broadway on broadway

One day after it was stolen, Carol Channing's famed vintage stage costume was found in a bag by a man in a Hollywood-area park, a Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman confirmed.

The 86-year-old Broadway and screen legend, who was scheduled to perform as a special guest at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend, was checking into the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel shortly after noon Thursday when a thief took a piece of her luggage off an unattended cart, according to police.

Inside the black rolling travel bag was a Bob Mackie rhinestone-encrusted dress valued at $150,000. Channing wore the form-fitting sparkly frock on Broadway as Lorelei Lee in the 1974 Broadway musical "Lorelei" when she sang "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." She had promised the dress to the Smithsonian Institution.

"She's a repeat guest and a Broadway and Hollywood icon. Our heads were spinning when we found out what happened," said Chris Orr, director of sales and marketing for the hotel. "We're just so grateful it's been returned and life can go back to normal."

On the day of the theft, the hotel provided police with a suite for media interviews -- "to get the word out as quickly as possible" Orr said -- and immediately turned over surveillance tapes which, according to police, revealed an African American male, about 6 feet tall, walking into the lobby and fleeing with the bag.

Orr said Channing was "very gracious. She obviously wanted the dress back, but she wasn't melodramatic about it. She wasn't placing blame."

The man who found the dress -- in a park near Franklin and Las Palmas avenues -- took it to Channing's hotel Friday. "My understanding is it was a homeless gentleman," said Orr, who was not there at the time.

Channing identified the dress and paused briefly for a photo with the man who found it before heading off to the Bowl, according to her publicist, Harlan Boll. Once the police officially clear the man of any connection to the theft, Boll said, he will be given a reward.

On Saturday, the dress had yet to make its way back into Channing's possession.

"It's still in police custody," said LAPD officer Norma Eisenman. "Once the investigation is completed, the dress shall be returned to Miss Channing."

Musical numbers for the 2007 Broadway on Broadway concert were announced today by The League of American Theatres and Producers and The Times Square Alliance. Hairspray's Lance Bass (Corny Collins) will host 16th annual concert presented by Continental Airlines, to be held this Sunday, September 16 at 11:30AM in Times Square. The annual free outdoor concert brings together stars and performances from current and upcoming Broadway productions to celebrate the beginning of the Broadway season. IMG Media, the world's largest packager and producer of sports and live event television, is producing Broadway on Broadway for the first time.

One day after it was stolen, Carol Channing's famed vintage stage costume was found in a bag by a man in a Hollywood-area park, a Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman confirmed.

The 86-year-old Broadway and screen legend, who was scheduled to perform as a special guest at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend, was checking into the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel shortly after noon Thursday when a thief took a piece of her luggage off an unattended cart, according to police.

Inside the black rolling travel bag was a Bob Mackie rhinestone-encrusted dress valued at $150,000. Channing wore the form-fitting sparkly frock on Broadway as Lorelei Lee in the 1974 Broadway musical "Lorelei" when she sang "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." She had promised the dress to the Smithsonian Institution.

"She's a repeat guest and a Broadway and Hollywood icon. Our heads were spinning when we found out what happened," said Chris Orr, director of sales and marketing for the hotel. "We're just so grateful it's been returned and life can go back to normal."

On the day of the theft, the hotel provided police with a suite for media interviews -- "to get the word out as quickly as possible" Orr said -- and immediately turned over surveillance tapes which, according to police, revealed an African American male, about 6 feet tall, walking into the lobby and fleeing with the bag.

Orr said Channing was "very gracious. She obviously wanted the dress back, but she wasn't melodramatic about it. She wasn't placing blame."

The man who found the dress -- in a park near Franklin and Las Palmas avenues -- took it to Channing's hotel Friday. "My understanding is it was a homeless gentleman," said Orr, who was not there at the time.

Channing identified the dress and paused briefly for a photo with the man who found it before heading off to the Bowl, according to her publicist, Harlan Boll. Once the police officially clear the man of any connection to the theft, Boll said, he will be given a reward.

On Saturday, the dress had yet to make its way back into Channing's possession.

"It's still in police custody," said LAPD officer Norma Eisenman. "Once the investigation is completed, the dress shall be returned to Miss Channing."

The following musical numbers will be performed:

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
"Why We Like Spelling"

"The Wizard And I"

Scheduled to appear: Lea Salonga (Les Miserables), Chazz Palminteri ("A Bronx Tale," "The Usual Suspects"), Sierra Boggess (The Little Mermaid), Debra Monk (Curtains), Laura Osnes (Grease), Max Crumm (Grease), Adriane Lenox (Chicago), Julia Murney (Wicked), Tamyra Gray (Rent), Ashley Parker Angel (Hairspray), Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone), Carolee Carmello (Mamma Mia!), Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins), Gavin Lee (Mary Poppins), Jennifer Hope Wills (The Phantom of the Opera) and Orfeh (Legally Blonde) are all scheduled to appear.

Other highlights from this year's Broadway on Broadway include:

Broadway's Biggest Fan Contest - Fans were asked to submit a sixty-second video showing why they are Broadway's biggest fan. Videos from 3 finalists will be broadcast on a jumbo screen in Times Square in front of a crowd of thousands. The three semi-finalists will be present and the ultimate winner will be determined by audience applause at the event.

Broadway Fan Zone will also make its debut this year, giving fans an opportunity to enjoy the concert from a VIP area right near the stage. It's an up-close and personal standing-room section available to the first 100 fans that arrive dressed as their favorite Broadway character.