Clifford Bell, the cabaret impresario, director and producer affectionately generally known as “Lawrence of Cabarabia,” died Sunday of pure causes at CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Heart, publicist Steve Moyer introduced. He was 68. “Clifford Bell was a power of nature!” Moyer mentioned in an announcement.
“He lived and breathed music day by day of his life to the very finish.” A 40-year present enterprise veteran, Bell wrote and directed selection performances that includes the likes of Walter Cronkite, Colin Powell and Michael Eisner on the Honda Heart in Anaheim and toured with Katey Sagal and her band. As a cabaret director, he helmed reveals for singers Gregg Marx, Todd Murray, Lois Bourgon, Carol Whitener, Joanne Tatham, Bonnie Gilgallon, Lauren White, Quinn Johnson, Chase Masterson, Lee Lessack, Bobbie Norman and Katrina Aguilar.
He produced albums for singers Betsyann Faiella, Eileen Barnett and Judy Butterfield and directed one-person reveals starring Beth Lapides, Joan Hotchkis, Juliette Marshall, Craig Laforest, Deborah Pearl and Paul Jacek. With frequent collaborator and Tony-nominated actress Lara Teeter ( On Your Toes) , Bell co-created the touring present Direct From Broadway, which starred Tony winners Debbie Gravitte ( Jerome Robbins’ Broadway ) and Michael Maguire ( Les Misérables ). He dealt with selection evenings and showcase shows, usually for charitable causes like Our Identify Is Barbra, an annual celebration of Barbra Streisand’s birthday that has raised funds and consciousness for Bell’s beloved charity, Mission Angel Meals, for 26 years.
His ultimate Our Identify Is Barbra live performance was offered April 24 at Catalina Jazz Membership in Hollywood with a lineup of celebrated performers. It additionally was offered Could 6 for the primary time in Palm Springs to learn the Revolution Stage Firm. Bell additionally labored with Shannon Penrod of Autism Care Immediately and singer Dana Meller to ascertain Broadway for Autism and with Aguilar to convey consciousness to autism organizations.
Bell was born in New Jersey on Sept. 17, 1956. His father was a symphony conductor and his mom a live performance cellist.
He wrote for Cabaret Scenes journal ; was featured alongside Chita Rivera, Bruce Vilanch and Sam Harris in Marc Saltarelli’s 2023 documentary Studio One Perpetually ; hosted a podcast about cabaret; and taught cabaret on the Girl’s Membership of Hollywood. Survivors embody his brother, Bryan Bell, a technologist, audio engineer and former senior vp on the Broadway-oriented label Fynsworth Alley; stepfather Andrew; sister-in-law Margarita; nephew Lindsay; and nieces Christina and Andrea. Donations in his reminiscence may be made to Mission Angel Meals and/or Cabaret Scenes .
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