For one night only, Chuck, renowned for his gorgeous baritone and a forceful presence on Broadway for nearly three decades, leads a long-awaited onstage family reunion featuring his equally exceptional children: Lilli (Spring Awakening, Wicked), Eddie (Little Shop of Horrors, Cinemax’s Banshee), and Alex, a multitalented musician and artist.

Chuck Cooper -Most recently seen on Broadway in Amazing Grace. Chuck Cooper made his Broadway debut in Amen Corner and won a Tony for The Life. Other Broadway credits include Passion, Caroline, or Change, Chicago, Finian’s Rainbowand Romeo and Juliet. Off-Broadway credits include a Lucille Lortel Award-winning performance in The Piano Lesson.

Eddie Cooper – Most recently seen in Encores! Off-Center Little Shop Of Horrors as “Audrey II” and was just cast in Two River Theater’s production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. His television credits include ABC’s “Forever,” the recurring role of Fat Au on Cinemax’s “Banshee” and the soon to be released HBO series “Crime.” Eddie is a proud graduate of LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts and holds a BFA from Ithaca College.

Alex Cooper–  plays guitar, he sings, he acts and is also a talented artist. Alex along with his siblings, sold out Joe’s Pub a few years back with their concert The Cooper Clan.

Lilli Cooper- Following in the footsteps of her two older brothers, she attended LaGuardia Arts High School in Manhattan. While still in high school, Cooper originated the role of Martha in the groundbreaking 8-time Tony Award winning musical Spring Awakening. After high school, Lilli went to study film at Vassar College. For her Junior year she studied abroad at the Prague Film School, graduating with honors and winning the Best Film award for her thesis film which she wrote and directed. Lilli joined the Second National Tour of Wicked as the Elphaba understudy, and just two years and a trip to Australia later, Lilli was the Elphaba standby on Broadway!

Tickets for the event haven’t been released just yet, but as soon as they are available be sure to check back at Broadway Black for updates, because as always -WE GOT YOU.

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The burly bass will join an all-male cast at the New Jersey space for the hilarious Tony Award-winning musical farce.

Cooper was most recently seen as Audrey II in the Encores! City Center Production of Little Shop of Horrors after stepping in to replace his father, Tony Award Winner Chuck Cooper (The Life). The elder had decided to commit to his role in the then-upcoming Broadway musical Amazing Grace.

“He was in shows all the time when I was a kid, and my first question when I went to go see him in a show was, ‘Can I go on the stage?,'” Eddie told TheaterMania of his young experiences with his father.  “I just always wanted to go on the stage and I loved the feeling of being on the stage. It stuck, I guess.”

Cooper is one of three stunningly talented siblings in the deservedly dubbed “Cooper Clan.”  A graduate of LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts and Ithaca College, the powerhouse has also been seen in TV roles including “Forever,” “Banshee,” and “Crime.”

A Funny Thing Happened… is a hysterical musical comedy with music and lyrics by the incomparable Stephen Sondheim.  Set in Ancient Rome, the musical tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus who attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door.  The role of Pseudolus was brilliantly recaptured by Whoopi Goldberg and David Alan Grier in the 1990’s Broadway Revival.

The must-see spectacle, directed by Jessica Stone, begins previews on Nov.14.  Opening night is set for Nov. 20.  Visit tworivertheater.org to purchase tickets or call (732) 345-1400.

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From The New York City Center Website;

Before Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid, there was a sinister little houseplant saying, “Feed me.” Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s giddy, gory musical Little Shop of Horrors was their first major hit, running Off-Broadway for five years and spawning a 1986 cult-classic film. Now the show returns to City Center in a special event starring Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal as Seymour Krelborn, a hapless florist who pursues a doomed romance with his ditzy, lovable co-worker Audrey (Tony Award nominee Ellen Greene) by acquiring a plant that feeds on human blood.

The production only ran for three performances July 1 – July 2, and each show was completely sold out! And for good reason, as the show received mostly positive reviews from critics.

What made this production particularly exciting was forgoing the usual extensive special-effect puppet that is Audrey II, and instead having the plant on stage as a fully visible little boy (play by Anwar Kareem) that eventually transforms later, to a large man with a soothing bass voice (played by Eddie Cooper). The choice seemed to sit well with most critics as the USA Today stated;

Eddie Cooper brought a booming voice and a chilling gregariousness to the part of the bloodthirsty plant (named Audrey II), who brings money and fame to Seymour and the shop but makes increasingly heavy demands on our hero’s conscience.

Tracy Nicole Chapman, Marva Hicks and Ramona Keller lent witty, sultry support as the three ladies who function as the show’s girl-group chorus. “You know the meek are gonna get what’s comin’ to em,” they tease Seymour towards the end.

The show was last seen on Broadway in New York in a 2003 production starring Hunter Foster and Kerry Butler, the show closed on August 22, 2004 after 40 previews and 372 regular performances.

Next up for Encores! Off-Center, The Wild Party which begins July 15 and stars Sutton Foster, Steven Pasquale, and Brandon Victor Dixon.

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Amazing Grace at the Nederlander Theatre

Eddie Cooper is a native of Hell’s Kitchen and a graduate of the LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts. Cooper is also the recipient of a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting from Ithaca College. Other television credits include ABC’s Forever as well as a role in an upcoming HBO series Crime.

The show presented by Encores! Off-Center is running at New York City Center starring Ellen Greene, Jake Gyllenhaal and Taran Killam; it is directed by Dick Scanlan. The musical composed by Alan Menken and book by Howard Ashman is based on the 1960’s film of the same name.  The comedy horror rock show follows the story of florist Seymour Krelborn (Gyllenhaal) who tries to court his lovable, but slightly daft co-worker Audrey (Greene) with a blood sucking crooning plant named Audrey II(Cooper).

Ramona Keller, Marva Hicks and Tracy Nicole Chapman as The Radio in Caroline, Or Change

The character is traditionally voiced offstage with the actor over a microphone. An R&B girl group, The Urchins, provides commentary on the action and will feature the original cast members of the Radio from Caroline, Or Change. Tracy Nicole Chapman as Chifon, Marva Hicks as Crystal and Ramona Keller as Ronnette.

The run is from July 1 to July 2 with only three performances. The New York Center is located and tickets can be purchased at 131 W 55th St (btwn 6th & 7th) New York, NY 10019 or by calling CityTix® at 212.581.1212. You can also visit nycitycenter.org

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