The halftime show at the 1988 Orange Bowl Classic between the # 1 Oklahoma Sooners verses the # 2 Miami Huricanes featured Broadway stars Leslie Uggams and Lee Roy Reams in a road production of the Broadway Musical Bright Lights and Big Town Music….as they did song and dance performances of such great songs about big American cities like Way Down Yonder in New Orleans….Hooray for Hollywood….San Fancisco Open Your Golden Gates….Chicago, My Kind of Town….Meet Me In St Louie, Louie…..Shuffle Off To Buffalo…..New York, New York….and Moon Over Miami…..as they worked their way across the USA in song.
Leslie Uggams (born May 25, 1943) is an American actress and singer….who began her career as a child in the early 1950’s….and is recognized for portraying Kizzy Reynolds in the television miniseries Roots in 1977….which earned her Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for her performance. She had earlier been highly acclaimed for the Broadway musical Hallelujah, Baby!….while winning a Theatre World Award in 1967….and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1968. Later in her career, Uggams received renewed notice with appearances alongside Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool in 2016…..and in a recurring role on the television series Empire.
Leslie Uggams co-star in this performance ofBright Lights and Big Town Music was Lee Roy Reams (born August 23, 1942)….who is an American musical theater actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, and director….who made his Broadway debut in Sweet Charity in 1966. Reams was nominated for both the Tony and Drama Desk Awards as Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance in the original production of 42nd Street in 1980. He played the role of Frank Schultz in the 1989 Paper Mill Playhouse production of Show Boat….which was televised on Great Performances by PBS .
