First Look: O&M Co. Fall 2015 Season Preview
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Fall 2015
NEW BROADWAY:
ALLEGIANCE
Book by Marc Acito
Music & Lyrics by Jay Kuo
Directed by Stafford Arima
Previews begin October 6
Opening Night set for November 8
at the Longacre Theatre
220 West 48th Street
A story you’ve never heard, about a family you will never forget. Following its record-breaking, sold-out engagement at San Diego’s Old Globe, the acclaimed new American musical Allegiance tells the touching and uplifting story about a family’s love, loss, and heroism during the period of the Japanese–American internment in World War II. From the lush California heartland, to the windswept prairies of Wyoming, to the European battlefields of World War II, Allegiance is a multi-generational tale of one Japanese- American family’s love, optimism, and unparalleled heroism in the face of unimaginable circumstances.
With a book by Marc Acito, music and lyrics by Jay Kuo, and inspired by his real life childhood, Allegiance stars television legend, activist, and social media icon George Takei (in his Broadway debut), along with Lea Salonga and Telly Leung.
Allegiance is helmed by Olivier Award nominee Stafford Arima and Andrew Palermo will serve as Choreographer. Music Supervision, Arrangements, and Orchestrations by Lynn Shankel with Laura Bergquist as Musical Director. Scenic Design is by Tony Award®-winner Donyale Werle, Costume Design by Tony Award® nominee Alejo Vietti, Lighting Design by Tony Award®-winner Howell Binkley, Sound Design by Tony Award® nominee Kai Harada and Hair and Wig design by Charles G. LaPointe. Projection Design is by Darrel Maloney.
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KING CHARLES III
By Mike Bartlett
Directed by Rupert Goold
Previews begin October 10
Opening Night set for November 1
at the Music Box Theatre
239 West 45th Street
www.KingCharlesIIIBroadway.com
The Queen is dead. After a lifetime of waiting, Prince Charles ascends the throne. A future of power lies before him…but how to rule? Winner of the 2015 Olivier Award for Best New Play, King Charles III is the “bracingly provocative and outrageously entertaining” (The Independent) drama of political intrigue by Mike Bartlett that comes to Broadway following a sensational West End run. Directed by Rupert Goold and deemed “the most insightful and engrossing new history play in decades” by Ben Brantley of The New York Times, this “bold and brilliant” (The Times of London) production explores the people underneath the crowns, the unwritten rules of Britain’s democracy and the conscience of its most famous family.
Joining Tim Pigott-Smith, reprising his much-raved-about role as King Charles III, will be Oliver Chris as William, Richard Goulding as Harry, Adam James as Mr. Evans, Margot Leicester as Camilla, Miles Richardson as James Reiss, Tom Robertson as Couttsey and other roles, Sally Scott as Sarah and other roles, Tafline Steen as Jess and Lydia Wilson as Kate.
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SCHOOL OF ROCK
Book by Julian Fellowes
Lyrics by Glenn Slater
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Directed by Laurence Connor
Previews begin November 9
Opening Night set for December 6
at the Winter Garden Theatre
1634 Broadway
In School of Rock—The Musical, down-on-his-luck wannabe rock star Dewey Finn (Alex Brightman) poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school to make ends meet. When he discovers his students’ musical talents, he enlists his fifth-graders to form a rock group and conquer the Battle of the Bands.
Based on the Paramount movie of the same name written by Mike White, School of Rock has a book by Julian Fellowes, lyrics by Glenn Slater, and new music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
School of Rock—The Musical will be directed by Laurence Connor (currently represented on Broadway by Les Miserables) and feature Choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter, Scenic and Costume Design by Anna Louizos, Lighting Design by Natasha Katz, Sound Design by Mick Potter, and Music Supervision by Ethan Popp.
School of Rock—The Musical is produced on Broadway by Andrew Lloyd Webber for The Really Useful Group, Warner Music Group & Access Industries, The Shubert Organization, and The Nederlander Organization. Nina Lannan and Madeleine Lloyd Webber serve as Executive Producers.
OUT-OF-TOWN (PRE-BROADWAY):
A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher
Based on the novel by John Kennedy Toole
Directed by David Esbjornson
Previews begin November 11
Limited engagement through December 13
at the Huntington Theatre Company
Based on the posthumously published, Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by John Kennedy Toole, Confederacy of Dunces tells the story of Ignatius J. Reilly, his exploits, misadventures, and all-around insultingly brilliant behavior in 1960’s New Orleans.
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, the world premiere production stars Nick Offerman (NBC’s “Parks and Recreation”) as the larger-than-life character Ignatius J. Reilly: overweight, arrogant, eccentric, and still living in his mother’s home. Called the Don Quixote of the French Quarter, Ignatius has a singular outlook on life. His farcical odyssey includes visits to a department store and a strip club, and stints working at a pants factory and as a hot dog vendor. A Confederacy of Dunces is a hilarious, wild ride, filled with colorful characters and comic misadventures.
