Richard Skipper Celebrates

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In a very special presentation, Sandy Duncan turns the tables on ME and will celebrate ME! Sandy was interviewed by me several months ago and said, "Next time, I interview you!" She wasn't kidding!" Here we are! We have no idea what to expect! Please tune in for what will be a very interesting broadcast! Sandy Duncan is known for her performances in the Broadway revival of Peter Pan and in the sitcom The Hogan Family. Duncan has been nominated for three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards.I am Celebrating 43 years in the entertainment industry this year. I have been blessed to excel in many areas of show business. I left Conway, South Carolina in 1979, to pursue a career as an actor in NY. I am a proud member of Actors Equity. Eventually, my gift of gab and quick wit, along with my love of Singing led me to a variety of stages from Atlantic City to Las Vegas. My original blog to chronicle the history of ( Hello Dolly) morphed into a talk/variety series called , "Richard Skipper Celebrates." This series which ran for 2 and 1/2 years is now syndicated on most popular podcast platforms and YouTube. #SandyDuncan #RichardSkipper #entertainmentindustry

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“Soulmates & Strangers” by Judith Umlas is a tale of two young girls, one in the Bronx, New York, the other in Lyon, France. The story begins in 1936, when Sylvia and Claudia write to each other for the first time. Their friendship would last over 70 years and withstand the test of time and war. In her fourth book, author Judith Umlas takes us on a personal journey as she “meets” her 15-year-old mother, Sylvia, through her very own words. Claudia, Sylvia’s French pan pal, tenderly preserved each letter Sylvia had written to her during the first 12 years of their relationship in a beautiful lace envelope and later gave them to Judith as her “legacy.” Judith was then able to read the letters, carefully dated from 1936 to 1947, and get to know her young mother in ways most people never can do. This touching memoir demonstrates that true friendship knows no boundaries, even ones as great as the vast Atlantic Ocean. Judith W. Umlas is the senior vice president, author, and trainer at International Institute for Learning, Inc. (IIL), a global corporate training company. She is the publisher of IIL Publishing, New York, as well as the publisher of allPM.com, the web portal for project managers around the globe. Please order Soulmates & Strangers by clicking on the link below: https://handlerandwagreich.com/products/soulmates-strangers All books will be personally autographed by Judy. https://www.facebook.com/Judith-Umlas

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Here you go! National Glazed Spiral Ham Day on April 15th each year celebrates an innovative and delicious food. This gourmet-looking dish often found at a holiday feast, originated in the basement of Harry J. Hoenselaar. And for this edition I celebrate the hams in my LIFE. Also follow me on Instagram at @richard.skipper.celebrates. The Word of the Day is #Independence.

Join me as I celebrate these amazing people.

Todd Schroeder: Born in Long Beach, California, to a family of musicians, it's no surprise he climbed up on the piano and started lessons at only four years of age, before most children can speak full sentences. 

MICHAEL COLBY is the librettist/lyricist of such musicals as CHARLOTTE SWEET (Drama Desk Award nomination), TALES OF TINSELTOWN, NORTH ATLANTIC (Show Business Award), SLAY IT WITH MUSIC (off-Broadway & London), MRS. McTHING, THEY CHOSE ME!, and LUDLOW LADD. He was chief writer for the Drama Desk Award-winning New Amsterdam Theatre Company, and has been a frequent writer for The NY Festival of Song as well as the Theatre By the Blind.

Robin Bragg-Marcelli: Career achievements at UCLA in budget and multiple management executive roles; managed 5 UCLA Extension off-site campus buildings, UCLA Alumni – Certificate in Homeland Security and Emergency Management, trained and licensed (not active) Emergency Medical Technician and Emergency Room Technician, Medical Reserve Corp. volunteer.

Rick Marcelli: Entertainment entrepreneur, television producer to personal manager, record producer, music publisher, music video producer and director of development for CBS, William Self Productions, Writer & Author. 

David Josef: Designer Women's Fashions at David Josef Fashions JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION

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In Every episode, we come together with amazing artists who prove that with just a little ingenuity, we all are creative beings and that the gifts lie within despite the challenges of the outside world. Johnny Rodgers, Bette Sussman, and Deborah Jean Templin join the show for this episode.

