By Mabel Pais

THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS

BY YORK THEATRE COMPANY WITH

TOM D’ANGORA, MICHAEL D’ANGORA, AND TIM GUINEE

ALL-SINGING, ALL-TALKING, ALL-VIRTUAL

PRESENTATION OF ROCKWELL AND BOGART’S OFF-BROADWAY HIT

 

“THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS”

ON-DEMAND BENEFIT PERFORMANCE

BEGINS STREAMING SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2021 AT 7:00PM

CONTINUING THROUGH WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

DONOR MATCHING CHALLENGE CONTINUES THROUGH APRIL 17!

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), in association with Tom D’Angora, Michael D’Angora, and Tim Guinee, has Broadway’s best to the All-Singing, All-Talking, All-Virtual special benefit presentation of the Off-Broadway hit THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS (THE MUSICAL!)!

With music by Eric Rockwell, lyrics by Joanne Bogart, and book by Joanne Bogart and Eric Rockwell, this special presentation is directed by Tom D’Angora and Michael D’Angora, with music direction and arrangements by Deniz Cordell and associate music director Annie Pasqua. Original director Pamela Hunt is serving as artistic supervisor.

This event raises funds to help The York recover and rebuild after its recent physical devastating damage. Joining the all-star roster of cast members are Alexandra Billings, Charles Busch, Robert Creighton, Ana Gasteyer, Beth Leavel, Lauren Molina, Sarah Stiles and many more.

Joining the star-studded evening of special appearances are Iain Armitage, Joel Grey, Perez Hilton, Megan Hilty, Amanda Lopez, Darlene Love, Julianne Moore, Jinks Monsoon, Bernadette Peters, Anthony Rapp, George Salazar, Brooke Shields, Renée Taylor, and many more. They join special guests Matthew Broderick, Lewis Black, Giancarlo Esposito, Jane Krakowski, Audra McDonald, Debra Messing, Isaac Mizrahi, Mandy Patinkin, Martha Plimpton, and Mercedes Ruehl.

The evening will also include remarks from Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

A loving parody and homage to Broadway’s Golden Age, it is made up of five hilarious mini musicals telling the same story in the style of legendary musical theatre writers: Rodgers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Kander & Ebb. The original cast album is on JAY Records.

York Theater at 50 Logo. (Photo/ Courtesy York Theatre)“THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS (THE MUSICAL!)” premieres on Sunday evening, April 18, 2021 at 7:00PM and will be available to view on demand through April 21, 2021. Free stream at YorkTheatre.org. Donations may be made by visiting the GoFundMe link at gf.me/u/znnvib. For additional information, visit

Website:   yorktheatre.org

Twitter:@yorktheatrenyc

Facebook:facebook.com/yorktheatrecompany

YouTube:youtube.com/user/yorktheatre

FFTP CONTINUES SEASON

By Mabel Pais

 

FFTP Award-Winning Theatre Company

CONTINUES 2021 SEASON

With Theme – We Persist!

 

 PENNY FULLER & BOB DISHY

Star In

ARTHUR MILLER’S

“I CAN’T REMEMBER ANYTHING”

 

April 19th, 2021 at 2:00pm

Live At Theatre 80 St. Marks

And Zoomed “Live” Out To The World

FOOD FOR THOUGHT PRODUCTIONS (FFTP), now in its 21st year, continues celebrating the oft-neglected one-act play and theatre at its best with Award-winning actors, writers and directors, with a tremendously fun second production on April 19th, 2021.

Following the successful season kick-off, Christopher Durang’s “For Whom The Southern Belle Tolls,” and Tennessee Williams’ “Life Boat Drill,” which starred Bob Dishy, FFTP is back at Theatre 80 with Bob Dishy again, this time joined by Penny Fuller in Arthur Miller’s “I Can’t Remember Anything.”

The show is directed by FFTP’s resident director Antony Marsellis. Revolving around a widow, her husband’s best friend and her inability to remember much of the past, this compelling drama is filled with humor throughout.

In addition, the audience will enjoy “Did You Know My Husband?” written by Susan Charlotte and originally presented by FFTP, was broadcast on PBS Channel WSKG back in December of 2018. Now, the play is brought to the FFTP audience via Zoom.

“Did You Know My Husband?” stars Emmy nominated actress Louise Lasser and two-time Tony-award winning actress Carole Shelley. Written by award-winner Susan Charlotte, the piece is directed by Antony Marsellis. Lasser and Shelley are a perfect match for this heartfelt drama, scored by four-time Emmy award winner Billy Goldenberg. The story revolves around two older women who have met before. But only one of them remembers and is not certain if she should reveal the truth. This hour long show also includes a behind the scenes segment with the cast, writer and composer. Total running time is approximately one hour.

 POST PERFORMANCE

Following the performance, is a Q&A with the cast and led by FFTP Founder Susan Charlotte with reminiscences of Arthur Miller.

Tony Award-winner JAMES NAUGHTON joins the post-performance discussion. TONY ROBERTS too joins the show on April 19. Tony Roberts will read a chapter called ‘The Accident’ from his book “Do you Know Me?”  A perfect match for Miller’s “I Can’t Remember Anything.” Both deal with memory, loss and persistence.

OTHER DATES WITHOUT Q&A:

Tuesday, April 20th, from 6—7pm.; Thursday, May 6th from 7—8pm; Saturday, May 15th from 2—3pm.

Repeat Zoom Performances Available On Saturday, April 24 & Sunday, April 25.

SPECIAL ZOOM ON THURSDAY, April 29th, from 7—8pm, followed by Q&A with Louise Lasser and Susan Charlotte.

LOCATION, TICKETS

The April 19th, 2:00pm performance will be available live via Zoom as well as a limited in-theatre ‘audience’ who will be part of a documentary being filmed on FFTP. The entire FFT series will be presented at Theatre 80 St. Marks.

 

Tickets for the ‘live’ performance are FREE to first-come patrons, who have agreed to be part of the documentary on FFTP.

All social distancing precautions will be respected. There will be a medical professional onsite to check temperatures and audience members must wear masks and have recently tested negative for Covid-19. There will be a nominal charge for the streaming. For those who can’t make the zoom on Monday, the program will be repeated on Saturday and Sunday. For additional information and tickets, contact FFTP at: 646-366-9340 or email:  info@foodforthoughtproductions.com

FFTP

It was only a year ago the world came to an abrupt halt. Our lives changed for once and forever. But FFTP PERSISTED, becoming the first company to bring live theatre back into our world last July, and continued presenting monthly performances through all of 2020. And FFTP, which has provided over 20 years of theatre, continues to persist with humor in different forms—parodies, satires and dramas filled with comedy.

FUTURE PRODUCTIONS

FFTP’s next production on May 24th is “The Hairdresser” by Susan Charlotte.  A light comedy turns into a serious drama with a twist ending.  A six-time Tony nominated actress insists on the perfect haircut from her hairdresser/best friend.  She is going to the ‘Tonys’ later that evening and hopes to win.

Other dates set for FFTP productions are June 28th, July 26th, Sept 13th, Oct 25th, Nov 22nd and Dec. 20th. Many of the performances will have two one-acts included in the event. Besides those mentioned above, there will be plays by the likes of A.R. Gurney, Neil LaBute, Dorothy Parker, Horton Foote and performances by Kathleen Chalfant, Tony Roberts, Cady Huffman, Larry Pine, and Laila Robins and more.

For additional information and tickets to all FFTP shows, contact FFTP at: 646-366-9340 or email:  info@foodforthoughtproductions.com. To learn more about FFTP, visit foodforthoughtproductions.com

 

(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, and Health & Wellness)