Directed by David Esbjornson, A Confederacy of Dunces is presented in cooperation with a team of developmental partners including Robert Guza, John Hardy, LSU Press, and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh.
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BRIGHT STAR
Music & Book by Steve Martin
Music & Lyrics by Edie Brickell
Directed by Walter Bobbie
Previews begin December 2
Opening set for December 17
Strictly limited engagement through January 10
at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Eisenhower Theater
Inspired by a true event, the wholly original new musical Bright Star tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and 40s. When successful literary editor Alice Murphy meets an ambitious young soldier just home from World War II, their connection inspires Alice to confront her past. Together they discover a stunning secret with the power to transform their lives.
With music and book by Steve Martin and music and lyrics by Edie Brickell, Bright Star features direction by Walter Bobbie, choreography by Josh Rhodes, scenic design by Eugene Lee, costume design by Jane Greenwood, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, musical supervision by Peter Asher, musical direction and vocal arrangements by Rob Berman, and orchestrations by August Eriksmoen. Bright Star was developed and had its world premiere at The Old Globe in San Diego (Barry Edelstein, Artistic Director; Michael G. Murphy, Managing Director).
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GOTTA DANCE
Book by Chad Beguelin & Bob Martin
Music by Matthew Sklar
Lyrics by Nell Benjamin
Additional music by Marvin Hamlisch
Direction and Choreography by Jerry Mitchell
Previews begin December 13
Opening set for December 28
Limited Engagement through January 17
at Broadway in Chicago’s Bank of America Theater
In 2007, one of the unlikeliest ideas ever to come out of professional sports resulted in the formation of basketball’s first-ever dance team entirely made up of people over sixty. Over the coming months, bonds would be formed, generation gaps would be crossed, and, eventually, some pretty hot moves would be busted. The venue? Center court. The genre? Hip-hop. Gotta Dance tells the remarkable true story of these wildly diverse seniors with a common goal, the young coaches who help them achieve it, and a passion for dance that brings them all together. Gotta Dance is the age-defying blast of a musical that proves that sometimes the biggest shot is the one you take late in the game.
The cast of Gotta Dance, the new Broadway-bound musical based on the critically acclaimed 2008 documentary about professional basketball’s first ever aged 60-and-older dance team will include Lori Tan Chinn, Tony® Award nominee Andre De Shields, five-time Emmy® Award nominee Georgia Engel, Tony Award-winner Lillias White, television and film icon Stefanie Powers (making her Broadway debut), Haven Burton and Nancy Ticotin, with additional casting to be announced.
Gotta Dance brings together an all-star creative team that includes a book by Tony Award- nominee Chad Beguelin (Aladdin) and Tony Award-winner Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), music by Tony Award nominee Matthew Sklar (Elf) and lyrics by Tony Award-nominee Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde), with additional music by Marvin Hamlisch (an Emmy, Grammy®, Tony and Oscar® winner) and direction and choreography by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots).
The design team of Gotta Dance reunites Mitchell with his Kinky Boots collaborators, including five time Tony Award nominee David Rockwell (Scenic Design), Tony Award-winner Gregg Barnes (Costume Design) and Tony Award-winner Kenneth Posner (Lighting Design), along with Nick Kenkel (Co-Choreography), four-time Tony Award nominee Peter Hylenski (Sound Design), Tony Award-winner Larry Hochman (Orchestrations), Charlie Alterman (Musical Director) and Telsey + Company (Casting).
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MOONSHINE: THAT HEE HAW MUSICAL
Book by Robert Horn
Music & Lyrics by Shane McAnally & Brandy Clark
Directed by Gary Griffin
Previews begin September 2
Opening set for September 18
Limited Engagement through October 11
at the Dallas Theater Center
Hilarious and downright irreverent, MOONSHINE: That Hee Haw Musical distills the spirit of an iconic television series and bottles it into an original musical comedy. Set in present day Kornfield Kounty, this highly anticipated show introduces a new generation of irresistible characters as it tells the story of Misty Mae, the ultimate hometown girl, who heads out to follow her dreams in the big city of… Tampa. When she returns home to introduce her slick city-boy beau to her friends and family, everything goes haywire!
The World Premiere cast of MOONSHINE: That Hee Haw Musical will feature Justin Guarini, Rose Hemingway, Ken Clark, Ryah Nixon, Rob Morrison, Kevin Cahoon, and PJ Benjamin, with an ensemble that includes Mackenzie Bell, John Campione, Travis Coombs, Leslie Flesner, Julie Johnson, Kate McMillian, Harris Milgrim, and Adam Perry.