JOHNNY RODGERS is an internationally celebrated singer-songwriter, pianist, Broadway veteran, and recording artist who is described by Stephen Holden, from The New York Times, as an entertainer “who has show business in his bones” with “fused elements of Billy Joel, Peter Allen and Johnny Mercer.”

When she was nineteen years old, BETTE SUSSMAN began her work as a musical director with a touring production of Godspell. By chance, Dick Wagner met her, and introduced her to Tim Curry. She played on Curry's Fearless album and also embarked on her first major world tour with him.She would later work as a musical director and a pianist for music artists such as Cissy Houston, Sarah Dash, Esther Marrow and Patti Austin, with whom she recorded a live album from the Bottom Line in NYC.

Accomplished and versatile, DEBORAH JEAN TEMPLIN has performed on stage, screen and television. Her most recent appearance was as the inspired, but vocally flawed, wannabe opera diva, Florence Foster Jenkins, in Stephen Temperley’s Souvenir. Her solo show UNSINKABLE WOMEN: Stories and Songs from the Titanic. Having successfully toured the country with UNSINKABLE WOMEN, Templin created her autobiographical play, SINGING FOR THE COWS. These solo shows have played more than 150 venues, including the New York’s Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library Series.

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Tom D’Angora is a multi award winning Producer/Director who produced two of the longest running musicals in New York theater history - NEWSical The Musical and Naked Boys Singing. Tom has been nominated for three Drama Desk Awards and is the winner of The Off -Broadway Alliance Award. He is a co-producer on the upcoming Caroline, Or Change Broadway revival and Executive Producer of the campy new drama, Mélange, starring Morgan Fairchild. He is the recipient of a Mayoral and a Senate Proclamation for his contributions to New York Theater.

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Born in Colorado on and moving to California at age 12, and spending her formative years after college in New York, then returning to California, Broadway veteran Teri Ralston recently—and happily—once again moved back to New York, an event inspiring the title of her new CD, I’VE GOTTA GET BACK TO NEW YORK. Later that same year, she was cast as one of Bobby’s married friends in COMPANY, beginning a long and fruitful relationship with two giants of the musical theater—Stephen Sondheim and Hal Prince. Teri reprised her role in COMPANY in the California and London companies and after returning from London, she began rehearsals for their newest show, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. Teri’s next two Broadway shows were not quite as successful. In fact, they closed on the road, but she had the great opportunity of beginning a working relationship with two of Broadways finest talents: Stephen Schwartz in THE BAKER’S WIFE, for which he wrote “Chanson” for her; and then with Cy Coleman in HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN. Ready for a little change, Teri headed back to California, where she worked constantly. Ready for another change, she recently moved back to New York. Teri’s association with Sondheim’s work has continued over the years. She has performed in and/or directed several productions of Sondheim shows. As a performer, she appeared in SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM several times…once with Peggy Lee; she played Sally in three different productions of FOLLIES, Mamma Rose in GYPSY, and Yvonne in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE. In Los Angeles, she was the “stand by” for Desiree in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC… and for Carol Burnett in the Mark Taper Forum production of PUTTING IT TOGETHER.

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Singer and songwriter Giada Valenti was born and raised in Venice, Italy. In Europe she was signed as a young singer with record label BMG. When in 2005, a major record label in New York showed serious interest in her unique voice and her romantic music, she moved to the United States. In the United States, she is most known for her stunning music special “From Venice With Love,” which aired nationally on PBS television. The airings of her PBS special made it possible for her to do concerts in Performing Arts Centers and Theaters all around the country. In November 2017, she debuted as a headliner in Las Vegas with a concert at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts. In October 2018, she made her debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City, where she returned by popular demand in 2019.

For the past fifteen years, Giada, currently a resident of Las Vegas, has released her CDs "And I Love You So”, "Italian Signorina", and "My Lullaby", “From Venice With Love”, garnering rave reviews. She performed for 8 years straight on the Red Carpet of the Columbus Day Parade in New York City. She is a 12 times Grant recipient of the Sergio Franchi Music Foundation. In 2019 Andrea Bocelli asked her to sing with him at a concert benefitting his Foundation.

Giada is very passionate about food. She is a longtime member of the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, a by the Italian government recognized cultural organization that checks out Italian restaurants around the World. She was featured on morning shows of ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC around the United States, doing cooking demos, often making her famous Tiramisu.

