Ritz and Glitz of the Big Band Era Comes to the Complex Theater
April 07, 2015
Straight from its sold-out run in both Las Vegas and New York City, the award-winning Journey of a Bombshell: The Ina Ray Hutton Story takes center stage at the Hollywood Fringe Festival’s Complex Theater. Playwright and leading lady Melissa Ritz brings years of research to this one-woman piece, which earner her the Best Emerging Actress award at the United Solo Theater Festival in NYC.
Ina Ray Hutton was the first female conductor of the all-girl genre of the Big Band era. She was renowned in her day—and was the first woman to have her own TV show on KTLA—but her personal life was even more compelling, with family secrets and twists and turns that piqued Ritz’s interest. Ritz had 14 of Hutton’s original music charts recreated especially for this show. In addition to singing, Ritz also tap dances ala Ina Ray Hutton.
Melissa Ritz received a BA in Dance and MFA in Performance from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas after an accomplished career in the US Air Force. She toured as