The musical features a score by multi-Award winning artists Brandy Clark (a 2015 Grammy Award nominee for Best New Artist) and Shane McAnally (a two-time Grammy Award-winner), two of today’s most critically acclaimed country music singer/songwriters. With an original book by Robert Horn, direction by Gary Griffin and choreography by Denis Jones, MOONSHINE: That Hee Haw Musical begins performances at Dallas Theater Center on September 2, 2015, where it runs through October 11, 2015.
The creative team of MOONSHINE: That Hee Haw Musical also includes Tony Award-winner John Lee Beatty (Set Design), Mara Blumenfeld (Costume Design), Philip Rosenberg (Lighting Design), Tony Award-winner John Shivers (Sound Design), Tara Rubin (Casting), with musical supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Tony and Grammy Award-winner Stephen Oremus.
ONGOING BROADWAY:
A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER
Book by Robert L. Freedman
Music by Steven Lutvak
Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman & Steven Lutvak
Directed by Darko Tresnjak
at the Walter Kerr Theatre
219 West 48th Street
www.AGentlemansGuideBroadway.com
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is the winner of the 2014 Tony® Awards for Best Musical, Direction of a Musical (Darko Tresnjak), Best Book of a Musical (Robert L. Freedman), and Costume Design of a Musical (Linda Cho).
It received a season-leading 10 Tony® Award nominations, including dual nominations for Actor in a Musical (Jefferson Mays & Bryce Pinkham), Featured Actress in a Musical (Lauren Worsham), Score Written for the Theatre (Robert L. Freedman & Steven Lutvak), Scenic Design of a Musical (Alexander Dodge), Orchestrations (Jonathan Tunick), and is produced on Broadway by Joey Parnes, S.D. Wagner, and John Johnson.
The hit musical stars Tony® Award Winner Jefferson Mays and Jeff Kready, and features Scarlett Strallen, Catherine Walker and Judy Blazer, plus Sandra DeNise, Joanna Glushak, Kristen Hahn, Greg Jackson, Eddie Korbich, Mark Ledbetter, Kevin Massey, Jennifer Smith, Kathy Voytko and Price Waldman.
Monty Navarro (Kready) has just received some really great news from his late mother’s lifelong friend Miss Shingle (Blazer). He’s a long-lost member of a noble family and could become the next Earl of Highhurst! There are only eight minor issues, namely the other relatives who precede him in line for the title. So Monty does what any ambitious, highborn gentleman would do: he sets out to eliminate them one by one, all while juggling his mistress (Strallen) (she’s after more than just love), his fiancée (Walker) (she’s his cousin, but who’s keeping track?), plus the constant threat of landing behind bars! But it will all be worth it if he can slay his way into Highhurst Castle…and be done in time for tea. Each of the eight heirs perilously standing in the way of Monty’s fortune are played by Jefferson Mays in a performance the New York Times calls “brilliant” and says “deserves to be immortalized in Broadway lore.”
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BEAUTIFUL – The Carole King Musical
Book by Douglas McGrath
Featuring songs by
Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil
Directed by Marc Bruni
at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre
124 West 43rd Street
www.BeautifulOnBroadway.com
Long before she was Carole King, chart-topping music legend, she was Carol Klein, Brooklyn girl with passion and chutzpah. She fought her way into the record business as a teenager and, by the time she reached her twenties, had the husband of her dreams and a flourishing career writing hits for the biggest acts in rock ‘n’ roll. But it wasn’t until her personal life began to crack that she finally managed to find her true voice. Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation.
The current Broadway cast of Beautiful includes Chilina Kennedy as ‘Carole King’, Scott J. Campbell as ‘Gerry Goffin’, Jessica Keenan Wynn as ‘Cynthia Weil’, Tony® Award-nominee Jarrod Spector as ‘Barry Mann’, Paul Anthony Stewart as ‘Don Kirshner’, Tony® Award-nominee Liz Larsen as ‘Genie Klein’, and an ensemble that includes Gisela Adisa, Andrew Brewer, E. Clayton Cornelious, Rebecca E. Covington, Josh Davis, Kevin Duda, James Harkness, Aisha Jackson, Brittney Johnson, Sara King, Julia Knitel, Douglas Lyons, Gabrielle Reid, Sara Sheperd, Yasmeen Sulieman, Daniel Torres, Melvin Tunstall and Alan Wiggins.
With a book by Tony® and Academy® Award-nominee Douglas McGrath, direction by Marc Bruni and choreography by Josh Prince, Beautiful features a stunning array of beloved songs written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil.
The Original Broadway Cast Recording of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Ghostlight Records), the 2015 Grammy Award winner for Best Musical Theater Album, is available on CD, digitally, and on vinyl. In addition to the hit Broadway production, which has broken all box office records and recently became the highest grossing show in the history of the Sondheim Theatre, Beautiful opened to rave reviews at London’s Aldwych Theatre in February 2015 (where the show just garnered 8 Olivier Awards nominations), and will launch its First National Tour in September 2015.
