Mayes & Wintersteller Set For CLOSER THAN EVER At Queens Theater In The Park

Queens Theatre in the Park (QTP) and Bristol Riverside Theatre, in association with Neil Berg and Adam Friedson, will present a new production of the award-winning musical revue Closer Than Ever directed by Richard Malty. Jr. and starring original cast members Sally Mayes and Lynne Wintersteller from April 16-25 (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm; Saturday at 2pm; and Sunday at 3pm) in the Claire Shulman Playhouse Main Stage Theatre at Queens Theatre in the Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing, NY.

Tickets are $32-38 and are available at www.queenstheatre.org or by phone at 718-760-0064.

In this 20th Anniversary production cast members Mayes and Wintersteller along with original musical director Patrick Brady are reunited under the direction of Tony award winning director, Richard Maltby Jr. The production is also part of celebration of a month long celebration and series of events including honoring them at CAP 21's annual gala on March 11th ,the opening night gala of Closer Than Ever on April 16th , and the opening April 30th at the McCarter Center of their new musical Take Flight.

With music by David Shire and lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr., Closer Than Ever is a theatrical revue filled with wise and witty "songs of experience," that reflect on marriage, parents, children, and lasting friendships. As part of their ongoing efforts to update and keep the work relevant to a new generation of theatergoers Maltby and Shire are adding new material which includes a new song called "Dating Again" about the pitfalls and pleasures of being single again, as well as updating outdated lyrics and additional material.

In addition to the early casting including Ms. Mayes and Ms. Wintersteller, the production will also feature co-directoin and choreography by J. Kurt Stamm, musical direction by Patrick Brady, scenery designed by Roman Tatarowicz, costumes designed by Thome Heyer and lighting designed by Ryan O'Gara.

Closer Than Ever won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical, and Maltby, Shire, and Wintersteller garnered Drama Desk Awards. Howard Kissel of The NY Daily News noted, "Probably the best musical we'll see this season...There is more genuine drama in each Maltby and Shire song than in the entirety of most of the bloated spectacles that now pass for Broadway musicals. The cast overflows with talent!Michael Kuchwara of AP wrote ‘One of the finest scores of the year. Closer Than Ever is an exhilarating musical review that reaffirm's one's belief that the American musical theater isn't dead yet." And Stephen Holden wrote in the New York Times, "The songs of Maltby and Shire communicate something rarely found in theatre music nowadays: a rich sweeping sense of lives being lived and people changing over time."

After the Queens performance dates, Closer Than Ever will also play May 4-23 dates at the Riverside Bristol Theatre in Bristol, PA.

David Shire Broadway: Baby (Tony nomination), Big (Tony nomination). Off-Broadway: Starting Here, Starting Now (Grammy nomination), Closer Than Ever (Outer Critics Circle Award), Urban Blight (Manhattan Theatre Club), The Loman Family Picnic, Shmulnik's Waltz, As You Like It (New York Shakespeare Festival), Peter Ustinov's The Unknown Soldier and His Wife. Film: Norma Rae (Academy Award), Francis Coppola's The Conversation, The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3, All the President's Men, Saturday Night Fever (two Grammy Awards), Short Circuit, Return to Oz, The World According to Garp, Paris Trout, ‘Night Mother, Straight Time, Farewell, My Lovely, The Hindenberg, 2010, numerous others. Television: "Raid on Entebbe" (Emmy nomination), "Sarah Plain and Tall," "Serving in Silence," "The Kennedys of Massachusetts" (Emmy nomination), "Last Stand at Saber River," "The Heidi Chronicles," "Broadway Bound," "Alice," numerous others. Recorded songs: "With You I'm Born Again" (Billy Preston and Syreeta, gold record), "What About Today?" (Barbra Streisand), "Starting Here, Starting Now" (Barbra Streisand), "I'll Never Say Goodbye" (Melissa Manchester), "It Goes Like It Goes" (Jennifer Warrens), numerous others. Member of Dramatists Guild Council. Married to Didi Conn and father of Matthew, 22, Daniel, five, and Romeo (West Highland Terrier).

