THE CELEBRATION CONTINUES!
THE YORK THEATRE COMPANY
AS PART OF ITS 50th ANNIVERSARY SEASON
ANNOUNCES TWO SPECIAL ONE-NIGHT-ONLY EVENTS IN MARCH
AT THE YORK THEATRE COMPANY AT SAINT PETER’S
YORK CHAT: MUSICALS IN MUFTI: 118 AND COUNTING
PANELISTS PAMELA HUNT, SIMON JONES,
MICHAEL MONTEL, JAMES MORGAN, STUART ROSS,
DAVID HANCOCK TURNER, CHARLES WRIGHT, AND MORE
WITH MODERATOR EVANS HAILE
MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020 AT 6:00PM
AND
ANOTHER YORK LEGACY CONCERT
AN EVENING WITH SHELDON HARNICK AND FRIENDS
LIZ CALLAWAY AND KAREN ZIEMBA
JOIN THE LEGENDARY SHELDON HARNICK IN CONCERT
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020 AT 7:00PM
TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!
New York, NY (February 20, 2020) – The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Evans Haile, Executive Director), dedicated to the development of new musicals and rediscovery of musical gems from the past, as part of its 50th Anniversary season celebration, will present two added special events during the month of March: York Chat: Musicals in Mufti: 118 and Counting, the second in a series of panel discussions, _An Evening with Sheldon Harnick and Friends_ a special concert featuring Sheldon Harnick,Liz Callaway, and Karen Ziemba. Both special events will take place at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter’s (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).
The first event is a York Chat, _Musicals in Mufti: 118 and Counting, the second in a series of lively panel discussions centering on the first fifty years of The York Theatre. This will be a candid talk with directors and performers who have come together to celebrate great musical theatre gems of the past—118 of them so far, with many more to come. The panel will include directors Pamela Hunt, Michael Montel, and Stuart Ross, actor Simon Jones, music directors Eric Svejcar and David Hancock Turner, York’s Producing Artistic Director James Morgan, historian Charles Wright, and more to be announced. Moderating will be York’s Executive Director Evans Haile. This special evening promises to be entertaining and insightful, filled with stories and anecdotes about the productions, stars, and creative artists who have made The York truly a place where “Musicals Come to Life” A reception with light snacks and beverages will will follow the discussion for all ticket-holders. Tickets are priced at $20, $15 for York Members, $10 for York Plus!_ Members. ONE-NIGHT ONLY: MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020 AT 6:00PM.
The second event is another of the York’s 50th Anniversary Legacy Concerts. An Evening with Sheldon Harnick and Friends will celebrate (and feature) one of the most illustrious songwriters of the American musical theatre: three-time Tony Award winner, Pulitzer Prize winner, and Oscar Hammerstein Award recipient Sheldon Harnick. Mr. Harnick will be joined on stage by singer nonpareil Liz Callaway (Miss Saigon), Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba (Contact), and Music Director Jeffrey Saver. An intimate evening giving audience members some of the celebrated songs Mr. Harnick has created in his astonishing 60+ year career, it will include his collaborations with composers such as Richard Rodgers, Joe Raposo, Michel Legrand, and—of course—Jerry Bock. Sprinkled with some behind-the-scenes anecdotes from such hit shows as Fiorello!, She Loves Me, and Fiddler on the Roof, as well as the lesser-known Tenderloin, The Rothschilds, Rex, and Dragons, An Evening with Sheldon Harnick and Friends promises to be a rare treat for musical theatre buffs of all ages. Tickets are priced at $60, $55 for York Members, $50 for York Plus! Members. ONE-NIGHT ONLY: TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020 AT 7:00PM.
Sheldon Harnick began his career in the 1950s with songs in revues both on and off-Broadway (The Boston Beguine, Merry Little Minuet, and others). Beginning in 1957, he teamed with composer Jerry Bock to create memorable musicals including Fiorello! (Tony Award, Pulitzer Prize), She Loves Me (Grammy), Fiddler on the Roof (Tony Award), The Apple Tree, and The Rothschilds. His other musicals include Smiling the Boy Fell Dead (music by David Baker), Rex (music by Richard Rodgers), A Wonderful Life (music by Joe Raposo), A Christmas Carol (music by Michel Legrand), The Phantom Tollbooth (music by Arnold Black), and his own Dragons and Malpractice Makes Perfect. Mr. Harnick also contributed songs to the films The Heartbreak Kid and Blame It on Rio (music by Cy Coleman) and Aaron’s Magic Village (music by Michel Legrand). In the 1970’s, Harnick expanded his activities into opera, writing translations of The Merry Widow, Carmen, Ravel’s The Enchanted Child, and Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale, as well as original librettos for several collaborations with Jack Beeson (Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines, Cyrano, and Dr. Heidegger’s Fountain) Henry Mollicone (Coyote Tales and Lady Bird), and Thomas Z. Shepard (Love in Two Countries). Mr. Harnick is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Songwriters Guild. His long association with The York stretches back to 1976, when a production of She Loves Me marked the company’s first musical. In the decades since, he has received The York’s Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre (in tandem with the late Jerry Bock) and been celebrated with a Musical in Mufti season in 2014 dedicated to his work; most recently, in 2015, the York premiered Rothschild & Sons, a newly revised version of The Rothschilds. In 2016, he received a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, the Drama League Award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre and a Special Lifetime Achievement Award from The Outer Critics Circle. Most recently, Sheldon and his wife, photographer Margery Gray, have collaborated on two picture books, The Outdoor Museum (Not Your Usual Images of New York) and KOI: A Modern Folktale, which feature his poetry complemented by her photographs. Mr. Harnick is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Songwriters Guild.