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FUN HOME
Book & Lyrics by Lisa Kron
Music by Jeanine Tesori
Directed by Sam Gold
at The Circle in the Square Theatre
1633 Broadway
Based on Alison Bechdel’s best-selling graphic memoir of the same name, Fun Home, the 2015 Tony Award-winning Best Musical, features music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by Lisa Kron, and direction by Sam Gold, all of whom won 2015 Tony Awards for their work on this production.
Featuring a cast led by 2015 Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris, as well as 2015 Tony Award nominees Judy Kuhn, Beth Malone, Sydney Lucas and Emily Skeggs, Fun Home also features Roberta Colindrez, Zell Steele Morrow, Joel Perez, Oscar Williams, Lauren Patten, Gabriella Pizzolo, Marrick Smith, Jim Stanek, and Nicole Van Giesen.
Fun Home introduces us to Alison at three different ages, revealing memories of her uniquely dysfunctional family – her mother, brothers and volatile, brilliant, enigmatic father – that connect with her in surprising new ways. This intimate and emotional theatrical experience is performed entirely in the round, bringing audiences closer to Alison’s story than ever before. Hailed as “the best musical of the season” by both The New York Times and New York Magazine, Fun Home “demonstrates how much our world has changed and reflects just how far we’ve come” (The Wall Street Journal). Fun Home is a refreshingly honest, wholly original musical about seeing your parents through grown-up eyes.
Fun Home was also nominated for 2015 Tony Awards for Best Scenic Design of Musical (David Zinn), Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Ben Stanton) and Best Orchestrations (John Clancy). The creative team also includes Danny Mefford (Choreography), Kai Harada (Sound Design), and Chris Fenwick (Music Direction).
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HAND TO GOD
By Robert Askins
Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel
at the Booth Theatre
222 West 45th Street
www.HandToGodBroadway.com
Hand to God, which opened to rave reviews on April 7, 2015, received five 2015 Tony® Award nominations: Best Play, Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (Steven Boyer), Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (Geneva Carr), Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Sarah Stiles), and Direction of a Play (Moritz von Stuelpnagel).
The hilarious and provocative Hand to God centers on shy, inquisitive student Jason, who finds an outlet for his burgeoning creativity at the Christian Puppet Ministry in the devoutly religious, relatively quiet small town of Cypress, Texas. Jason’s complicated relationships with the town pastor, the school bully, the girl next door and—most especially—his mother are thrown into further upheaval when Jason’s hand puppet Tyrone—once soft-spoken—takes on a shocking and dangerously irreverent personality all its own. As Tyrone’s influence over Jason steadily grows, Hand to God explores the startlingly fragile nature of faith, morality, and the ties that bind us.
Hand to God features Steven Boyer as Jason/Tyrone; Geneva Carr as Margery; Marc Kudisch as Pastor Greg; Sarah Stiles as Jessica; and Michael Oberholtzer as Timmy.
The design team for Hand to God includes scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costumes by Sydney Maresca, lighting by Jason Lyons, sound by Jill BC Du Boff, puppet design by Marte Johanne Ekhougen, and fight direction by Robert Westley.
Hand to God is produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum.
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KINKY BOOTS
Book by Harvey Fierstein
Music & Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper
Direction & Choreography by Jerry Mitchell
at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre
302 West 45th Street
www.KinkyBootsTheMusical.com
Producers Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig are proud to present Kinky Boots, the six-time Tony® Award-winning musical that brings together four-time Tony® Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (Book) and Grammy® Award-winning rock icon Cyndi Lauper (Tony® Award-winner for Best Score/Music and Lyrics for Kinky Boots). Directed and choreographed by Tony® Award-winner Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots began performances on Sunday, March 3, 2013 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street), and opened on Thursday, April 4, 2013.
In Kinky Boots, Charlie Price has reluctantly inherited his father’s shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola. A fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos, Lola turns out to be the one person who can help Charlie become the man he’s meant to be. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair finds that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible… and discovers that when you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world.
Inspired by a true story and based on the Miramax motion picture written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth, Kinky Boots features a warm and witty book by Mr. Fierstein and a richly diverse musical score from Ms. Lauper, in her stunning theatrical debut. Mr. Mitchell has crafted a production that moves, inspires and sets the audience’s feet dancing.
