack of Rob Marshall’s ANNIE, as well as her own solo CD titled “Andrea McArdle: On Broadway”. In 2013 Andrea released her new solo release ANDREA MCARDLE: 70’s & SUNNY- LIVE from 54 BELOW, and Golden Record’s Celebrity Classics Children’s CD.

Andrea McArdle was the recipient of the 2011 NYMF award for Outstanding Individual Performance for her role in GREENWOOD The Musical.

Ms. McArdle recently finished up an acclaimed run at Manhattan’s 54 Below in her new cabaret act, DREAM ROLES.

Andrea is currently starring in the theatrical tour of 4 GIRLS 4 alongside fellow Broadway icons Faith Prince, Donna McKechnie and Maureen McGovern.

Later this year Andrea will be embarking on an exciting partnership with Oceania Cruises debuting a new “LIFE IN THE THEATER” performance series.

Photo Credit: Angela Talley