York Theatre Company Announces Line-up for February Developmental Reading Series
Contact:
Rick Miramontez / Philip Carrubba
rick@oandmco.com / philip@oandmco.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE
THE YORK THEATRE COMPANY
DEVELOPMENTAL READING SERIES
PRESENTS
THREE NEW WORKS
“THE SLEEPING BEAUTY”
BOOK, MUSIC & LYRICS BY BENJAMIN P. WENZELBERG
“COMMANDERS IN-CHIEF”
WRITTEN BY P.J. BARRY
AND
CHEER WARS
BOOK & LYRICS BY GORDON LEARY
MUSIC BY KARLAN JUDD
AT THE YORK THEATRE COMPANY AT SAINT PETER’S
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
New York, NY – (February 9, 2015) – The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Andrew Levine, Executive Director), and its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series, will present three new works: The Sleeping Beauty that has book, music & lyrics by Benjamin P. Wenzelberg, Commanders-In-Chief written by P.J. Barry, and Cheer Wars with book & lyrics by Gordon Leary and music by Karlan Judd at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter’s (619 Lexington Avenue, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). The readings are open to the public with a suggested donation of $5.00.
The Sleeping Beauty, a new opera, has book, music & lyrics by Benjamin P. Wenzelberg, winner of ASCAP’s 2014 Morton Gould Young Composer Award and the Charlotte V. Bergen Scholarship Award. The Sleeping Beauty finds a beautiful Princess trying to find a Prince, with an Evil Wise Woman who casts magic spells. The Princess falls into a deep sleep for 100 years along with everyone in her castle. Will a Prince arrive in time to save the Kingdom and be true love the Princess is looking for? With direction and music direction by Mr. Wenzelberg, the cast features Dominic Armstrong as the Prince, Nicole DeLuca as the Frog, Lauren Flanigan as the Evil Wise Woman, John Hancock as the Old Man, Anna Noggle as the Last Wise Woman, Kate Oberjat as Rosamond, Sara Beth Pearson as the Queen, and Justin Ryan as the King with Mark Ahramjian, Remy Canario, Matt Cervoni, Andrew DeJoseph, Christine Duncan, Alistair Hamilton, Lauren Orlando, Eric Nold, and Bianca Rose. ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY: TONIGHT. February 9, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.
Commanders-In-Chief, written by P.J. Barry, takes place after a chaotic rehearsal when 6 community volunteers stampede through a fund raising one-night-only tribute performance to our 44 Presidents. Directed by Frank McGrory, the cast will feature Dennis Parlato, Bill Tatum, Donna Vivino, John Wernke, and C.J. Wilson. ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY: Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at 2:30 p.m.
Cheer Wars is a new musical with book & lyrics by Gordon Leary and music by Karlan Judd and winner of the 2009 Richard Rodgers Award. Halle Bolingbroke is going to be the next captain of the New London Lady Leopard Varsity Cheer Squad, whether she likes it or not. After all, her mom, Doretha, is the former captain and current coach. But when Nuella Percy, Doretha's long-lost cheer-nemesis, returns to New London with her cheerleading machine of a daughter, Charmain, a battle erupts for control of the squad. And, cheerleading itself. Inspired by Henry IV, Part 1 and the true story of the Texas-cheerleader-murdering mom. Directed by Hunter Foster, and with music direction by Vadim Feichtner, the cast includes Britney Coleman, Annie Golden, Molly Hager, Stephanie Hsu, Amy Linden, Alyse Alan Louis, Robb Sapp, Dana Steingold, Sally Struthers, and Mary Testa. TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY: Thursday, February 19 at 3:00 p.m. and Friday, February 20 at 12:00 p.m.
Reservations can be made by visiting the website at www.yorktheatre.org
The Developmental Reading Series presents some 40 readings and workshops of new musicals by emerging and established authors throughout the year, a vital part of the writing process. The series serves as an incubator for shows to be considered for Mainstage productions, thus serving the York's unique mission of taking new musicals through the complete development process to full production.
The York Theatre Company offers the 54th Street Membership Program, an exclusive membership package for as low as $54.00 – with elite benefits that includes a 30% discount on tickets to York Theatre Productions (2 per membership), exclusive member pre-sale opportunities, 50% off on all lobby concessions, 20% off on all lobby merchandise, in addition to special member only receptions.
York Memberships may be purchased online at www.yorktheatre.org/membership, or by calling the York Theatre Company Box Office.
For additional information, please visit the website at www.yorktheatre.org.
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 neglected 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 exclusively 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 The York Theatre Company productions are now available on CD, and commercial transfers of such York premieres as The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), Souvenir, Jolson & Company, and its acclaimed revivals of Closer Than Ever (2013 Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Revival), Sweeney Todd and Pacific Overtures have all showcased the importance of the York and its programs.
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