The current Broadway cast of Kinky Boots includes Tony® Award-winner Billy Porter, Andy Kelso, Haven Burton, Daniel Stewart Sherman, Cortney Wolfson, Marcus Neville, Nick Rashad Burroughs, Paul Canaan, Sean Patrick Doyle, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Kyle Post, Joey Taranto, Adinah Alexander, Douglas Baldeo, Eugene Barry-Hill, Stephen Berger, Alfred DalPino, Anna Eilinsfeld, Mia Gentile, Natalie Joy Johnson, Jake Katzman, Eric Leviton, Ellyn Marie Marsh, John Jeffrey Martin, Graham Montgomery, Abby Mueller, Jake Odmark, Nathan Peck, Robert Pendilla, Jennifer Perry, Stephen Tewksbury, Jeremy T. Villas, and Timothy Ware.
Now in its third smash year, Kinky Boots is also currently touring the country on its First National Tour, and opened a production in Toronto. The show is scheduled to open in London in September 2015. The Grammy Award-winning Original Broadway Cast Recording of Kinky Boots is available on Sony Masterworks Broadway.
NEW OFF-BROADWAY:
CLEVER LITTLE LIES
Written by Joe DiPietro
Directed by David Saint
Previews begin September 18
Opening Night set for October 14
Limited engagement through January 3
at the Westside Theatre (Upstairs)
407 West 43rd Street
Following critically acclaimed sold-out runs at George Street Playhouse in 2013 and Guild Hall last summer, Emmy®, Grammy®, and Golden Globe® Award winner Marlo Thomas returns to the New York stage in Joe DiPietro’s delightfully deceitful comedy Clever Little Lies. Additional information, including complete casting, will be announced shortly.
A mother always knows when something is wrong. When Alice (Marlo Thomas) notices her beloved husband Bill has returned home on edge after a tennis match with their son, she grows suspicious and springs into action. Determined to piece together the puzzle, she invites her son and daughter-in-law over for drinks and dessert. Sidesplitting chaos ensues as Alice digs for the truth, resulting in even more honesty than anyone expected. Shattering and hilarious, Clever Little Lies is a story of long-term love and marriage… for better and for worse.
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MCC THEATER
at the Lucille Lortel Theatre
121 Christopher Street
Coming to MCC Theater this fall:
THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE
Written by Matthew Lopez
Directed by Mike Donahue
Choreography by Paul McGill
Previews begin August 20
Opening Night set for September 9
Limited engagement through October 4
at The Lucille Lortel Theatre
Matthew Lopez’s The Legend of Georgia McBride is the first production of MCC’s 2015-16 Season. Dave Thomas Brown, recently of Heathers: The Musical at New World Stages, leads a cast that also includes Wayne Duvall (O Brother Where Art Thou?, Leatherheads), Matt McGrath (Cabaret, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Keith Nobbs (Lombardi, “The Black Donnellys”) and Afton C. Williamson (“Nashville,” “Homeland”). The production is directed by Mike Donahue (The Wolfe Twins) with choreography by Paul McGill (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), set design by Tony Award® Winner Donyale Werle (Peter and the Starcatcher), costumes by Anita Yavich (Venus in Fur), hair and makeup by Jason Hayes (Casa Valentina), lighting by Ben Stanton (Fun Home) and sound design by Jill DuBoff (Hand to God). The Legend of Georgia McBride will begin previews on August 20, 2015 ahead of a September 9, 2015 opening night. It is scheduled through October 4, 2015. For more information on MCC Theater, please visit www.mcctheater.org.
How can an Elvis impersonator become a winning drag queen in the Florida Panhandle? With an empty bank account and a pregnant wife, Casey’s going to have to answer that question fast in this music-filled comedy about finding your true voice. Playwright Matthew Lopez (The Whipping Man) and director Mike Donahue (The Wolfe Twins) make their MCC Theater debuts with The Legend of Georgia McBride in a production not too be missed.
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LOST GIRLS
Written by John Pollono
Directed by Jo Bonney
Previews begin October 22
Opening Night set for October 9
Limited engagement through November 29
at The Lucille Lortel Theatre
When their seventeen-year-old daughter goes missing during a winter storm, Maggie and Lou – former high school sweethearts, now divorced – are forced to confront the legacy of their past decisions. Lost Girls is a hard-hitting drama about a blue-collar family struggling to rise above their limited prospects to prevent history from repeating itself. Lost Girls reunites playwright John Pollono and director Jo Bonney at MCC Theater following their collaboration on 2013’s hit thriller, Small Engine Repair.
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SMOKEFALL
Written by Noah Haidle
Directed by Anne Kauffman
Previews begin February 3
Opening Night set or February 22
Limited engagement through March 13
at The Lucille Lortel Theater
Magical realism collides with manic vaudeville in a family drama unlike any you’ve ever seen. The Twins swap philosophy while awaiting their birth, Beauty eats dirt and doesn’t speak, Father is about to drive away and never return, and a man named Footnote acts as our guide. Whipping from astonishing tenderness to profound humor and back again, this wholly original play uncovers the extraordinary family connections we all stretch and warp across the years but can never quite break. Smokefall marks the MCC Theater debut for playwright Noah Haidle (Mr. Marmalade) and the return of director Anne Kauffman (The Nether).
