Every day is opening night.

PASADENA PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS “YOU I LIKE – A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF JERRY HERMAN”

National Press Contacts:
Rick Miramontez / Marie Bshara
rick@omdkc.com / marie@omdkc.com
212 695 7400

Pasadena Playhouse Press Contacts:
Tim Choy / Peter Goldman
t.choy@dcpublicity.com / p.goldman@dcpublicity.com
323 954 7510 

FOR RELEASE ON JANUARY 4, 2021

PASADENA PLAYHOUSE
PRESENTS
“YOU I LIKE: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF JERRY HERMAN”

A TRIBUTE TO THE BROADWAY LEGEND AND CREATOR OF
“HELLO, DOLLY!”; “MAME”; “LA CAGE AUX FOLLES”; AND MANY MORE

CONCEIVED AND MUSIC DIRECTED BY
ANDY EINHORN

PREMIERING ON PLAYHOUSELIVE
JANUARY 10, 2021 

ONLINE OPENING NIGHT EVENT TO INCLUDE TRIBUTES FROM
SPECIAL GUESTS BERNADETTE PETERS AND DAVID HYDE PIERCE

Pasadena, CAPasadena Playhouse, The State Theater of California, announces the January 10, 2021 PlayhouseLive Online Opening Night of You I Like: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Herman, a virtual musical revue honoring the genius responsible for the Broadway classics Hello, Dolly!; Mame; La Cage aux Folles and many more. The Online Opening Night will be a livestreamed event with special guests Bernadette Peters and David Hyde Pierce.

The production, conceived and music directed by Andy Einhorn (Music Director and Music Supervisor, Broadway’s Hello, Dolly!; Carousel, among others), marks the first theatrical tribute to Jerry Herman by a professional theater company since the passing of this Tony Award-winning Broadway legend one year ago.

The Online Opening Night of You I Like: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Herman will be held on January 10, 2021 at 5 p.m. PST on www.PlayhouseLive.org. Please contact Peter Goldman at p.goldman@dcpublicity.com to RSVP and gain access.

The PlayhouseLive production of You I Like: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Herman features Andy Einhorn on the piano with performances by Ashley Blanchet (Frozen), Nick Christopher (Hamilton), Lesli Margherita (Matilda The Musical), Andrea Ross (‘Maria’ in The Sound of Music National Tour) and Ryan Vona (Once). Andy Einhorn’s many Broadway credits include his recent conducting of Tony Award winner Bette Midler in the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of Jerry Herman’s Hello, Dolly! for which he served as music director.

Jerry Herman gifted us with some of the most beloved showtunes in the history of musical theater and popular song. In 1964, the cast recording of Hello, Dolly! was number one on the Billboard Pop Album Chart for seven weeks and was the top album on the Year-End Chart.  In addition, the song “Hello, Dolly!” reached number one on the Pop Chart that same year, replacing the Beatles’ “Can’t Buy Me Love” in the number one spot that it had held for 14 weeks.

Jerry’s works sparked joy, inspired optimism, and celebrated life to its fullest. You I Like: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Herman is a delightful and stirring homage to Jerry’s artistry and legacy, featuring songs from all of Herman’s musicals, highlighting his craftsman approach to lyrics and melodies. In You I Like: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Herman, Andy Einhorn explores themes that are commonly found in Herman’s work: love, family, home, and optimism, through such songs as “Time Heals Everything,” “I Am What I Am,” “It’s Today” and “It Only Takes a Moment.”

“These themes are who Jerry Herman was as both an artist and as a man,” comments Einhorn. “Jerry Herman was joy personified. He wrote shows that sparked joy, brought out positivity in the face of adversity, granted his characters second chances, and reinforced the love of family and life. He left a piece of himself in everything he wrote, and may these treasures bring some joy and comfort to everyone during these uncertain and challenging times.”

Pasadena Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman says, “Jerry Herman’s songs have an optimism and joy that can’t be rivaled. After the challenges we’ve all faced over the past few months, I can’t think of a better way to kick off the new year. This love letter to Jerry is an entertaining celebration of his life and exploration of his legacy.”

The Online Opening Night of You I Like: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Herman can be viewed on PlayhouseLive on January 10, 2021 at 5 p.m. PST. This will be a livestreamed event with a special pre-show tribute to Jerry Herman featuring Bernadette Peters, David Hyde Pierce, You I Like creator Andy Einhorn and Pasadena Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman.  Tickets to view this event are $29.99 and are available now through PlayhouseLive.org

Video-on-demand streaming of You I Like: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Herman will be available to rent on PlayhouseLive for $24.99 from January 11 through February 7. After the initial purchase through the website, You I Like: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Herman can be watched on any of the PlayhouseLive apps including Apple OS, Android OS, Roku, FireTV and more. Closed captioning will be available in both English and Spanish.

