Sophisticated Ladies LeTang, Henry performer Hines, Gregory performer Coles, Charles "Honi" performer Battle, Hinton performer Burge, Gregg performer Theatrical Performance 1981-03-01 Lunt-Fontaine Theater A musical (revue) in two acts. Music by Duke Ellington. concept by Donald McKayle. Directed by Michael Smuin. Musical staging and choreography by Donald McKayle, Michael Smuin. Co-choreography and tap choreography by Henry LeTang. Musical director, Mercer Ellington. Associate choreographer, Bruce Heath. Assistant choreographer, Mercedes Ellington. Opened 1 March 1981 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and closed 2 January 1983 after 767 performances. Starring Gregory Hines, Judith Jamison, Phyllis Hyman, P.J. Benjmin, Hinton Battle, Greg Burge, Mercedes Ellington, Priscilla Baskerville, Terri Klausner. Hinton Battle received a Tony Award Nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. A tribute to the musical genius of Duke Ellington, the musical conceived and choreographed by Donald McKayle, with tap choreography by Henry LeTang. In future touring productions, Gregory Hines and Charles "Honi" Coles would perform. The production was praised not only for the lavish meticulousness of its physical production "right up to the last spangle on the last top hat, right down to the last member of the chorus" (that included Mercedes Ellington, assistant to the choreographer) but also for particular talents: Greg Burge was also a standout tapper, exchanging high kicks with Hines in "If It Ain't Got That Swing." "By the end of this joyous song, the two men are both leapfrogging so deftly about each other that one has no choice but to call their informal dancing a draw; he and the chorus (with Mercedes Ellington) turning themselves into a silver-lame airplane for 'Caravan' that when smoke pours from the stage, looks as if they are taking flight." (Rich) (Frank Rich, "Stage: Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies" New York Times March 2, 1981, C13). Performing Arts Encyclopedia http://www.loc.gov/performingarts Norton Anthology of Drama: Norton Anthology of Drama: Nineteenth Century to the Present (Vol. 2). W.W. Norton & Company (2009). Tap Dance America http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/tda/tda-home.html Charles "Honi" Coles (biography) loc.music.tdabio.43 Gregory Hines (biography) loc.music.tdabio.106 Henry LeTang (biography) loc.music.tdabio.128 tda IHAS 151216 loc.music.tda.426