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A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE GYNELOGIC ONCOLOGY UNIT AT MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER OF NEW YORK
Written by Halley Feiffer
Directed by Trip Cullman
Previews begin May 19
Opening Night set for June 6
Limited engagement through June 25
at the Lucille Lortel Theatre
In A Funny Thing…, a foul-mouthed twenty-something comedienne and a middle-aged man embroiled in a nasty divorce are brought together unexpectedly when their cancer-stricken mothers become roommates in the hospital. Together, this unlikely duo must negotiate some of life’s biggest challenges… while making some of the world’s most inappropriate jokes. Can these two very lost people learn to laugh through their pain and lean on each other when all they really want to do is run away?
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MOTHERSTRUCK
By Staceyann Chin
Directed by Cynthia Nixon
Performances begin September 24
Opening Night set for October 7
at the Lynn Redgrave Theater
49 Bleecker Street
From the producers of NIRBHAYA, The Exonerated, Guantanamo and Sarah Jones’ Bridge & Tunnel, Culture Project along with Rosie O’Donnell will present the world premiere of MotherStruck, written and performed by Staceyann Chin and directed by Cynthia Nixon. MotherStruck sets forth Staceyann Chin’s personal journey to motherhood as a single woman, lesbian and activist who does not have health insurance or a “serious, stable financial set up,” but wants to have a child. Told through Chin’s uniquely personal and poetic lens, this solo show explores how the process changed her life and how she makes peace with what she learns from this profound experience.
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TARGET MARGIN THEATER
Coming to Target Margin Theater this fall:
REREAD ANOTHER
By Gertrude Stein
Directed by David Herskovits
Performances begin September 24
Opening Night set for September 28
Limited engagement through October 17
at The Brick
579 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Performed only twice and hailed as an “exhilarating air of discovery” and “something kind of wonderful” by Ben Brantley in The New York Times, Target Margin Theater brings back Reread Another by Gertrude Stein, the critically acclaimed, fun, fast moving new work directed by David Herskovits. The cast will feature TMT Associate Artists Clare Barron, Purva Bedi, and Ugo Chukwu. Performances begin September 24, 2015 for a limited engagement through October 17, 2015 at The Brick (579 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn). Ticket information available on website at www.targetmargin.org.
Target Margin Theater for twenty-five years has been at the forefront of New York’s alternative theater scene and has been praised for its bold and sometimes wild interpretations of classic dramas and lesser-known works. TMT has presented ambitious re-thinkings of plays by Shakespeare, Chekov, Brecht, Gertrude Stein, and Beaumarchais, among others. TMT has also created original works and new music/opera over the years and has served nearly 1,000 artists (mostly emerging) through its annual Lab. The company’s production of Mamba’s Daughters received the Obie Award and was a sensation of the 1999 Spoleto Festival, and its recent epic production of Goethe’s Faust received critical acclaim. Recent productions include Uriel Acosta: I Want That Man! at The Chocolate Factory (Queens), The (*) Inn at Abrons Arts Center and Uncle Vanya and The Tempest at HERE.
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YORK THEATRE COMPANY
The York Theatre at Saint Peter’s
Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue
Coming to York Theatre Company this fall:
ROTHSCHILD & SONS
WORLD PREMIERE
Music by Jerry Bock
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Book by Sherman Yellen
Directed by Jeffrey B. Moss
Performances begin October 6
Opening set for October 18
Limited engagement through November 1
at The York Theatre at Saint Peter’s
The York Theatre Company, dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving musical gems from the past, in association with Arnold Mittelman and The National Jewish Theater Foundation, launches their 41st season with the world premiere of Rothschild & Sons, with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Sherman Yellen. Jeffrey B. Moss is set to direct. Broadway veteran Robert Cuccioli will star as Mayer Rothschild. Additional casting will be announced shortly.
Rothschild & Sons launches the York Theatre Company’s 2015/16 season with the full involvement of the creators—Sheldon Harnick, Sherman Yellen and the estate of Jerry Bock. Based on their original The Rothschilds, inspired by the novel of the same name by Frederic Morton, this one-act, intimate reimagining of the musical focuses on the relationships between the patriarch of the family, Mayer Rothschild, his wife Gutele, and their five sons. The work is newly structured and features several songs not included in the original, with new lyrics by Mr. Harnick and an 11 member cast empowering Mr. Yellen’s highly relevant story of a family fighting for human rights and triumphing over extraordinary odds. Yellen dubs it a “musical love story about a father and his sons.”
