On Monday, June 15th Frank Wildhorn's Jekyll & Hyde will return to New York City for the first time in 8 years since its four year, 1500+ performance Broadway run and will be presented in its entirety as a benefit concert for the New York Society for Ethical Culture (NYSEC). Presented by SAW Theatricals/Sarah Melissa Rotker in association with Deborah Blumenthal, Stephanie Leaf, and Phillip Pallitto, the evening will take place at NYSEC's 800-seat concert hall, most recently home to the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and will feature "Bring on the Men", a song which was not heard in the Broadway production.
Robert Petkoff (Happiness, Fiddler on the Roof) will star in the title roles, with Brooke Sunny Moriber (Parade, The Threepenny Opera, The Wild Party) as Emma, and the concert will introduce Jennifer Hallie Rosen (If This Hat Could Talk with Melba Moore and Stephanie Mills, Man of La Mancha, CATS, Evita, and Camelot), who is making her New York City debut as Lucy. Additional casting will be announced shortly.
Tickets for the concert are priced as 'recession-friendly,' and range from $15.00 - $20.00 and are currently on sale at https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/651875. Donor packages will be announced shortly at www.ethicaljekyll.com. All proceeds benefit the New York Society for Ethical Culture.
Upon hearing the news of Jekyll & Hyde's one-night return to a New York stage, the show's Tony-nominated composer Frank Wildhorn said "I couldn't be more thrilled to hear that it's returning to New York for the night!"
According to lead producer, Sarah Rotker, "The New York Society for Ethical Culture has an important place in the social history of New York City, and Jekyll & Hyde, with its enthusiastic fan base and complex ethical issues, is the perfect vehicle to raise money for such a worthy institution."
NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR ETHICAL CULTURE is the cornerstone of a humanist and ethical movement that was founded in 1876 to advance social justice for all. Ethical Culture emphasizes principles of behavior based on expressing one's conscience through moral and humane actions. The organization has been part of the fabric of life in New York City for over a century and its impact can be felt nationwide. NYSEC founded or helped establish organizations including the Legal Aid Society; the NAACP; the ACLU; the Visiting Nurse Service; the Ethical Culture Fieldston Schools; the first U.S. Settlement House; and the Encampment for Citizenship. The Society is housed in a landmark building on Central Park West that will celebrate its 100th Anniversary in 2010. The building is home to hundreds of community programs a year including panel discussions, concerts, theatrical events, and writing, music and art programs. NYSEC's Social Service Board runs a women's shelter on-site; operates a supervised visitation program for children and families; and sponsors homeless artists and writers workshop exhibitions. For more information, visit www.nysec.org.
JEKYLL & HYDE is Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse's Tony-nominated Broadway musical. The original Broadway production starred Linda Eder, Robert Cucciolli and Christiane Noll and is the longest running show in the history of the Plymouth Theater. Jekyll & Hyde has had three major tours, hundreds of regional productions in the United States and Canada, and over 35 international productions in countries like Germany, Austria, Spain, Hungary, Japan, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Australia. It is the first new American musical to have two internationally released concept recordings of the score: Highlights from Jekyll & Hyde and Jekyll & Hyde: The Complete Work. The Broadway cast recording of Jekyll & Hyde received a 1997 Grammy nomination. Songs from the show have been performed worldwide and have been featured at the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the World Series, the WNBA Championship, Miss America Pageants, the 1996 Democratic National Convention, and the Inauguration of President Clinton (sung by Jennifer Holliday). There have now been ten international recordings of Jekyll & Hyde in six different languages.
