Actor Brian Childers has been playing Hollywood star Danny Kaye in numerous incarnations for 13 years. He will be returning to The American Century Theater in Arlington for “An Evening with Danny Kaye” from Friday, July 18 through Saturday, Aug. 16 at the Gunston Arts Center, Gunston Theatre 2, Arlington. This show is part of the Robert M. McElwaine Reflections series.
“This is a great way to be introduced to a legend,” said Childers, who sings approximately 20 songs in a concert-like format. The performance is a romp through the life of Danny Kaye, as Childers does Cab Calloway's “Minnie the Moocher,” “White Christmas,” “Inchworm,” “The Ugly Duckling,” “Thumbelina,” and “Tchaikovsky,” among others.
“I think he’s one of the greatest performers ever,” he adds. “If you were going to see Judy Garland at the Palace, this is that show — with Danny Kaye.”
For those too young to remember, Danny Kaye, who was born in 1911 and died in 1987, was a vaudeville actor, singer, dancer and comedian who went on to star in 17 movies, including “White Christmas” (1954), “Hans Christian Andersen” (1952) and “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” (1947). He hosted the Academy Awards in 1952 — when it was on radio, and was the first ambassador-at-large of UNICEF in 1954. During his heyday, he was one of Hollywood’s biggest names, and later received The Kennedy Center Honor in 1984 and the French Legion of Honor in 1986. But today, he’s somewhat forgotten.
As a sort of “homecoming,” Childers said The American Century Theater asked him to come back and put on this show, directed by Stephen Nachamie, and musically directed by Jeff Biering. He did a one-night Danny Kaye benefit a year ago, and thought it would be fun to come back and do it again this summer. It is a celebration of Danny Kaye’s life and career as a performer.
Childers had performed in “Danny and Sylvia: A Musical Love Story,” which was first shown at The American Century Theater and off-Broadway for three years. “An Evening with Danny Kaye” is a touring production that he also performed in Los Angeles, South Carolina and New Jersey. The show garnered him the Helen Hayes Award for Best Actor in a Musical and the Mary Goldwater Award. He also toured in a different Danny Kaye show called “A Kid From Brooklyn.”
“Over the years, I’ve grown with Danny, as it were, because the more I study him, the more I know him as a performer; it has definitely influenced my entire life as an actor,” he said.
For those already familiar with him, Childers said, they will come away with a nostalgic feeling of what they remember about Danny Kaye. “But if you are new to Danny Kaye, you will come away with wonderful material, great music, and hopefully, a new introduction to a younger generation to the legend that is Danny Kaye.”
His biggest challenge was getting to perform all of the signature songs and play the man “fully realized,” he said. “These are legendary, iconic performances. So the challenge is to replicate these iconic performances and to create a fully dimensional performer who is not just a caricature.”
Childers has performed in other Off-Broadway and regional theatre productions. For The American Century Theater, he appeared in “Detective Story,” “Hollywood Pinafore,” “The Second Man” and in “The Robber Bridegroom.” He played the role of Robert F. Kennedy in “The Titans” and performed in the new musical, “90 North,” both at The Kennedy Center. Originally from Columbia, S.C., Childers attended school at Tennessee State University, and the University of South Carolina, before making his professional acting debut in 2000 in “The Boys in the Band” for The American Century Theater.
Childers finishes by saying, “I think he’s one of the greatest performers ever. It’s an honor to be able to portray him.”
“An Evening With Danny Kaye” will be performed July 18 through Aug. 16 at Gunston Theatre Two, 2700 South Lang Street, Arlington. There is a Pay-What-You-Can preview on Thursday, July 17 at 8 p.m. and a Pay-What-You-Can performance on Wednesday, July 23 at 8 p.m. A talkback will follow the Thursday, July 24th performance. Regular show times are Thursday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. with Saturday/Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Tickets can be ordered online at AmericanCentury.org or by calling 703-998-4555.