He has made guest appearances at The Oaks and Eighty-Eights in New York,
has appeared twice at The "A" House in Provincetown, and was a
guest star in "The Impersonators" with Jamie deRoy at The
Friars Club. Richard very excitedly brought his tribute to Judy to his
home town (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) for two performances to great
response.
In addition, since 1993 Skipper has done benefits for
God's Love We Deliver and Presbyterian Camp (Upstate New York, among
others) two of his favorite charities. In 1997 he was named one of the
top cabaret performers of the year by Cabaret Hotline. Winner of the
1997 Leonardo daVinci Award for Carol Channing's Broadway and the 1998
Bistro Award for outstanding Impersonations.
An Evening With Carol Channing
...is an intimate evening with one of Broadway's
Greatest Treasures. Richard Skipper takes the audience back to a
time of clean wholesome entertainment. It is a tribute to Carol
Channing's life and career featuring highlights from both
"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "Hello, Dolly!"
A little bit about Miss
Channing...If a special award were to be handed to the Broadway Star who
never missed a single performance of a show in which he or she appeared,
it's a sure bet that Carol Channing would walk away with the honor.
Carol's spectacular rise to
international fame began in 1950 when she landed the star role in "Gentlemen
Prefer Blondes." She had retreated from New York to California to
be with her parents. As luck would have it though, Marge Champion was
auditioning hopefuls for a new revue, "Lend An Ear." Carol
auditioned and, as she says, "I've never been out of work
since."
"Lend An Ear" made
theatrical history when the show was transplanted from Hollywood to
Broadway, and Miss Channing was well on her way to stardom. When Anita
Loos, who wrote "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," saw Carol in the
show, she said, "There is our Lorelie Lee." Brooks Atkinson,
dean of American Theatre Critics, acclaimed the Channing
characterization, "The most fabulous comic creation of this
generation." Later Claudia Cassidy, of The Chicago Daily Tribune,
was to hail Carol in "Wonderful Town" as a "genius."
Miss Channing made her official
nightclub debut July 8, 1957 at the fabulous Tropicana Hotel in Las
Vegas. Variety, the bible of show business, headlined, "Carol
proves customers are a girl's best friend." In 1961, this one woman
entertainment billed as "Show Girl" was brought to Broadway,
and again the critics tossed their adjectives in the air.
With Gracie Allen's blessing, Carol
joined forces with George Burns, and the Burns-Channing Show made
box-office history. Carol also starred at President Johnson's inaugural
gala and has since made many appearances at the White House.
The late Lawrence Langner, founder
and director of the Theatre Guild, insisted that Miss Channing was an
ideal Shavian heroine and should star in "The Millionairess."
Carol barnstormed the circuit and made the box offices jingle with the
biggest grosses reported for a Shaw play ever.
After that, she went to Broadway
with "Hello, Dolly!", then toured the country with the show,
and directly into the film of Ross Hunter's "Thoroughly Modern
Millie" with Julie Andrews, in which she played the part of Mrs.
Muzzy Van Hossmere. And under Joe Layton's astute musical staging, Carol
received an Oscar nomination for her performance.
A television special she did with
Pearl Bailey, not only was the talk of America, but was shown three
times in England! In addition to her own specials, Carol won reviewers'
raves for her performance in a Danny Thomas Special, and the nest of
cuckoos on NBC-TV's "Laugh-In" made her an honorary cast
regular because of the frequency of her visits.
Carol's record albums have been
enormous sellers and she is the holder of several gold records.
Richard Skipper
may be available for your next special event.
"Let's Get Started!"
What Others Say
About ...
Richard
Skipper
Carol
Channing:
"...The first time
EVER that I have been shown with so much love, respect and
polish!"
Applause!
Applause!:
"Richard Skipper
is destined to obtain international recognition for what is singularly
THE best and most flattering impersonation of Carol Channing
performed on this planet."
Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens
Whoot Magazine:
"...Richard Skipper as
Judy and Carol brings a touch of class to a show that will delight
just about everyone...he looks like, and most definitely sounds
like, his characters."
Pinky's Corner
New York City Search:
"...Richard Skipper's
impersonation of Carol Channing is one of the wonders of the modern
world: every gesture, attitude and ad lib is hilariously
right."
New York Theatre Wise:
"...His interaction
with the audience is also impressive, the characterization never
slips, is always funny, and rejoices in excellent timing."
Maya Amis
At The Shore:
"...Skipper, who does
Judy Garland and Carol Channing switches between characters
flawlessly, and has a voice that undoubtedly left many people in the
audience disbelieving it was a live show."
Richard Mancino, Jr.
Back Stage:
"...95% dazzlingly
perfect impersonation + 5% shrewd, but loving impersonation = 100%
hilarious . I certainly had a swell time."
Roy Sander
Cabaret Hotline:
"Richard Skipper as
Carol Channing (Don't Tell Mama). There is no one in this town, or
any other, who is so convincing as Richard doing Channing. His
shows are always gems –
diamonds to be exact."
The Clinton Chronicle:
"...The hilarious
Richard Skipper, impersonator of Carol Channing, has done it
again!"
Howie Rapp
Whoot Magazine:
"...Richard Skipper
performed flawlessly as Judy Garland...His resemblance to Channing
in voice and appearance was downright scary."
Sandy Posnak
Genre: Tribute
Styles:
Show Tunes
.Comedy.
.Tribute.Based: ..in New York / based nNewYork
Based: ..in Sparkill / based SparkillNY
Flies out of:
La Guardia or JFK |
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Richard
Skipper – How's this for versatility... He has portrayed Sir
Evelyn Oakleigh in "Anything Goes," Carol Channing in
"Burlesque 2000," and Stew Pot in "South Pacific."
He has appeared in Atlantic City with three long-running engagements
(twice at Trump's Taj Mahal as Carol Channing and Judy Garland and once
at The Hilton); off-Broadway in "The Ball," "Tell
Veronica," "Live From Television City: Behind The Scenes of
The Judy Garland Show" (as Judy Garland!!!), "My Piece of
Heaven," "Men of Manhattan," "Children On Their
Birthdays" and "The Selling of Lulu," just to name a few.
He
has performed in nightclubs, lounges, country clubs and cultural
centers, and since 1989 has been presenting his impersonations of Carol
Channing and Judy Garland in many cabaret rooms, namely, Don't Tell
Mama, The "21" Club (private party at the request of Arlene
Dahl), The Regent (special performance for Carol Channing!), The Ocean's
Inn (in Provincetown), and The Crown and Anchor (also in Provincetown).
