The York Theatre Company, in association with Tom D’Angora, Michael D’Angora and Tim Guinee, presents a a streaming version of the Off-Broadway hit The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) on Sunday, April 18 at 7 PM ET, to benefit The York Theatre, which was severely damaged by a water main break in January.
With music by Eric Rockwell, lyrics by Joanne Bogart and book by Joanne Bogart and Eric Rockwell, this special benefit performance is directed by Tom D’Angora and Michael D’Angora, with music direction and arrangements by Deniz Cordell and original director Pamela Hunt serving as artistic supervisor.
This all-star event will feature appearances by Tony Award winners Matthew Broderick, Betty Buckley, André De Shields, Jane Krakowski, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Mandy Patinkin, Chita Rivera and Lillias White; Oscar and Tony Award winner Mercedes Ruehl; Drama Desk Award winners Lewis Black, Richard Kind, Jose Llana and Isaac Mizrahi; Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita; Emmy Award winner Debra Messing; Tony Award nominees Andrea McArdle, Brad Oscar and Ethan Slater; Emmy Award nominees Giancarlo Esposito, Martha Plimpton and Randy Rainbow; and Lucille Lortel Award winner Soara-Joye Ross. They are joined by Christy Altomare, Colleen Ballinger, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Telly Leung, Kelvin Moon Loh, Christine Pedi, Jelani Remy, Jackie Sanders, Michael West and Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Bogart and Rockwell’s The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) is structured in five acts, each of which is a mini-musical parodying (and paying homage to) the style of a legendary musical theater writers: Rodgers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Kander & Ebb. Each act is based on the same classic melodrama plot: “I can’t pay the rent … You must pay the rent … I can’t pay the rent … Then I’LL pay the rent!” The Musical of Musicals, which The York helped develop and create, received its off-Broadway premiere there in 2003 with an extended run. It was transferred by Melanie Herman and The York to New World Stages in 2005 for a 500-performance commercial run. The original cast album is on JAY Records
The free stream, which will be on demand through April 21, will be available at YorkTheatre.org. Donations may be made by visiting the GoFundMe link here. This event is presented through The Theatre Authority, Inc.
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