Dan Whitten, lead producer of the hit musical revival Jacques Bel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, now playing at The Zipper Theatre (336 West 37th Street) has extended an open invitation for local high school drama and music students to see the production for free through January 7th.
Whitten stated, "Jacques Brel an artist that every young drama student should know about. I want to provide an opportunity for them to experience the power and timeliness of Brel, particularly in these times." All tickets for high school drama and music students must be arranged through their school drama or music teacher. Teachers should email the producer's office at dkwhit@aol.com with a cc to the general manager's office at josh@richardscliman.com. Tickets are subject to availability. Student rush tickets are always available for $20.00 on the day of the performance. "Brel," "transforms Brel's astonishing musical compositions into a theatrical experience that has enthralled audiences for nearly four decades. The original show opened in 1968 at The Village Gate in Greenwich Village and ran for more than four years. The hit revival is in its 10th month at the Zipper Theatre," state press materials.
"With a cast of four actors and three musicians, the show celebrates Brel's timeless relevance and enduring passions. Translated from the French by American poet Eric Blau and lyricist Mort Shuman ('Save The Last Dance For Me'), the show is a diverse blend of ballads, tangos, boleros, rock and classics. With raw human emotion, each piece tells a story, examining themes of love, war, adventure, broken dreams, people from all classes, being young, growing old and death...but never forgetting that life, with all its tragedies and complexities, shows us much humor."The show stars Robert Cuccioli, Natascia Diaz, Gay Marshall and Jim Stanek. "American Idol"'s Constantine Maroulis joins the cast January 9th. Performance schedule: Monday at 8PM, Tuesday at 7PM, Thursday at 8PM, Friday at 8PM, Saturday at 3PM & 8PM, and Sunday at 3PM and 7PM. There are no Wednesday performances. Tickets are $65-$75 and may be purchased through Telecharge at www.telecharge.com or (212-239-6200). For more information, please visit www.jacquesbrelreturns.com.