ABOUT JERRY HERMAN

Jerry Herman was the only composer/lyricist in history to have three Broadway musicals run more than 1,500 performances: Hello, Dolly!; Mame; and La Cage aux Folles. He first burst upon the Broadway scene with Milk and Honey in 1961, followed by Hello, Dolly! (1964); Mame (1966); Dear World (1969); Mack and Mabel (1974); The Grand Tour (1979); and La Cage aux Folles (1983). He contributed songs to A Day in Hollywood, A Night in the Ukraine (1980) and a revue of his life’s work, Jerry’s Girls, played on Broadway and in every major American city. In 1996, Herman wrote the music and lyrics for the CBS television special “Mrs. Santa Claus.”

Herman is the recipient of numerous awards including Tony Awards, Grammy Awards, Drama Desk, Variety and the Theatre Hall of Fame Award, and was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was most proud of having written songs that could have lives of their own outside of their shows.

ABOUT PLAYHOUSELIVE

PlayhouseLive is a first-of-its-kind digital streaming platform for nonprofit theaters. Powered by Pasadena Playhouse, PlayhouseLive’s “theater on demand” hosts fully realized cinema-quality productions filmed in high definition on stage specifically for the digital platform. It takes online theatrical performances beyond Zoom readings and interpretations to full scale productions for viewers around the world to enjoy. Distribution channels include a standalone website, iPhone and Android apps, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, Roku, Chromecast, and AirPlay, among others.

In addition to theater on demand, PlayhouseLive programming will include staged readings, and cabarets, as well as original series, documentaries, and theater classes. It is a home for a wide array of theatrical voices through new and revisited work.  Additional information about PlayhouseLive and its programming, including new announcements and pricing specials, are available at www.playhouselive.org.

BIOGRAPHIES

Andy Einhorn is a leading Broadway music director and conductor and most recently served as the music supervisor and musical director for the Broadway productions of Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler and Carousel starring Renée FlemingEinhorn’s previous Broadway music directing and conducting credits include Holiday Inn, Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Brief Encounter, and Sondheim on Sondheim. Other Broadway work includes Evita and The Light in the Piazza. In the past several seasons, he has conducted various concerts with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra and the Santa Barbara Symphony. He is a guest faculty member at the Aspen Music Festival and is a regular music director and pianist for the 92nd St Y’s Lyrics and Lyricists series. You I Like premiered at the 92nd St Y in February 2020. In 2019, Einhorn conducted Bette Midler and Marc Shaiman at the 2019 Academy Awards and led a 55 piece orchestra at the NBC Upfronts in a performance of John William’s “Olympic Fanfare.” He also music supervised and appeared on camera for the Emmy award winning performance of “Eat Sh*t Bob” for HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” starring John Oliver. Since 2011, Einhorn has served as music director and pianist for six-time Tony Award winner, Audra McDonald, performing with her at such prestigious orchestras and venues including The New York Philharmonic, Boston Pops at Tanglewood, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom, Cincinnati Pops, Chicago Symphony at Ravinia, Los Angeles Opera, Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall and a series of recorded concerts with Sydney Symphony at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. They most recently made their debut at New York City Center. Einhorn also music directed concerts for the late Barbara Cook at Feinstein’s and Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music. He served as music director and conductor for the Châtelet Theatre’s production of Sondheim’s Passion in Paris and has twice led the New York Philharmonic conducting for Audra McDonald and Chris Botti, respectively. His tour work included Sweeney ToddThe Light in the Piazza, Mamma Mia!, and The Lion King. Einhorn’s work was most recently heard on the touring production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music and Hello, Dolly! Einhorn has worked at Goodspeed Opera House, Signature Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Paper Mill Playhouse. He was principal vocal coach and pianist for Houston Grand Opera’s An Evening with Audra McDonald, a double-bill of Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine and Michael John LaChiusa’s Send. Recording credits include Audra McDonald’s Sing Happy with the New York Philharmonic, Oklahoma (2019 revival, executive producer, Grammy nom), Carousel featuring Renée Fleming (executive producer, Grammy nom), Hello Dolly! featuring Bette Midler (Grammy nom), Bullets Over Broadway, Cinderella, Evita, Sondheim on Sondheim (Grammy nom), Stage Door Canteen and McDonald’s Go Back Home. He served as the music director for HBO’s Peabody Award winning documentary “Six by Sondheim” and music supervisor for Great Performances Peabody Award winning special “Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy” on PBS. Currently, he can be seen as the host of “The Hook with Andy Einhorn” on the Broadway On Demand platform. Andy Einhorn is an honors graduate of Rice University in Houston, Texas.

