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	<title>Observer &#187; Maggie the Cat is Alive&#8211;On Broadway!</title>
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		<title>Maggie the Cat is Alive&#8211;On Broadway!</title>

		<comments>http://observer.com/2007/11/maggie-the-cat-is-aliveon-broadway/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Nov 2007 17:34:19 -0400</pubDate>
					<link>http://observer.com/2007/11/maggie-the-cat-is-aliveon-broadway/</link>
			<dc:creator>Gillian Reagan</dc:creator>
				
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		<description><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/debbieallen.jpg?w=300&h=161" />After 12 years of negotiations and organization, the all-African-American revival of Tennessee Williams' “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" will finally be staged on the Broadhurst Theater, starting in mid-February with an opening night set for March 6. Tony-nominated actor, choreographer and TV director <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000739/bio">Debbie Allen</a> will direct.</p>
<p>Full release after the jump.</p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 20pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">CAT  FINDS A HOME…</span></span></strong></p>
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<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 16pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">The all African-American  production of </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 16pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Tennessee Williams'  Pulitzer Prize winning play</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><em><u><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 10pt;font-style: italic;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"><span style="text-decoration: none"> </span></span></span></u></em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><em><u><span style="font-size: x-large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 22pt;font-style: italic;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">CAT  ON A HOT TIN ROOF</span></span></u></em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 16pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Directed  by</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 18pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">DEBBIE  ALLEN</span></span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 7pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 16pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Will begin its limited run  on </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 18pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Tuesday,  February 12, 2008</span></span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 18pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Opening,  Thursday, March 6, 2008</span></span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 8pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 18pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">At  Broadway’s Broadhurst Theatre</span></span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 8pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 8pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">New York, NY (November 8, 2007): The  previously announced Broadway run of the African- American production of  <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Tennessee Williams’ <em><span style="font-style: italic">CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF</span></em> </span></strong>directed  by <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Debbie Allen</span></strong> will hit the Great  White Way beginning<strong><span style="font-weight: bold"> the week of February 11,  2008 </span></strong>at Broadway’s <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Broadhurst  Theatre.</span></strong> This production of <strong><em><span style="font-weight: bold;font-style: italic">CAT ON A HOT TIN  ROOF</span></em></strong><em><span style="font-style: italic"> i</span></em><strong><span style="font-weight: bold">s being presented by Tin Cat Productions and produced  by Stephen Byrd. </span></strong>Cast will be announcing soon<strong><span style="font-weight: bold">. </span></strong></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">Hypocrisy, greed and secret passions  threaten to tear apart a wealthy but dysfunctional Mississippi family in  Tennessee Williams' stunning American masterpiece. <em><span style="font-style: italic">CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF </span></em>searingly portrays  the larger-than-life characters of Maggie &quot;the Cat,&quot; her alcoholic husband,  Brick, and the dominating family patriarch, Big  Daddy.</span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 11pt;font-style: italic;font-family: Arial">CAT ON A HOT TIN  ROOF </span></span></em><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">has been revived on Broadway several  times before, but this production marks the first African – American production  approved by William’s estate for the Broadway stage.   </span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">“I am so proud to be able to bring  this amazing story back to the Broadway stage.  I have been on a 12 year journey  with this vision of an African-American version of <em><span style="font-style: italic">Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, </span></em>and am ecstatic  that Ms. Debbie Allen will helm this production.   It will truly be a historic  presentation of a classic piece of theatre.”   Stephen Byrd, producer <em><span style="font-style: italic">Cat on a Hot Tin  Roof</span></em></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">“I am thrilled to stand at the helm  of this unique production as we navigate our way through Tennessee Williams’  riveting and explosive American classic. <em><span style="font-style: italic">Cat,</span></em> said to be his favorite of his many  plays, achieves a timeless coherence with its characters as they wrestle with  the universal struggles of life, love, money, sex and death”  Debbie Allen,  director.<em><span style="font-style: italic"></span></em></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">Press  Contact:              Springer Associates PR/ (212)  354-4660</span></span></strong></p>
