Lee Summers is creator of the Off-Broadway R&B hit, FROM MY HOMETOWN, which, garnered eight, 2003, Audelco nominations, including “Best Musical Production” at the Kirk Theater, then transferred to the Gramercy Theatre in 2004. With Summers as lead Producer of this commercial Off-Broadway production in a 499-seat theatre, he joined a short list of African American’s having made this accomplishment. Conceived, co-written and featuring original songs by Summers, Hometown’s other regional productions include the Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Directed by Summers in 2000), the American Heartland Theatre in Kansas City in 2005 and the Phoenix Theater in Indianapolis in 2006. This three-man musical will run at the Downstairs Cabaret in Rochester, New York in 2007, transferring to a limited engagement at the World Famous Apollo Theater, followed by a Japanese tour (www.frommyhometown.net).
History lists Lee Summers’ and Kevin Ramsey’s tap dance musical, IF THESE SHOES COULD TALK as the farewell stage performance of the late, great, Harold Nicholas of the Nicholas Brothers. This timely exploration of the gentrification of Harlem was winner of the 1996 “Our Voices” award from The New Professional Theatre and produced by the Milwaukee and Arkansas Repertory Theaters. Summers and Ramsey also collaborated as composers on the award winning film short, TAP RAP starring Savion Glover.
Summers is also author, co-composer (With Timothy Graphenreed, Original Broadway: THE WIZ) of the soulful adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland,” YO', ALICE, which was presented in a New York workshop produced by Madison Square Garden/Radio City Entertainment, then later optioned as film feature in 2003 with screenplay written by Summers. In 2006 YO', ALICE was presented in a reading at New York’s Triad Theatre, featuring an all-star cast.
Summers’ 70’s “funk” musical, THE FUNKENTINE RAPTURE, was work shopped at Theatreworks in Palo Alto, California and selected for presentation in the 2005 National Alliance for Musical Theatre Festival at Dodgers Stages, directed by Summers and starring Billy Porter.
Mr. Summers is also author of ELLA FITZGERALD, FIRST LADY OF SONG, which premiered at the Crossroads Theater in December 2004, starring Freda Payne as “Ella.”
As a performer, Summers is the only actor to have performed in the original Broadway production of DREAMGIRLS (Forever archived at Lincoln Center Library), then to reprise his same role in the DREAMGIRLS 20TH ANNIVERSARY (Featured on the CD with Lillias White, Heather Headley and Audra McDonald). Other productions as a performer include: LITTLE HAM, FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE, HAIR and PORGY AND BESS. Film and TV credits include: “The Presidents” (On PBS with Rich Little), “Malcolm X,” “New York Undercover,” “Law and Order” and “Head Of State,” starring and directed by Chris Rock. Mr. Summers, a recipient of a 2003 Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Commendation Award for his work in musical theatre, is an alumnus of Tennessee State University in his hometown of Nashville Tennessee.