The original Broadway production of The Rothschilds was the last collaboration between Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. The musical ran on Broadway in 1970 for over 500 performances. It received nine Tony Award nominations and garnered Best Actor and Featured Actor awards for Hal Linden and Keene Curtis, respectively. In 1990, an Off-Broadway revival of the show starred Mike Burstyn in the lead role of Mayer Rothschild and Robert Cuccioli in the role of Nathan Rothschild, the son who ends up figuring prominently in the building of the family’s wealth from his position in London.
Performances are set to begin on Tuesday, October 6, 2015 for a limited engagement through Sunday, November 1, 2015 at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter’s (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). Opening night is set for Sunday, October 18, 2015.
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Returning to York Theatre Company this fall:
TUNE IN TIME
New York’s New Hit Musical Theater Game Show Continues
Fall Performances Dates: August 31, October 12, November 9, December 14
at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter’s
Due to popular demand, the acclaimed game show for musical theatre lovers, Tune in Time, presented by The York Theatre Company, and producers Amy Engelhardt and Heather Shields, returns to The York this fall. Hosted by Emily McNamara, with Musical Director Nate Buccieri and annoyingly insistent timekeeper Sheila Head, Tune in Time will play the following Monday evening dates: August 31, October 12, November 9 and December 14, at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peters. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Pre-performance cocktails and refreshments begin at 6:30 p.m.
In this “Musical Theater Olympics,” three teams of composers and lyricists who have never worked together are forced to collaborate – and to beat the clock. Their task? They must write a song for a new Broadway musical, the title of which is picked from a hatful of audience suggestions – and in a style determined by a spin of the dreaded Genre Wheel – all within 20 minutes! Tune in Time is an evening of edge-of-your-seat suspense, brain-frying bravery, and musical theatre magnificence. Each edition of Tune in Time features a different roster of musical theater composers and lyricists, as well as a panel of celebrity judges.
General Admission tickets for Tune in Time are priced at $20 and can be purchased online at www.yorktheatre.com, or by visiting the York Theatre Company Box Office (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue), or by calling the Box Office at (212) 935-5820 during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.).
“A triumph! A rollicking celebration of words and music that skips briskly along the path that wends from the hilarious to the sublime.” – Big Yellow Taxi
“Head down to Tune in Time. It’s a joyous, hilarious romp that has the added benefit of being an exceptional night of creative genius!” – Stage Buddy
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The 24th Annual Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala
Honoring the Legendary Angela Lansbury
Monday, November 16
at Guastavino’s
409 East 59th Street
The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Andrew Levine, Executive Director) will honor the legendary Angela Lansbury with the 2015 Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre at the 24th Annual Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala to be held on Monday, November 16, 2015 at Guastavino’s (409 East 59th Street).
Reception begins at 6:00 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m. with award ceremony and entertainment beginning at 8:00 p.m. For additional information, pricing and reservations, please visit the website at www.yorktheatre.org, or call Julie Griffith at (212) 935-5824, ext 213, or via email at jgriffith@yorktheatre.org.
The Oscar Hammerstein Award, named in honor of the prolific master lyricist, recognizes significant lifetime achievement in musical theatre. The award is presented at an annual gala which benefits The York Theatre Company, and is presented with the endorsement of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization and the Hammerstein Family. Past recipients include Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Stephen Sondheim, Betty Comden & Adolph Green, Harold Prince, Cy Coleman, Charles Strouse, Arthur Laurents, Jerry Herman, Stephen Schwartz, Peter Stone, David Merrick, John Kander & Fred Ebb, Terrence McNally, Cameron Mackintosh, Carol Channing, Tony Walton, Joseph Stein, George S. Irving, Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick, Thomas Meehan, Barbara Cook, and Paul Gemignani.
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The York Theatre Company is the only theater in New York City—and one of very few in the world—dedicated to developing and fully producing new musicals and preserving neglected, notable shows from the past. For over four decades, York’s intimate, imaginative style of producing both original and classic musicals has resulted in critical acclaim and recognition from artists and audiences alike. Under the guidance of Producing Artistic Director James Morgan since 1997, the York has focused on new musicals in its Mainstage Series—most of them world, American, or New York premieres—by some of the field’s most esteemed creators, and has also helped launch the careers of many talented new writers. Over 35 cast recordings from York Theatre Company productions are now available on CD, including its acclaimed revival of Closer Than Ever (2013 Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Revival); commercial transfers of such York premieres as The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), Souvenir (Tony Award Nomination for actress Judy Kaye), and Jolson & Company, and revivals of Pacific Overtures and Sweeney Todd (four Tony Nominations including Best Revival) have all showcased the importance of the York and its programs.