NOW AVAILABLE: Tickets may be purchased by calling (212) 935-5820, online at www.yorktheatre.org, or in person at the box office at the York Theatre at Saint Peter’s (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue), Monday through Friday (12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.).
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UPCOMING MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION: The York Theatre Company, in association with Riki Kane Larimer, will present the Off-Broadway premiere of Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood, a song and dance celebration featuring the music and lyrics of the legendary Irving Berlin, with book by Barry Kleinbort (13 Things About Ed Carpolotti) and music direction by David Hancock Turner (York’s Desperate Measures), directed and choreographed by four-time Tony Award nominee Randy Skinner (42nd Street, Dames at Sea, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, and Ain’t Broadway Grand). Performances begin Friday, April 17, 2020 for a limited engagement through Sunday afternoon, May 17, 2020 at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter’s (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). Opening Night is set for Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 6:45 p.m. Cast and creative team will be announced shortly.
Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood is an all-singing, all-dancing celebration of the most famous songs that Irving Berlin composed for the silver screen. Mr. Berlin understood the impact dance had on the public and his melodies, rhythms, and lyrics reflected his love of that art form. Six spectacular performers will perform these magnificent songs and will also tell the stories behind the man who made the music that made the movies dance. Four-time Tony nominee Randy Skinner directs and choreographs an evening featuring an array of classic Berlin tunes from such classic films as Top Hat, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Holiday Inn, Easter Parade, White Christmas, and many more!
Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood will play the following performance schedule: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., Thursday at 2:30 p.m., Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. & 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Please note: There are no Thursday evening performances.
NOW ON SALE: Tickets for Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood are priced at $67.50 – $72.50 and may be purchased by calling (212) 935-5820, online at www.yorktheatre.org, or in person at the box office at the York Theatre at Saint Peter’s (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue), Monday through Friday (12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.). Senior Rush tickets are available in-person beginning one hour prior to performances for $20 cash only. Student tickets can be purchased anytime in advance at the box office during regular box office business hours. Limit one ticket per valid student ID and tickets are subject to availability. Student Rush tickets are $20.00 cash or credit. The York Theatre also offers $25 tickets for guests aged 35 years and under. Groups of 10 or more, contact Great White Way at 212-757-9117, or GreatWhiteWay.com. (*York Members receive Priority Seating and Discounted Tickets.)
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The York Theatre Company offers the *York! Membership Program, an exclusive membership package for as low as $75.00—with elite benefits that include up to 35% off tickets to York Theatre Productions, exclusive Member pre-sale opportunities, 50% off on all lobby concessions, 20% off on all lobby merchandise, discounts at local restaurants and parking garages, in addition to special Member-only receptions. The York also offers a _York Plus!_ Membership Program* with additional perks, including complimentary tickets to Mainstage productions and invites to several VIP-only presentations throughout the season.
York Memberships can be purchased online at www.yorktheatre.org/membership, or by visiting The York Theatre Company Box Office (Theatre at Saint Peter’s, 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.).
York Theatre Company Gift Cards are available for any production during the 2019-2020 season by visiting the box office or calling (212) 935-5820, or online at www.yorktheatre.org
For additional information, please visitwww.yorktheatre.org
The York Theatre Company is the only theatre 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. Well over 40 cast recordings from The 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. Recent New York premieres have included Marry Harry, A Taste of Things to Come, and Rothschild & Sons. The critically acclaimed musical Yank! received its Off-Broadway debut at The York in 2010, and subsequently to rave reviews in London– as did York’s Rothschild & Sons. The hit musical Cagney received its York premiere in 2015, transferring to the Westside Theatre for over 15 months. In 2017, Desperate Measures received a total of 15 award nominations (and three wins) that included “Best Musical” from the Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, and Off-Broadway Alliance and subsequently transferred across town to New World Stages. Unexpected Joy premiered Off-Broadway at The York, and later had a run at London’s Southwark Playhouse. The acclaimed new musical Midnight at The Never Get (Fall 2018) received a collective total of 7 nominations from the Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics and Off-Broadway Alliance Awards. The 2019 Winter Musicals in Mufti series celebrated the centennial of lyricist/librettist Alan Jay Lerner, with the 1979 musical Carmelina, followed by the musical The Day Before Spring (1945), closing with the New York premiere of Lolita, My Love (1971). Launching the York’s 50th Anniversary year last spring was the acclaimed revival of the hit musical Enter Laughing. The recent 2019 Fall Musicals in Mufti series celebrated the legendary Cole Porter with Fifty Million Frenchmen (1929), followed by The Decline and Fall of the Entire World as Seen Through the Eyes of Cole Porter (1965), and concluded with Panama Hattie (1940). Most recently, The York presented the world premiere of the new musical revue Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Musical World of Maury Yeston and the hit Off-Broadway show Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation. The York is the recipient of a special Drama Desk Award for “Developing and Producing New Musicals” and, more recently, a special Outer Critics Circle Award for “50 Years of Producing New and Classic Musicals.”
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