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<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">Box  Office opening date will be announced soon.</span></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt;text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: small;font-family: Arial;color: blue"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 12pt;font-family: Arial;color: blue">www.<a href="http://cat2008onbroadway.com/" title="http://cat2008onbroadway.com/">Cat2008onBroadway.com</a>  </span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 12pt;font-family: Arial"><br /></span></span>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt;text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">DEBBIE  ALLEN </span></span></strong><em><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-style: italic;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">(director)  </span></span></em><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">continues to be one of  the most respected, relevant, and versatile talents in the entertainment  industry today.</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Ms. Allen, Artist in  Residence for over ten years at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., has created six original musicals with  James Ingram, Arturo Sandoval and Diane Louie. <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Pepito’s Story </span></strong>(1996), <strong><em><span style="font-weight: bold;font-style: italic">Brothers of the Knight  </span></em></strong>(1997), <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Soul  Possessed</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Dreams  </span></strong>(2000)<strong><span style="font-weight: bold"> Pearl </span></strong>2001 and  <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Dancing In the Wings</span></strong> (2005). In  December 2006, Debbie Allen debuted her musical stage production<strong><span style="font-weight: bold">, “The Bayou Legend</span></strong>” at the Glorya Kaufman  Hall, UCLA. In April 2007 Ms. Allen will premier <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Alex in Wonderland,</span></strong> a musical which  explores the relevance of fairytales to a 13 year old boy, at the Kennedy Center  in Washington D.C.. </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Debbie Allen is an  internationally recognized director/choreographer known for working with  <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">The Royal Shakespeare at  Stratford</span></strong>, and <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">The Legendary  Rahbani Family in Lebanon</span></strong>. A Culture Connect Ambassador Ms. Allen  represented the U.S. in  visits to Brazil,  China, Italy, and India.  A member of the prestigious President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, a  board member of the American Film Institute, and an Executive Committee member  of UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film, and Television. Ms. Allen expands the  opportunities in arts education for young people all over the world.   </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Allen holds the  distinction of having choreographed the Academy Awards a record ten times, six  in consecutive years. Directed and choreographed for legendary artists Michael  Jackson, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Gwen Verdon, Lena Horne  and Sammy Davis Jr. to name a few. </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Ms. Allen received the  Golden Globe for her role as “Lydia Grant” in the hit series<strong><span style="font-weight: bold">,<em><span style="font-style: italic">  </span></em>Fame</span></strong>, A three time Emmy Award winner for Choreography ,  the series <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Fame</span></strong>, and <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">The Motown 25<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Special.   </span></strong>Ms. Allen has won 10 Image awards as a director, actress,  choreographer and producer<strong><span style="font-weight: bold"> for Fame, A  Different World, Motown 25<sup>th</sup>, The Academy Awards, The Debbie Allen  Special and Amistad .  </span></strong></span></span><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">In 1996, she produced the  Steven Spielberg epic film <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Amistad</span></strong>. A much sought after director and  producer for television, her credits include <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Fame</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Family Ties</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Quantum Leap</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">The Twilight Zone</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">A Different World</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Fresh Prince Of Bel Air</span></strong> <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">pilot</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">The Jaime Foxx Show</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">The Parkers</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">That’s so Raven</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">All of Us</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Girlfriends</span></strong>, and <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Everybody Hates Chris.</span></strong> Her Movie’s for  television include <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Disney’s Polly and Polly  Coming Home, the CBS classic Stompin’ At The Savoy and the critically acclaimed  Old Settler starring Phylicia Rashad. </span></strong>Recently, Allen directed the  second highest rated original movie in Lifetime Channel history, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Life is Not A Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino  Story</span></strong>.</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Allen received favorable  notices for her role as Richard Pryor’s feisty wife in the semi-autobiographical  film, <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">JoJo Dancer, Your Life is  Calling</span></u></strong>.  Her other feature films include Milos Foreman’s  <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">Ragtime</span></u></strong>, and <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">The Fish That Saved Pittsburg</span></u></strong>, which  she also choreographed.    </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Debbie Allen made her  Broadway debut in the chorus of <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">Purlie</span></u></strong>.  She created the role of  Beneatha in the Tony Award winning musical<strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">  Raisin</span></u></strong>, and in the 1979 definitive revival of <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">West Side Story</span></u></strong> she received the  prestigious Drama Desk Award, as well as her first Tony Award nomination.  Allen  received her second Tony Award nomination in 1986 for her performance in the  title role of Bob Fosse’s <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">Sweet  Charity</span></u></strong>.  In 1988 Debbie went behind the scenes of the theatre to  choreograph the new American musical <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">Carrie</span></u></strong> with the Royal Shakespeare  Company.  </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">                           </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">In 2001, Allen fulfilled  a lifelong dream by opening the <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">Debbie  Allen Dance Academy</span></u></strong> in Los Angeles, California. Allen’s academy offers a  comprehensive curriculum for boys and girls ages four to eighteen in all the  major dance techniques including Classical Ballet, Modern, African, Jazz, and  Hip-Hop.  In addition, special workshops are held for concentration in the  Peking Opera, Martial Arts dance techniques, Flamenco, Salsa, and Tap.  Debbie  has been able to use her prestige to lure instructors from famous institutions  such as the Kirov Ballet, and the Peking Opera.  Allen’s studio provides a safe  haven for kids to go to after school where dance professional motivate, and  teach them to excel in their style of dance.  Debbie plays an active role in  each student’s career as a dancer by offering her own hands-on  instruction.</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Allen became Dr. Allen  when she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the North Carolina School of the Arts, as well as from her alma mater  Howard  University.</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Debbie is married to All  Star NBA World Champion Norman Nixon, and the proud  mother of Vivian Nichole  and Norman Jr. Her mother Vivian Ayers is a well respected poet who was  nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her fist book of poetry <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Spice of Dawns.</span></strong>  </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">In recognition of her  amazing career in the entertainment industry, Debbie Allen was honored with a  star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame – the world’s most  famous sidewalk.  Debbie’s Walk of Fame star is further proof to her life-long  contribution in the entertainment arts, and it is a unique honor in a class by  itself. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small"><span style="font-size: 11pt">     </span></span></p>
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		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/debbieallen.jpg?w=300&h=161" />After 12 years of negotiations and organization, the all-African-American revival of Tennessee Williams' “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" will finally be staged on the Broadhurst Theater, starting in mid-February with an opening night set for March 6. Tony-nominated actor, choreographer and TV director <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000739/bio">Debbie Allen</a> will direct.</p>
<p>Full release after the jump.</p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 20pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">CAT  FINDS A HOME…</span></span></strong></p>
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<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 16pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">The all African-American  production of </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 16pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Tennessee Williams'  Pulitzer Prize winning play</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><em><u><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 10pt;font-style: italic;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"><span style="text-decoration: none"> </span></span></span></u></em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><em><u><span style="font-size: x-large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 22pt;font-style: italic;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">CAT  ON A HOT TIN ROOF</span></span></u></em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 16pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Directed  by</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 18pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">DEBBIE  ALLEN</span></span></strong></p>
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<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 16pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Will begin its limited run  on </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 18pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Tuesday,  February 12, 2008</span></span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 18pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Opening,  Thursday, March 6, 2008</span></span></strong></p>