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Dorothy Lyman is a two-time Emmy© Award-winning actress for her work as Opal Gardner on “All My Children” and is widely known for her co-starring role on “Mama’s Family,” alongside Vicki Lawrence and Carol Burnett. In addition to her numerous film and television appearances, Ms. Lyman also directed 75 episodes of the Fran Drescher sitcom “The Nanny.” Her other plays are Enemy (an adaptation of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People), A Rage in Tenure and Soft Landing (directed by John Tillinger) all developed and produced by Players Workshop in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. In The Bleak Midwinter was produced in New York City and Westchester in 2019. Ms. Lyman’s directing career began in 1980 when she produced and directed the original off-Broadway production of A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking starring Susan Sarandon and Eileen Brennan, and the subsequent national tour starring Elizabeth Ashley and Susan Anton. Her feature films, The Northern Kingdom and Split Ends, are available on Netflix. She lives in Washington Depot, Connecticut and New York City.

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National Empanada Day Each year on April 8th, National Empanada Day recognizes a delicious pastry that comes in several different forms. The name empanada comes from the Galician, Portuguese and Spanish verb em pandar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.

Christopher John Denofrio serves as the de-facto “Cape boy” and Chauffeur for David Maiocco's Liberace. As a former professional ballet dancer, Mr. Denofrio’s affiliations have included The Boston Conservatory Dance Theatre, Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Louisville Ballet and Boston Ballet. 

As the Irving Heritage Senior Center’s “Senior Idol” Doug McAlister has entertained at a variety of events presenting timeless Standards from the Great American SongBook. Being in the entertainment industry all his life, he is committed to helping others and furthering the profession. @tvdvdguy.

Matt Nelson fell in love with classic films and television programs watching them on WSBK 38 and WLVI 56 in Boston. His love of the silver and small-screen Golden and Silver Ages led to his starting the film review section of Examiner. An art v. commerce conflict led to Matt starting Unreal TV at http://classictvdvdreviews.blogspot.com.

Wendy Scherl is a New York City and Scottsdale, AZ based singer and recording artist. Her critically acclaimed debut CD, You’ll See (Harbinger Records), garnered her the prestigious 2020 LaMott Friedman award. 

BRYON SOMMERS, pianist/singer/composer/MD has been a part of the New York City nightlife scene since arriving in 1975. As a composer he has written with Tony Award winning lyricist, David Zippel having had his songs sung or recorded by Nancy Lamont, Jenifer Lewis, Andrea McArdle just to name a few.

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KEN PAGE Is the recipient of THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD from THE ARTS AND EDUCATION COUNCIL OF ST. LOUIS. He directed “LOVE LINDA, the Life of Mrs. Cole Porter” with Max & Louie Productions St. Louis. His production of AIN’T MISBEHAVIN for Tom McCoy/Cathy Rigby Productions at The La Mirada Performing Arts Center in California, was recently awarded two Los Angeles Ovation Awards. It was his fourth time at helm of the historical musical. He directed a critically acclaimed production of CAROUSEL for The Union Avenue Opera Company of St. Louis. Ken co-produced, wrote and directed SUBLIME INTIMACY, a play with dance for Max & Louie Productions as well as the four-time St. Louis Theatre Circle Award nominated CAFÉ CHANSON for Upstream Theatre St. Louis. The shows garnered STLTC nominations including Best New Play (both productions) and Best Director. Ken has staged productions with the Blank Theatre Company of Los Angeles, including The Young Playwright’s Festival as well as Tennessee Williams’ HELLO FROM BERTHA, and Harvey Fierstein’s TIDY ENDINGS. He directed the L.A Premieres of Charlayne Woodard’s one woman play PRETTY FIRE and the AIDS Quilt remembrance play with music, ELEGIES FOR ANGELS, PUNKS AND RAGING QUEENS. His production of THE FANTASTICKS was awarded the L.A. Ovation Award as Best Musical Production in a small theatre. Drama League” for his performances on the Broadway stage. ORBC of AIN’T MISBEHAVIN, CATS, also on Broadway THE WIZ, GUYS AND DOLLS etc. He is also the recipient of two GRAMMY AWARDS as a principal cast member of the awarded Cast recordings of CATS and AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’. Mr. Page is a proud member of AEA, SAG/AFTRA and SDC, Stage Directors Choreographers Society.