The American Popular Song Society‘s 3rd Annual Gala Benefit will honor the award-winning Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire with a Lifetime Achievement Award at The Cutting Room on Monday, June 17. The show begins at 5:30 PM with a festive Cocktail – Hors d’oeuvres Reception before the 7:00 PM showtime. Michael Lavine is the Director/Music Director/Host for the evening with the Marvelous Marilyn Maye as a Special Guest.
The All-Star Cast includes: Loni Ackerman, Danny Bacher, Barbara Blieier, Margery Cohen, Gretchen Cryer, Ed Dixon, Sean Harkness, Judy Kaye, Sally Mayes, Charlotte & Emily Maltby, Christiane Noll, Benjamin Pajak, Austin Pendleton, Steve Ross, Thom Sesma, Elena Shaddow, Jenny Lee Stern, Mark William, Walter Willison, plus surprise guests. The Band: Michael Lavine on piano, Steve Doyle on bass, Daniel Glass on drums, and Sean Harness on guitar. (Performers subject to availability.)
Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire both were sons of bandleaders; and attended Yale, where they first collaborated in 1958. Shire later went to L.A., where he started scoring for television and movies. In 1977, Shire reteamed with Maltby for the Off-Broadway revue Starting Here, Starting Now. Maltby had a solo success writing the book and some lyrics for the Broadway musical Ain’t Misbehaving. That same year, Shire’s adapted score to Saturday Night Fever winning a Grammy Award (sharing with a cast of dozens) for Best Album. A year later, Shire competed against himself for the best song at the Oscars, winning for “It Goes Like It Goes” from Norma Rae. In 1983, their first Broadway collaboration, was Baby. Maltby also directed and wrote lyrics for the Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song and Dance and adapted the libretto and lyrics for Miss Saigon into English. In 1989, Maltby and Shire collaborated another Off-Broadway revue, Closer Than Ever. Maltby was back on Broadway again as the lyricist for the musical Nick and Nora. In 1996, he and Shire wrote a musical version of the film Big, for which they were nominated for a best score Tony Award. In 1998, Shire was nominated for an Emmy for his score to the made-for-TV remake of Rear Window.
Established in 1980, the American Popular Song Society, originally the New York Sheet Music Society, is a not-for-profit dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the American Song Book as a forum for discussion, education, performance and the encouragement of current songwriters to create new songs that extend the tradition.
APSS is a 501C3, so all is tax deductible. Tickets are $150 and include the Pre Show Reception and the special performance. Seats are General admission. For tickets click here.
The Cutting Room is located at 44 East 32nd Street, NYC.
