Me and Cab Calloway

It was suggested to me as I developed this blog,  that I should do a blog on each one of the legendary performers that I had the opportunity to work with in BBS. I'm not going to do them all, but I am lastly going to share with you my  experience working with this legendary band leader, and showman ,.Cab Calloway  Again do your own research on this musical legend  Suffice it to say , Cab Calloway's Band starred at The Cotton Club, along with Duke Ellington's Band in the 30's. Cab also went on to star in many films throughout his career, as well as record many  classic tunes.   I was cast in a regional production of BBS at The PaperMill Theater in New Jersey. Cab was also starring in this production , playing the role of "John Sage" ,the role that Avon Long created and starred in BBS on Broadway. Avon wasn't interested  or wasn't available for this production, however Cab Calloway was. The prima ballerina from The Dance Theater in Harlem, Lydia Abarca, was also cast as one of the dancers,  by ,Billy Wilson,  when he found out she was interested  and available. Cab Calloway was a star most of his career, and he was kind of stand offish. After meeting Honi Coles and other contemporaries of his, I thought that Cab would be just as friendly, but he wasn't,...at first....This is how we came to click...and kick the bo-bo,,,.
 Lydia Abarca,  and I,  danced  to Duke Ellington's song "Sophisticated Ladies", in the production as a duo.,( I can't spell the french term :"par-day-dua", look it up...lol..)   She was dressed as a sophisticated lady, in a glitterung , silver jump suit, with baggy arms , with white puffs on the end of the sleeves... and I... in a tuxedo. The choreography required me to go under her, and lift her. on my right shoulder, grab her right hand,  as she fell backwards , landed on one leg, and sled down into a split. I.. still holding her hand, spun her around, and pulled her up to me,...right as the song hit the musical bridge.    come back.... and,  in my next post,  i'll  tell you what happened.......Ronald Smokey Stevens