Ashley Blanchet. Broadway: Frozen (Elsa u/s), Beautiful (Little Eva/“The Locomotion”), Annie (Star to Be), Memphis (Felicia u/s). National Tour: Beautiful. Select Regional: Cinderella (Title Role, Papermill Playhouse),  Oklahoma! (Ado Annie, PCLO), How to Succeed… (Rosemary, TUTS), A Chorus Line (Diana, WVPT). Ashley received her BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan, where she became the first recipient of the Kurt Weill Award for Excellence in Theatre. She is also a proud alum of the Boston Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and The Walnut Hill School in Natick, MA. Currently, Ashley can be heard as a narrator for various Audiobooks on Amazon Audible. Please visit Ashleyblanchet.com or follow @a_blanchet for more!

Nicholas Christopher. LA: Hamilton (Aaron Burr)  Broadway: Hamilton (George Washington), Miss Saigon (John), Motown (OBC). Off-Broadway: Lazarus (the David Bowie musical — NYTW), Whorl Inside a Loop (2nd Stage), The Tempest (Shakespeare in the Park), Rent ( revival), Hurt Village (Signature Theatre), In the Heights (tour). TV: “All Rise” (CBS), “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” (FX). Nick received the Elliot Norton Award for his portrayal of Aaron Burr.

Lesli Margherita won the Olivier Award for her West End debut as Inez in Zorro The Musical. She made her Broadway debut originating the role of Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda The Musical, and after over 1000 performances, bid farewell to the Matilda company and crossed the street to The Helen Hayes to star as the diva Mona Kent in the Broadway premiere of Dames At Sea. Lesli later returned to her iconic performance in Matilda to close out its Broadway run. Off-Broadway credits include her hilarious, show-stopping performance as Cindy Lou Who in the one-woman tour-de-force Who’s Holiday, which earned her critical acclaim as well as a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance, a Lortel nomination for Outstanding Solo Show and an Off- Broadway Alliance nomination for Best Solo Performance. Other Off-Broadway credits include an award-winning turn as Signora Psyche Zinobia in A Scythe of Time (NYMF; Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role) and most recently this spring originated the role of Princess in Emojiland.

Andrea Ross began her stage career in her hometown of Boston, where she was the youngest recipient of the prestigious Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Actress. She caught the attention of Andrew Lloyd Webber, who mentored her and produced her solo album, Moon River, with Universal Classics and Jazz. Ms. Ross has performed at prominent venues in the UK including the Royal Albert Hall, Hampton Court Palace, St. Martin-In-The-Fields, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sydmonton Festival, and Wembley Stadium where she was a guest artist for Concert for Diana, honoring Princess Diana.

Andrea originated the lead role of ‘Swallow’ in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s US national tour of Whistle Down The Wind. She most recently understudied and performed as ‘Maria’ in the national tour of The Sound of Music, directed by Jack O’Brien and music directed by Andy Einhorn. Ms. Ross has performed as a soloist with top symphony orchestras including the Boston Pops, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Utah Symphony Orchestra, the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, and the NY Philharmonic for the Live From Lincoln Center concerts of Company and One Singular Sensation: Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch. Ms. Ross performed her solo cabaret in New York City at Feinstein’s 54 Below. This past year, Andrea was featured at the esteemed 92nd Street Y in New York City for “Lyrics and Lyricists: Jerry Herman, You I Like.” Upcoming highlights include the 2021 virtual American Traditions Vocal Competition and a performance with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in March 2021.

Ryan Vona is a Boston-born, New York-based actor, singer, songwriter and musician. Vona’s Broadway credits include Once (Andrej), Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour (Joey, Original Broadway Cast) and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Regionally he has appeared across the country; most recently in Joe Iconis’s Love in Hate Nation and as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, directed by Terrence Mann. Under maestro Andy Einhorn, he has appeared with the Baltimore & South Dakota Symphony Orchestras. You can find his album, Somebody, wherever you listen to your music.

Pasadena Playhouse is a place where people have gathered for 100 years to experience bold and important theater.  It is one of the most prolific theaters in American history with a legacy of profound theatrical impact and courageous new work. In 1937, the Playhouse was officially recognized as the State Theater of California for its contribution and commitment to the dramatic arts. Today, it continues that tradition of excellence under the helm of producing artistic director Danny Feldman. Dedicated to enriching lives through theater, community programs and learning initiatives, Pasadena Playhouse is a living force in the community.

# # # #

omdkc.com
facebook.com/omdkc
instagram.com/omdkc
twitter.com/omdkc