Karl, Drennan and LoSchiavo Star In Limited Run Of 'Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love' at AU BAR

By: BWW News Desk Dec. 13, 2005

The producer (Jack Lewin) and director (Kurt Stamm) of the hit Off-Broadway musical OUR SINATRA announce HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' LOVE, a new celebration of the songs of Elvis Presley, who revolutionized the music industry and became perhaps the single best known musical icon in American pop culture. It will play a three-week engagement (January 16-February 5) at AU BAR (41 East 58th Street between Madison and Park Avenues). There will be preview performances on Monday, January 16th and Tuesday, January 17th at 8PM. The show will officially open on Wednesday, January 18th at 8PM. The performance schedule is: Tuesday-Sunday at 8PM with matinees on Saturday at 2PM and Sunday at 3PM. There will be no show on Thursdays, January 19th or 26th.

Tickets are $45-$55 (with a two-drink minimum required) and can be obtained by calling (212) 308-9455 or at http://www.ticketweb.com. For more information, please visit http://www.aubarnewyork.com.

Steering clear of imitation and impersonation, this homage aims a spotlight squarely on the great songs of the legendary entertainer who was born on January 8, 1935 and died on August 16, 1977. A cast of three Andy Karl (Altar Boyz, Slut), Emily Drennan (Toxic Audio) and Tom LoSchiavo (making his NY debut!) will take the audience on a journey through three decades of Presley's remarkable musical catalogue, singing his classic rock and roll hits (Hound Dog, Don't Be Cruel, Jail House Rock, Blue Suede Shoes), his great love songs (Love Me Tender, Are You Lonesome Tonight, It's Now or Never), as well as his country and blues masterpieces (Kentucky Rain, Guitar Man, In The Ghetto), his gospel classics (Peace in the Valley) and his many movie hits (Viva Las Vegas, King Creole, Blue Hawaii), among others.

HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' LOVE was created by popular music authority and author Will Friedwald, celebrated bassist and composer Jay Leonhart, and producer Jack Lewin. The musical arrangements are by the renowned and accomplished arranger/orchestrator John Oddo and the young and highly respected arranger/ orchestrator Tedd Firth. Firth also serves as musical director leading a five piece band. The show is directed by Kurt Stamm (Our Sinatra).

BIOS
EMILY DRENNAN appeared in the Off-Broadway and Las Vegas productions of Toxic Audio. In addition, she has played Amneris in Aida, Sheila in Hair, Pattie in Smokey Joe's Café, and Shotzi in Starmites. Emily can be seen in Denise Austin¹s Fit Families and Celebrity Trainers' Rehab Abs fitness videos. She was a member of the 2004 USO Troupe and was named a National Presidential Scholar in the Arts under President Clinton. A published lyricist and composer, Emily holds Bachelors degrees in Economics and Spanish from Oklahoma State University, where she graduated summa cum laude.

Andy Karl is originally from Baltimore, where he began working in the theater as a teen. He studied voice, music and art at universities around Baltimore including Towson State and Maryland Art Institute. He moved to New York in search of work as an actor and found success on Broadway (Saturday Night Fever), Off-Broadway (Altar Boyz, Slut), and in regional theaters, film & TV and has been gaining momentum as an up-and-coming voice-over artist. You can check out his versatile voice on recordings of Disney's "On The Record" and "Altar Boyz." Also a songwriter, Andy is a first year composer at the Lehman Engel BMI Musical Theatre Workshop under a full scholarship. On January 10, 2001 Andy married the lovely and talented Orfeh and they reside together in Manhattan. They have starred together in many shows including Saturday Night Fever, Me & Mrs. Jones, and Nights On Broadway II. They continue to seek work together as often as they can.

TOM LoSCHIAVO hails from Pataskala, Ohio and is a recent graduate of Otterbein College's Theatre program. Since arriving in New York, he has appeared on "As the World Turns," as well as in the new Bon Jovi music video. Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love marks Tom's New York stage debut.

KURT STAMM is a nationally renowned director and choreographer based in New York City. He directed the hit Off Broadway productions of Our Sinatra (winner of the 2000 MAC Award for Best New Musical) and Below The Valley Of The Dolls. He also choreographed the Off Broadway production of They Wrote That? The Songs of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil (directed by Richard Maltby, Jr.). He directed the national tours of Leader of the Pack (starring Mary Wilson of The Supremes) and Our Sinatra. Regionally, Kurt has directed and choreographed Our Sinatra (nine productions), Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors, Baby, Guys & Dolls, West Side Story, The World Goes ŒRound, Anything Goes, Oklahoma, Cole, Damn Yankees, and Starting Here, Starting Now. On Broadway, he was the Assistant Director of Fosse, The Musical (winner, 1999 Tony Award, Best Musical) and was the Associate Director of The American Songbook series at Lincoln Center for the 1999 season. Kurt was also the Associate Director and did all the musical staging for Stage Blue, the 300th Anniversary celebration for Yale University starring Meryl Streep, Sigourney Weaver and Jodie Foster at the New Amsterdam Theatre in the fall of 2000. He has directed and choreographed numerous cabarets, benefits and industrial shows for companies such as Pfizer, The College Board, Kodak, Rite Aid and Group Sales Box Office. Kurt is the founder and the current Artistic Producing Director of Mason Street Warehouse, a professional theatre company in Saugatuck, Michigan, now in it's third season. At his theatre, Kurt has worked with such actors as Bea Arthur, Sutton Foster and Jill Larson, and has directed the hits Dirty Blonde, Our Sinatra, Smokey Joe's cafe and Bright Ideas. Kurt holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (cum laude graduate) from the University of Utah.

Videos

Email:
News on your favorite shows, specials & more!

Karl, Drennan and LoSchiavo Star In Limited Run Of 'Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love' at AU BAR

LATEST NEWS