Broadway actress and producer Jana Robbins will perform her one-woman show "Gypsy in My Soul" at Gettysburg College on Friday, Sept. 17.

Robbins, who has also appeared in films and television shows such as "Cheers" and "Law and Order," is returning to Gettysburg College after directing "Crimes of the Heart" here last year.

Friday's free performance is set for 8 p.m. in Kline Theatre in Brua Hall near Washington and Water streets.

In "Gypsy in My Soul," Robbins recalls her experiences playing Mazeppa and standing in for Tyne Daly as Mama Rose in Gypsy In My Soul, singing such classics as "Everything's Coming Up Roses" and "Small World."

The show is part of the Department of Theatre Arts' John Adams (Class of 1970) Guest Artist Series. Robbins will also conduct a workshop for theatre arts students.

Jana Robbins has played leading roles on Broadway in "Good News; I Love My Wife"; "Crimes of the Heart"; "Romance/Romance"; "Gypsy," in which she played Mazeppa (the "bump it with a trumpet" stripper) while standing by for Tyne Daly as Mama Rose (40 performances); and "The Tale of the Allergist's Wife," where she covered both Linda Lavin (Valerie Harper) and Michele Lee. On the National Tour of Allergist's Wife, Robbins replaced Michele Lee and co-starred across the country opposite Valerie Harper.

Other national tours include Ethel in "Footloose" and Aldonza in "Man of La Mancha" with Jose Ferrer. Her long list of off-Broadway and repertory credits includes both straight plays and musicals. Some of her favorite roles have been Maggie in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"; Lady in "Orpheus Descending"; Dr. Livingstone in "Agnes of God"; Rosie in "Bye Bye Birdie"; The Leader in "Zorba"; and Bessie Berger in "Awake and Sing" at Arena Stage. Most recently, Robbins played the title role in the world premiere of "Managing Maxine" at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta.

She has guest starred on "Cheers," "Roseanne;" "Babylon 5," "JAG," "Law and Order"; "Law and Order SVU" and "Criminal Intent." She had a recent recurring role on "One Life to Live."

On the big screen she was seen in "The Women" (2008) written and directed by Diane English, starring Eva Mendez, Meg Ryan, and Annette Benning. Other film credits include "The Last Days of Frankie the Fly" with Dennis Hopper and Keifer Sutherland; "Executive Target" with Michael Madsen and Roy Schieder; and "Haunted Heart" with Olympia Dukakis.

Robbins' own one-woman shows — "One Hell of a Ride! (The Songs of Cy Coleman)" and "Gypsy in my Soul" — have played cabarets and theaters across the country. Her CD, "Jana Robbins - Face to Face," can be purchased at Footlight Records and online at CDBaby.com

A recipient of The Jewish National Fund's "Tree Of Life Award," Robbins recently directed "Little Women," which she produced on Broadway starring Sutton Foster and Maureen McGovern, at her alma mater, Stephens College.

Other producing credits include the Off-Broadway musical, "I Love You Because"; "The Jazz Age," which just completed a successful run in Los Angeles; and the recent Broadway revival of "Ragtime," which just won Best Musical, Best Director, Best Lead Actress and Best Costumes at the Helen Hayes Awards in Washington, DC. She is also the producer of "White's Lies"starring Betty Buckley.

Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a highly selective four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences with a strong academic tradition that includes Rhodes Scholars, a Nobel laureate and other distinguished scholars among its alumni. The college enrolls 2,600 undergraduate students and is located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.

Contact: Jim Hale, senior staff writer

Sept. 13, 2010