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DRAMATIC PAUSE As the "versatile entertainer", T.A. has honed his skills to become an award-winning vocalist, comedian and actor. He began his entertainment career in stand-up comedy. However, the dramatic stage has become one of his greatest passions and he has reveled in such roles as the affable Hoke in "Driving Miss Daisy," Ezra Bridges, the beleaguered patriarch of a dysfunctional family in Larissa Brewington's "What You Don't Know", the deft prosecutor, Capt. Jack Ross in "A Few Good Men" and civil rights leader Martin Luther King in "Kennedy." In February, T.A. will put that passion on display once more as puts his comedy and musical talents aside and again teams with Brewington to play another iconic activist, Frederick Douglass, in her play, "Frederick and Ida" at the Herberger Theater in Phoenix.
The show is being presented as part of the Herberger's Lunchtime Theater Series with shows scheduled for 11 am and 1 pm on February 28 and March 1. The Theater is located at 222 E. Monroe St. For tickets and more information, call 602-254-7399.
The "AriZoni" is the Phoenix theater community's version of Broadway's Tony Award. This prestigious annual award recognizes theatrical excellence in 13 categories as judged in over 100 stage productions in the Phoenix metropolitan area. "Dan Dee Revue" a collaboration of renowned director Dee Dee Wood and musical guru Dan Kurek garnered ten nominations overall including "Best Overall Musical Production." Burrows' award-winning performance showcased his tested his versatility and included songs such as "Operator," "Heart and Soul" and stirring rendition of Sammy Davis Jr.'s classic, "Mr. Bojangles" Upon receiving his award, he thanked God for his talents, his late, loving mother for her inspiration, his "biggest fan" Laurie Ehlers for her support, Desert Foothills theater for the opportunity and as well as his fellow cast and crew. His biggest thanks went to Kurek, for "turning a stand-up comic into a singer" and to Wood, who he hailed as the best director ever! T.A.'s previous two Zonis were for Best Supporting Actor in "Kennedy" in 2010 and Best Actor for "Driving Miss Daisy in 2009. He received his first nomination in 2003 as "Best Actor in a Musical" for his multi-talented performance in Desert Foothills Theater's "Simply Sammy." He followed that with two more "Best Actor in a Musical" nominations for his portrayal of Mr. Applegate in both Mountain Shadows Theatre Company's and Fountain Hills' Community Theater's versions of "Damn Yankees." He also received a "Best Supporting Actor in a Musical" nomination for his role as Charlie Davenport in Mountain Shadows Theatre Company's production of "Annie Get Your Gun."  
and nominations for "Damn Yankees (twice);" "Annie Get Your Gun;" and "Simply Sammy"
TA APPEARS WITH THE TEMPTATIONS and ISLEY BROTHERS
The two shows marked T.A.'s second time opening for each of the groups and his eigth and ninth appearances at Celebrity Theatre. Both performances, which included his hilarious impressions of stars such as Al Green, Michael Jackson, Prince and even the fabulous Temps themselves received huge ovations from the crowd of over 2,000 people. In addition to his shows with the Temps and the Isleys, T.A. has also opened concerts for such notable stars as Patti LaBelle; Teddy Pendergrass, The Pointer Sisters, Brian McKnight, the late Rick James, Earth, Wind & Fire; Chicago; Lee Greenwood; Rosie O'Donnell; and the late comedy icon Bob Hope.
GOT
T.A.? Recorded at Bullfrogs
Live Comedy Club
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Set
in 1893 during the Chicago Worlds Fair, the play examines the relationship
between Douglass (former
slave turned eloquent orator and writer) and Ida B. Wells (anti-lynching
activist and journalist) who forged a friendship with him shortly before his
death in 1895. In a short
time, Frederick became not just a colleague, but a mentor to Ida. This one-act,
written by Brewington (who stars as Ida), depicts one of the very last times Ida
was honored to be invited to Douglass' home.
In
baseball, pulling off a triple play is a considered to a magical
feat. If the same holds true for theater, then consider T.A. to be a
master magician. The multi-talented entertainer not only earned his seventh AriZoni
nomination, but for the third consecutive year, he brought home the award,
this time for "Best Actor in a Musical Play" for his
performance in Desert Foothills Theater's "Dan Dee
Revue." 
Continuing
his tradition of working with some
of the biggest names in show business, T.A. recently performed as the opening act
for both the legendary Temptations (see photo below) and the Isley Brothers at Celebrity Theater in Phoenix.