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<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: large;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 18pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">At  Broadway’s Broadhurst Theatre</span></span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 8pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></strong></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">New York, NY (November 8, 2007): The  previously announced Broadway run of the African- American production of  <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Tennessee Williams’ <em><span style="font-style: italic">CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF</span></em> </span></strong>directed  by <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Debbie Allen</span></strong> will hit the Great  White Way beginning<strong><span style="font-weight: bold"> the week of February 11,  2008 </span></strong>at Broadway’s <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Broadhurst  Theatre.</span></strong> This production of <strong><em><span style="font-weight: bold;font-style: italic">CAT ON A HOT TIN  ROOF</span></em></strong><em><span style="font-style: italic"> i</span></em><strong><span style="font-weight: bold">s being presented by Tin Cat Productions and produced  by Stephen Byrd. </span></strong>Cast will be announcing soon<strong><span style="font-weight: bold">. </span></strong></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">Hypocrisy, greed and secret passions  threaten to tear apart a wealthy but dysfunctional Mississippi family in  Tennessee Williams' stunning American masterpiece. <em><span style="font-style: italic">CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF </span></em>searingly portrays  the larger-than-life characters of Maggie &quot;the Cat,&quot; her alcoholic husband,  Brick, and the dominating family patriarch, Big  Daddy.</span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 11pt;font-style: italic;font-family: Arial">CAT ON A HOT TIN  ROOF </span></span></em><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">has been revived on Broadway several  times before, but this production marks the first African – American production  approved by William’s estate for the Broadway stage.   </span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">“I am so proud to be able to bring  this amazing story back to the Broadway stage.  I have been on a 12 year journey  with this vision of an African-American version of <em><span style="font-style: italic">Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, </span></em>and am ecstatic  that Ms. Debbie Allen will helm this production.   It will truly be a historic  presentation of a classic piece of theatre.”   Stephen Byrd, producer <em><span style="font-style: italic">Cat on a Hot Tin  Roof</span></em></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">“I am thrilled to stand at the helm  of this unique production as we navigate our way through Tennessee Williams’  riveting and explosive American classic. <em><span style="font-style: italic">Cat,</span></em> said to be his favorite of his many  plays, achieves a timeless coherence with its characters as they wrestle with  the universal struggles of life, love, money, sex and death”  Debbie Allen,  director.<em><span style="font-style: italic"></span></em></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">Press  Contact:              Springer Associates PR/ (212)  354-4660</span></span></strong></p>
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<p style="text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 11pt;font-family: Arial">Box  Office opening date will be announced soon.</span></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt;text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: small;font-family: Arial;color: blue"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 12pt;font-family: Arial;color: blue">www.<a href="http://cat2008onbroadway.com/" title="http://cat2008onbroadway.com/">Cat2008onBroadway.com</a>  </span></span></strong></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt;text-align: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">DEBBIE  ALLEN </span></span></strong><em><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-style: italic;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">(director)  </span></span></em><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">continues to be one of  the most respected, relevant, and versatile talents in the entertainment  industry today.</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Ms. Allen, Artist in  Residence for over ten years at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., has created six original musicals with  James Ingram, Arturo Sandoval and Diane Louie. <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Pepito’s Story </span></strong>(1996), <strong><em><span style="font-weight: bold;font-style: italic">Brothers of the Knight  </span></em></strong>(1997), <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Soul  Possessed</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Dreams  </span></strong>(2000)<strong><span style="font-weight: bold"> Pearl </span></strong>2001 and  <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Dancing In the Wings</span></strong> (2005). In  December 2006, Debbie Allen debuted her musical stage production<strong><span style="font-weight: bold">, “The Bayou Legend</span></strong>” at the Glorya Kaufman  Hall, UCLA. In April 2007 Ms. Allen will premier <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Alex in Wonderland,</span></strong> a musical which  explores the relevance of fairytales to a 13 year old boy, at the Kennedy Center  in Washington D.C.. </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Debbie Allen is an  internationally recognized director/choreographer known for working with  <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">The Royal Shakespeare at  Stratford</span></strong>, and <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">The Legendary  Rahbani Family in Lebanon</span></strong>. A Culture Connect Ambassador Ms. Allen  represented the U.S. in  visits to Brazil,  China, Italy, and India.  A member of the prestigious President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, a  board member of the American Film Institute, and an Executive Committee member  of UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film, and Television. Ms. Allen expands the  opportunities in arts education for young people all over the world.   </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Allen holds the  distinction of having choreographed the Academy Awards a record ten times, six  in consecutive years. Directed and choreographed for legendary artists Michael  Jackson, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Gwen Verdon, Lena Horne  and Sammy Davis Jr. to name a few. </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Ms. Allen received the  Golden Globe for her role as “Lydia Grant” in the hit series<strong><span style="font-weight: bold">,<em><span style="font-style: italic">  </span></em>Fame</span></strong>, A three time Emmy Award winner for Choreography ,  the series <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Fame</span></strong>, and <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">The Motown 25<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Special.   </span></strong>Ms. Allen has won 10 Image awards as a director, actress,  choreographer and producer<strong><span style="font-weight: bold"> for Fame, A  Different World, Motown 25<sup>th</sup>, The Academy Awards, The Debbie Allen  Special and Amistad .  </span></strong></span></span><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">In 1996, she produced the  Steven Spielberg epic film <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Amistad</span></strong>. A much sought after director and  producer for television, her credits include <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Fame</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Family Ties</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Quantum Leap</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">The Twilight Zone</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">A Different World</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Fresh Prince Of Bel Air</span></strong> <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">pilot</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">The Jaime Foxx Show</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">The Parkers</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">That’s so Raven</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">All of Us</span></strong>, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Girlfriends</span></strong>, and <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Everybody Hates Chris.</span></strong> Her Movie’s for  television include <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Disney’s Polly and Polly  Coming Home, the CBS classic Stompin’ At The Savoy and the critically acclaimed  Old Settler starring Phylicia Rashad. </span></strong>Recently, Allen directed the  second highest rated original movie in Lifetime Channel history, <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Life is Not A Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino  Story</span></strong>.</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Allen received favorable  notices for her role as Richard Pryor’s feisty wife in the semi-autobiographical  film, <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">JoJo Dancer, Your Life is  Calling</span></u></strong>.  Her other feature films include Milos Foreman’s  <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">Ragtime</span></u></strong>, and <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">The Fish That Saved Pittsburg</span></u></strong>, which  she also choreographed.    </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Debbie Allen made her  Broadway debut in the chorus of <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">Purlie</span></u></strong>.  She created the role of  Beneatha in the Tony Award winning musical<strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">  Raisin</span></u></strong>, and in the 1979 definitive revival of <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">West Side Story</span></u></strong> she received the  prestigious Drama Desk Award, as well as her first Tony Award nomination.  Allen  received her second Tony Award nomination in 1986 for her performance in the  title role of Bob Fosse’s <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">Sweet  Charity</span></u></strong>.  In 1988 Debbie went behind the scenes of the theatre to  choreograph the new American musical <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">Carrie</span></u></strong> with the Royal Shakespeare  Company.  </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">                           </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">In 2001, Allen fulfilled  a lifelong dream by opening the <strong><u><span style="font-weight: bold">Debbie  Allen Dance Academy</span></u></strong> in Los Angeles, California. Allen’s academy offers a  comprehensive curriculum for boys and girls ages four to eighteen in all the  major dance techniques including Classical Ballet, Modern, African, Jazz, and  Hip-Hop.  In addition, special workshops are held for concentration in the  Peking Opera, Martial Arts dance techniques, Flamenco, Salsa, and Tap.  Debbie  has been able to use her prestige to lure instructors from famous institutions  such as the Kirov Ballet, and the Peking Opera.  Allen’s studio provides a safe  haven for kids to go to after school where dance professional motivate, and  teach them to excel in their style of dance.  Debbie plays an active role in  each student’s career as a dancer by offering her own hands-on  instruction.</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Allen became Dr. Allen  when she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the North Carolina School of the Arts, as well as from her alma mater  Howard  University.</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 6pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">Debbie is married to All  Star NBA World Champion Norman Nixon, and the proud  mother of Vivian Nichole  and Norman Jr. Her mother Vivian Ayers is a well respected poet who was  nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her fist book of poetry <strong><span style="font-weight: bold">Spice of Dawns.</span></strong>  </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0pt;margin-left: -0.5in;margin-right: -27pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;font-family: Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;font-family: 'Arial Narrow'">In recognition of her  amazing career in the entertainment industry, Debbie Allen was honored with a  star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame – the world’s most  famous sidewalk.  Debbie’s Walk of Fame star is further proof to her life-long  contribution in the entertainment arts, and it is a unique honor in a class by  itself. </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small"><span style="font-size: 11pt">     </span></span></p>
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