Richard Maltby, Jr. Broadway: conceived and directed two Tony Award-winning musicals: Ain't Misbehavin' (1978; Tony, NY Drama Critics, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards, also Tony Award for Best Director), Fosse (1999; Tony, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards) and Ring of Fire, the Johnny Cash musical show (2006). With composer David Shire: director/lyricist: Baby (1983; book by Sybille Pearson; seven Tony Award nominations); lyricist: Big (1996; book by John Weidman; Tony nomination, Best Score); lyricist/conceiver: Take Flight (book by John Weidman), world premiere 2007 at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London, also produced in Japan the same year. Co-lyricist: Miss Saigon (1990, London Evening Standard Award, Best Musical; 1991, Tony nomination, Best Score). Co-bookwriter/lyricist: The Pirate Queen (2007). Director/co-lyricist: American version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Song & Dance (1986 Tony Award for star, Bernadette Peters). Off-Broadway: director/lyricist: Starting Here, Starting Now (1977 Grammy nomination); Closer Than Ever (1989, two Outer Critics Circle Awards: Best Musical, Best Score), both written with composer David Shire. Regional: director, Mask (2008, Pasadena Playhouse); director, The 60's Project (2006, Goodspeed Opera House). Film: screenplay, Miss Potter (2007) about Beatrix Potter, starring Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor (Christopher Award, Best Screenplay). 30-year association with Manhattan Theatre Club. Contributes devilish crossword puzzles to Harper's Magazine. Son of well-known orchestra leader; five children: Nicholas, David, Jordan, Emily and Charlotte.

Sally Mayes Broadway: Welcome to the Club (Theatre World Award, Outer Critics Circle nomination), She Loves Me (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations). Off-Broadway: Closer Than Ever (Outer Critics nomination), Das Barbecü, Pete ‘n' Keely (Drama Desk nomination), Dirty Blonde (first national tour). Film: City Hall. TV: "Bye Bye Birdie," "Law & Order," "Sex and the City." Cast recordings: Closer Than Ever, She Loves Me, Das Barbecü, Bye Bye Birdie, Pete ‘n' Keely, Unsung Sondheim, Night of the Hunter. Solo albums: The Dorothy Fields Songbook, Our Private World: The Comden and Green Songbook, The Story Hour, Boys and Girls Like You and Me. Twelve Manhattan Associations of Cabaret Award nominations. Two Bistro Awards for excellence in cabaret and recording.

Lynne Wintersteller Broadway: A Grand Night For Singing and garnered "Best Actress" Drama Desk nomination for Maltby/Shire's Off-Broadway hit Closer Than Ever. Her Grace in Annie, includes Broadway, First & Fourth National Tours. Off-Broadway: I Sent A Letter To My Love; Nunsense; Gifts of the Magi; Levinsky; Grass Harp; Richard Cory (NYMF Best Actress Award); The Mistress Cycle. Lynne received an LA Ovation "Best Actress" Nomination for her performance in The Ghost & Mrs. Muir and had the honor of playing Margaret Johnson (twice regionally) in The Light In The Piazza. Television: Law & Order CI; Total Security; Big Brother Jake; Chappelle's Show plus numerous Commercials. Recordings: A Grand Night For Singing; Closer Than Ever - featured solo artist (Varese Sarabande label) Broadway Sings Christmas, Lost in Boston III and Unsung Musicals II. Academy Award-winning composer David Shire & Lynne keep busy with their own symphony pops concerts. Recently, Cleveland Pops maestro Carl Topilow and Guest Vocalist Lynne shared an exciting evening with the Firelands Symphony in Lynne's hometown of Sandusky, Ohio.

Tickets are available:
* Online at www.queenstheatre.org.
* By phone at 718-760-0064, Tue-Sat, 12-6pm.
* In person at Queens Theatre in the Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing, NY.
Queens Theatre in the Park is located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing, NY.
By Subway: Take the 7 train to Mets-Willets Point stop. Exit and turn left after passing through turnstile, walk downstairs on the parking lot side and follow the theatre shuttle signs. Take free trolley to the Theatre. Trolley runs for one hour before and after all performances.
By Car: Take the Grand Central Parkway to exit 9E (from Manhattan) or 9P (from Long Island) and follow the signs for the Theatre. Free parking in adjacent lot.