The Mainstage Series presents three full productions of new musicals by emerging and established authors. Various productions have transferred to commercial Off-Broadway or Broadway runs, and many have received further productions in regional, stock, and university theaters. The York’s productions have been regularly recognized with Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, OBIE, and Lucille Lortel nominations and awards. Directors, designers, cast, and musicians are drawn from among the best talent on and Off-Broadway, whether established or new.
The Musicals in Mufti Series presents staged concert readings of musical gems from Broadway, Off-Broadway and London for a limited number of performances. “Mufti” means “in street clothes, without all the trappings of a full production,” and each show is presented script-in-hand, with minimal staging. The series has recently celebrated such writers as Sheldon Harnick, Tom Jones and Joseph Stein and this year will celebrate its 100th production.
The Developmental Reading Series presents some 30-35 readings and workshops of new musicals by emerging and established authors throughout the year. These readings are a vital part of the writing process, often putting a work in front of its first audience. This series also serves as an incubator for shows to be considered for Mainstage production, thus serving the York’s unique mission of taking new musicals through the complete development process to full production. The NEO program (“New, Emerging, Outstanding”) is now in its 11th year of supporting emerging writers and provides them with resources in the form of readings, mentorship and networking opportunities.
ONGOING OFF BROADWAY:
39 STEPS
By Patrick Barlow
Directed by Maria Aitken
at Union Square Theatre
100 East 17th Street
39 Steps is a comedic spoof of the classic 1935 film, with only 4 “insanely talented” actors portraying more than 150 characters, sometimes changing roles in the blink of an eye. The brilliantly madcap story follows our dashing hero Richard Hannay (Robert Petkoff) as he races to solve the mystery of The 39 Steps, all the while trying to clear his name. The show’s uproarious fast-paced 100 minutes promises to leave you gasping for breath… in a good way! It’s fun for everyone from 9 to 99.
Adapted by Tony® nominated author Patrick Barlow from an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon, and based on the book by John Buchan and the classic 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film, 39 Steps features Tony® nominated direction by Maria Aitken, Tony® winning lighting design by Kevin Adams, Tony® winning sound design by Mic Pool, and Tony® nominated scenic and costume design by Peter McKintosh.
39 Steps features original Broadway cast member Arnie Burton reprising his role of Clown #2, Billy Carter as Clown #1, recent Juilliard grad Brittany Vicars as Pamela/Annabella/Margaret, and Broadway vet Robert Petkoff as the dashing hero Richard Hannay.
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FUERZA BRUTA
at the Daryl Roth Theatre
101 East 15th Street
Now celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the global phenomenon, Fuerza Bruta is the Argentinian-founded multi-sensory spectacular created by Artistic Director Diqui James and Musical Director Gaby Kerpel, the same creators of De La Guarda. Fuerza Bruta premiered in Buenos Aires in 2005 and has been seen in London, Lisbon, Cordoba, Buenos Aires, Bogota, Sao Paulo, Rosario, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Queretaro and Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it earned critical praise and was honored with the prestigious Bank of Scotland Herald Angel award for “the biggest and best show on the Fringe – the must see event of 2007” (The Herald). The New York City production began performances at the Daryl Roth Theatre (101 East 15th Street, NYC) in 2007, and recently celebrated its 2,500th performance.
Following every Friday late night performance through the end of October, Fuerza Bruta has partnered with NYC’s legendary nightclub/live music venue Webster Hall to host DJ Nights. The DJs will be hand selected by Webster Hall, and will play a special extended 20-30 minute dance set during the performance. Admission to Webster Hall is free to all Fuerza Bruta ticket holders on the night they attend the performance, so they can continue the party at the official Fuerza Bruta after party location.
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SLEEP NO MORE
at The McKittrick Hotel
530 West 27th Street
EMURSIVE (Randy Weiner, Arthur Karpati, and Jonathan Hochwald, principals) presents Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More at The McKittrick Hotel (530 West 27th Street, New York, NY).
A legendary hotel. Shakespeare’s fallen hero. A film noir shadow of suspense. Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More is an award-winning theatrical experience that tells Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Macbeth through a darkly cinematic lens. Audiences move freely through the epic world of the story at their own pace, choosing where to go and what to see, ensuring that everyone’s journey is different and unique. No one under sixteen will be permitted.
The creative team features Felix Barrett (Direction and Design), Maxine Doyle (Direction and Choreography), Stephen Dobbie (Sound Design), Beatrice Minns (Design Associate), and Livi Vaughan (Design Associate).
NIGHTLIFE:
THE McKITTRICK HOTEL
530 West 27th Street
The McKittrick Hotel (530 West 27th Street) is a unique nightlife and entertainment destination in New York City’s Chelsea District. Its many features include:
- Sleep No More, the immersive theatre production, now playing seven days a week.
- Gallow Green, the rooftop bar complete with a 360-degree view of New York City, unique cocktails, and a menu of small plates created by Chef R.L. King.
- The Heath