NYFOS Opens Season With MR. GERSHWIN GOES TO WASHINGTON, Starring Marc Kudisch, David Garrison and More

The NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG opens its 2012-2013 season amidst election fever with a semi-staged political musical theater satire, MR. GERSHWIN GOES TO WASHINGTON, on Saturday, October 20 at 8:00PM at Merkin Concert Hall.

Directed and adapted by Laurence Maslon, the evening gathers George and Ira's best satirical songs about politics—including “Of Thee I Sing," “Love is Sweeping the Country,” "Union Square," and “Strike Up the Band"—into a headline narrative about the trials and tribulations of presidential hopeful John P. Wintergreen, played by three-time Tony Award-nominee Marc Kudisch.

Soprano Anne-Carolyn Bird plays Mary Turner, Wintergreen's devoted wife and aspiring first-lady-to-be; Lauren Worsham plays femme fatale Diana Devereaux; and portraying an array of six comic foils, David Garrison completes the zany troupe.

Conductor and composer Joseph Thalken teams up with NYFOS artistic director Steven Blier to form a dazzling piano duo. A distinguished member of the political news media hosts the evening as a surprise guest narrator.

A NYFOS On Tour encore performance will be presented by Vocal Arts DC at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC on Monday, October 22 at 7:30PM.

Subscriptions for the entire four concert Merkin Hall series are available for $140-$200, with more information available online at www.nyfos.org/subscriptions. Single tickets are available for $40-$55, with discount tickets available for students at $10, and a limited number of advanced purchase Real Deal tickets at $20. Every concert is accompanied by a post-show wine reception with the cast.