Curtains Cast Recording to be Released June 5

Broadway Angel / Manhattan Records will release the Original Broadway Cast Recording of the new musical Curtains on June 5, 2007.  The show features one of the last scores by the legendary team of John Kander & Fred Ebb, the Tony-winning songwriters of the musicals Cabaret and Chicago, as well as the classic title song from the film New York, New York, among much more.  Recorded on March 26, 2007, the album is produced by nine-time Grammy-winner Jay David Saks (Into The Woods, Chicago revival) and is executive produced by Bill Rosenfield, with liner notes by Rupert Holmes.  The musical starring David Hyde Pierce and Debra Monk opened on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on March 22, 2007. 
 
Curtains "unfolds backstage at Boston's Colonial Theatre in 1959, where a new musical (the show-within-the-show, 'Robbin' Hood') could be a smash, were it not for the presence of its talent-free leading lady.  When the hapless star dies on opening night during her curtain call, Lieutenant Frank Cioffi ( David Hyde Pierce) arrives on the scene to conduct an investigation.  But the lure of the theatre proves irresistible and after an unexpected romance blooms for the stage-struck detective, he finds himself just as drawn toward making the show a hit, as he is toward solving the murder," state press materials.  Curtains "features memorable songs, from the buoyant 'Show People,' a celebratory anthem for all musical theater fans, to heartfelt ballads such as 'Coffee Shop Nights,' which captures the spirit of Kander & Ebb's finest earlier work. The sincere 'I Miss The Music,' a number in which the composer of 'Robbin' Hood' sings of the difficulty of working without his wife and writing partner, paints an especially poignant scenario when considering the death of Curtains lyricist Fred Ebb."

Curtains stars David Hyde Pierce as Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, Debra Monk as producer Carmen Bernstein, Karen Ziemba as lyricist Georgia Hendricks, Jason Danieley as composer Aaron Fox, Jill Paice as ingénue Niki Harris and Edward Hibbert as director Christopher Belling, with John Bolton as theatre critic Daryl Grady, Michael X. Martin as stage manager Johnny Harmon, Michael McCormick as investor Oscar Shapiro, Noah Racey as choreographer Bobby Pepper, Ernie Sabella as producer Sidney Bernstein and Megan Sikora as understudy Bambi Bernét.  

The show features a book by Rupert Holmes (multiple Tony Award-winner for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Say Goodnight Gracie), music by Kander, lyrics by Ebb, original book and concept by Tony Award-winner Peter Stone (1776, Titanic, The Will Rogers Follies), and additional lyrics by Kander and Rupert Holmes. Four-time Tony Award-nominee Scott Ellis (The Little Dog Laughed, 12 Angry Men) directs, and choreography is by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford (Thoroughly Modern Millie).

Set design is by Anna Louizos, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski and sound design by Brian Ronan.  Orchestrations are by William David Brohn.  Music direction and vocal arrangements are by David Loud.

Performances are Tuesdays at 7:00 PM, Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8:00 PM, with matinees Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2:00 PM, and Sundays at 3:00 PM.  Tickets are on sale  at 212-239-6200, online at www.telecharge.com or in person at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre box office (302 West 45th Street). For more information, visit www.CurtainsTheMusical.com. 

As a special offering for fans, a printable, easy-to-read version of the Curtains libretto will be available online at www.manhattanrecords.com/curtainslibretto.