LaMaMa E.T.C. & Howl Arts Inc. To Present Harold Rome's 1937 PINS AND NEEDLES, 10/27 - 28

LaMaMa E.T.C., in association with Howl Arts Inc., presents MIMI STERN WOLFE'S DOWNTOWN MUSIC PRODUCTIONS in Harold Rome's 1937 PINS AND NEEDLES A TOPICAL MUSICAL REVUE. Tickets are priced at $20 for general admission; $15 for students & seniors (Proceeds to benefit the Actor's Fund)
For reservations contact 212.475.7710 or visit www.lamama.org.

Mimi Stern-Wolfe's Downtown Music Productions will appear in a revival of Harold Rome's witty satire PINS AND NEEDLES, music direction by Stern-Wolfe, stage direction of Jonathan Cerullo. The revue will take place on October 27th at 10 pm and October 28th at 5:30 pm in The Club at LaMaMa E.T.C., 74A East 4th Street. With its critically acclaimed score and lyrics, PINS AND NEEDLES is a unique call for social justice and equity. The large repertory of songs includes "Sitting on Your Status Quo," "Sing Me A Song of Social Significance," "It's Not Cricket to Picket," "Chain Store Daisy," and "Four Little Angels of Peace" (representing Eden, later changed to Chamberlain, Mussolini, the Japanese, and Hitler). Skits spoofed everything from Fascist European dictators to bigots in the DAR.

Connecticut-born composer/lyricist Harold Rome (1908-1993) later went on to write several other Broadway hits, including WISH YOU WERE HERE (1952), "FANNY (1954), DESTRY RIDES AGAIN (1959), and I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE (1962).

The title, PINS AND NEEDLES was created by Max Danish, longtime editor of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU)'s newspaper called "Justice." The union sponsored the creation of the revue, which was premiered in 1937 at the Princess Theatre on 39th Street. It ran for over 1100 performances, breaking all Broadway records and continuing until 1941. The original cast was an ensemble called the ILGWU Players - union cutters, dressmakers, embroiderers, sewing machine operators, etc. - who rehearsed after working hours. The play was so enthusiastically positive that the cast quit their day jobs and the production expanded to a full performance schedule of eight shows per week. New songs and skits were introduced every few months to keep the show topical.

For more information please visit www.downtownmusicproductions.org.