Starring Karen Murphy & Shonn Wiley
Book Jeff Hochhauser   Music Bob Johnston
Lyrics Johnston & Hochhauser
BASED ON JACK DONAHUE'S LETTERS OF A HOOFER TO HIS MA
Music Director Doug Oberhamer
Co-Choreographer  Shonn Wiley
Directed and Choreographed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett

A rousin’ tap dancin’ new musical based on the life of legendary eccentric tapper Jack Donahue. Shonn Wiley (No No Nanette, Encores!) stars as Jack, channeling the tap tradition of the masters—Ray Bolger, Jimmy Cagney, Buddy Ebsen—lighting up the stage in what Talkin’ Broadway called a “tour de force.”  Karen Murphy (cast of 9 to 5) plays Jack’s mother who struggles to get him to see vaudeville as a ridiculous pursuit—he needs to come home to work alongside his father at the docks! As Jack tap-dances his way to stardom, will his family finally recognize he’s meant for greater things?  Don’t miss this “pitch perfect musical” (NYTheatre.com), directed by Tony-nominee Lynne Taylor-Corbett (Swing!).

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DID YOU KNOW?
A bit about the real
Jack Donahue...

Donahue was born in 1892 in Charlestown, Massachusetts and made his first appearance with Doctor Zurego’s Medicine Show at the age of 17, tap dancing on the tail of a wagon, to attract customers to the Doctors dubious wares. At 19 he went into small time Vaudeville and over the next nine years he worked his way up through the Vaudeville ranks, eventually establishing a regular following at the mecca of Vaudeville, the famed Palace Theatre in NYC.
After touring engagements in the musicals The Woman Haters and Hitchy Koo Of 1918, Jack made his Broadway debut in Angel Face, a musical with score by the great Victor Herbert, book by Harry B. Smith and lyrics by Robert B. Smith.

When he died in 1930, he was working on the book of the operetta Princess Charming with music by Hungarian composer Albert Sirmay and lyrics by Arthur Swanstrom. He had also just completed “Letters Of A Hoofer To His Ma,” which was published posthumously. Jack never appeared on film although his younger brother--and understudy--Joseph Donahue, played his part with Marilyn Miller in the first film version of Sunny.