The Elitch Theatre was lucky to have two-time Tony winner, Richard Kiley, pass through twice — first in the play, Noel Coward in Two Keys, in 1976, and then in Mass Appeal in 1983.
Kiley created the role of Miguel de Cervantes/Don Quixote in the original 1965 Man of La Mancha (for which he won the Tony Award) and his other Tony win was for the musical, Redhead, which also won for Best Musical. (Yes, he was the first to sing and record “The Impossible Dream!”) He also won three Emmys and two Golden Globes!
In the book Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton writes that the staff at the park “spared no expense” in hiring Richard Kiley to be the voice for the tour CDs. When the book became a movie, Kiley was asked to actually play himself and do the voice for the film. On rides at Universal Studios: Hollywood and Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Kiley voices the Jungle River Cruise tour.
Seasons at the Theatre
- 1976
- 1983
Elitch Theatre Productions/Roles:
- 1976 – Noel Coward in Two Keys
- 1983 – Mass Appeal
Notable Roles, Awards, and Other Work:
- In the 1953 musical Kismet, he played the Caliph in the original Broadway cast and, as such, was one of the quartet who sang “And This Is My Beloved“.
- Won 1959 Best Leading Actor Tony for the musical, Redhead.
- Kiley created the role of Miguel de Cervantes/Don Quixote in the original 1965 Man of La Mancha, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. (This also made him the first to sing and record “The Impossible Dream“.)
- Won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for The Thorn Birds.
- Won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for A Year in the Life.
- Won four Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards during his five-decade career.
- In 1993 Kiley provided the voice of the Tour Guide in Jurassic Park.
Elitch Theatre Connections:
Wikipedia Link:
