ISLAND SONG, a new musical anthology with music by Derek Gregor and words by Sam Carner, will have a one-night-only developmental concert at (le) Poisson Rouge Monday, November 12, 2012. Showtime is at 7PM. Doors open at 6PM.
ISLAND SONG is the story of five New Yorkers caught in a twisted love affair with the city. This unique musical anthology takes us through their poignant and hilarious journeys to seize the possibilities the city dangles before them. Driven by a kinetic and eclectic score featuring three MAC nominated songs, ISLAND SONG captures every urbanite's triumphs, disappointments, and ever-tested perspective.
The reading is directed by
Marlo Hunter, and will feature
Lindsay Mendez (Godspell, Dogfight),
Sarah Stiles (Into The Woods, Avenue Q),
Raena White (Dreamgirls at the Marriot Theatre, Chicago),
Preston Sadleir, (Next to Normal national tour), and
David Ayers (Wicked). The reading is produced by Jennifer Isaacson.
Carner and Gregor have developed ISLAND SONG through a number of cabarets and concerts since late 2009. Material from ISLAND SONG has been presented in Holland and Germany. ISLAND SONG will have an international debut in Tokyo presented by Gotta2 in December 2012.
Tickets for the concert are $15 with a two-drink minimum for table seating and no-drink minimum for standing room. Tickets are available
HERE. (le) Poisson Rouge is located at 158 Bleecker Street between Sullivan and Thompson Streets.
Sam Carner and
Derek Gregor’s musical, Unlock’d, won a
Richard Rodgers Award and went on to be produced at NYMF 2007, where it won the “Best of the Fest” audience award and Talkin’ Broadway Citations for “Outstanding New Musical” and “Outstanding Original Theatrical Score.” Unlock’d will premiere Off-Broadway next summer with the
Prospect Theatre Company. Other projects in development include their children’s musical, The Great Cookie Quest, with book by
Jim Weitzer. Sam and Derek’s songs are performed frequently in cabarets and concerts around the world, with three numbers from Island Song nominated for MAC Awards (“After Hours” and “Make It Here” for Best Song and “Sing, But Don’t Tell” for Best Special Musical Material). They created “Carner & Gregor's Barely Legal Showtune Extravaganza”, a series that brings talented college performers from around the world to New York City to make their performance debuts singing Carner & Gregor tunes. For more about Carner & Gregor, visit
www.carnerandgregor.com.
Marlo Hunter is a director and choreographer based in Manhattan. She currently serves as the Director of Script Development for WET Productions. In 2008, looking to push the boundaries of site- specific and full-sensory theater, she founded Eating Their Words through which she pairs prominent playwrights and seasoned chefs for an unprecedented artistic collaboration, resulting in an evening of three world-premiere plays, coupled with the bespoke menu they inspired. Through ETW Marlo has commissioned and directed new plays by
Neil LaBute,
Douglas Carter Beane,
Theresa Rebeck, DavidGrimm,
Annie Baker,
Brooke Berman,
Amy Herzog,
Keith Reddin,
Beau Willimon,
Jonathan Marc Sherman,
Sam Forman,
Rob Ackerman,
Sarah Treem and
Steven Levenson. Upcoming: Marlo is also directing an upcoming workshop of
Timothy Huang’s new musical, COSTS OF LIVING this November. Marlo was recently granted the first
Alec Baldwin SingersForum Directing Fellowship, through which she will be working with playwriting fellow Jenny Lane on her new play, HARLOWE. Marlo teaches a workshop, “The Freelance Artist’s Manifesto Boot Camp” in NYC and universities, empowering creative freelancers with mental and practical tools to survive and thrive as an artist.
Lindsay Mendez most recently starred as Rose Fenny in the World Premiere musical DogFight at
Second Stage Theatre Company, directed by
Joe Mantello. BROADWAY: "Bless The Lord" in the 2011 revival of Godspell, Everyday Rapture (Roundabout), Grease. OFF-BROADWAY: Everyday Rapture (
Second Stage Theater Company) The Marvelous Wonderettes (West Side Theatre). Other Credits: Love's Labour's Lost (directed by
Alex Timbers),
Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (TRTC), Unknown Soldier (O'Neill),
Ryan Scott Oliver's 35MM (Galapagos Art Space), The Trouble With Doug (NAMT, directed by
Victoria Clark), Princesses (NAMT, Goodspeed,
5th Avenue Theatre). Lindsay can be heard in NYC singing jazz and contemporary music with her collaborator, jazz pianist
Marco Paguia (
www.LMandMP.com).
Sarah Stiles Most recently, Sarah was Little Red Riding Hood in Shakespeare in the Park's Into the Woods. BROADWAY: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (Muriel), Avenue Q (Kate/Lucy), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. OFF-BROADWAY: Avenue Q (New World Stages), Vanities (
Second Stage), Nazirah in The Road To Qatar (York Theater). Sarah also appeared in the first national touring company of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as Logainne and toured with
Tommy Tune in Dr. Doolittle as Polonesia. She can be heard on the original cast recordings of Vanities and The Road to Qatar.
Raena White is a graduate of the University of Michigan and a proud Detroit native! She’s also an alumni of CAP21’s Professional Program. She recently starred in the
Marriott Theatre’s production of Dreamgirls, where she played the iconic role of Effie White. OFF-BROADWAY: Sistas (Roberta) and Martin by
Charles Strouse. REGIONAL: Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Armelia) at Stages St. Louis, SHOUT! at the
Marriott Theatre, Jesus Christ Superstar Gospel (Mary Magdalene) at the Tony award-winning
ALLIANCE THEATRE, Once on this Island (Asaka) at Hangar Theatre and various other concerts/readings. Raena recently recorded “Anymore” with
Scott Alan on his LIVE at Birdland album available on ITUNES. Twitter: @RAENA_WHITE
Preston Sadleir joins this cast after starring opposite
Peter Dinklage in Moliere's The Imaginary Invalid. He has appeared in the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Next To Normal, and Off-Broadway last season in
Edward Albee's Me, Myself, & I. Other New York projects/workshops include; Carrie: The Musical, Mrs. Sharp (alongside
Jane Krakowski), Lysistrata Jones, Fly, The Magnificent Climb, and Something As Big As This. TELEVISION: "The Big C." BFA Music Dance Theater program at Brigham Young University. Thanks to Marlo, Sam & Derek, and certainly this crazy island for always keeping life exciting! Follow me on Twitter!: @PrestonSadleir
David Ayers BROADWAY: Wicked (Fiyero), Fiddler on the Roof (Fyedka), Mamma Mia! (Sky). Other Favorites: Silence! The Musical (Buffalo Bill), Christmas on Mars (Bruno), Edinburgh and Avignon Fringe Festivals; Hair (Claude), Actors Theatre of Louisville; The Seagull (Trigorin), International Chekhov Symposium. TELEVISION: “Law & Order: CI,” “Guiding Light.” Huge thanks and love to
Chris Gattelli,
Cindi Rush and his amazing wife
Angela Gaylor. David is a graduate of
Northwestern University.
Jennifer Isaacson (Producer) Projects and collaborations include
Alan Ayckbourn’s The Norman Conquests (Broadway),
Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps (New World Stages and National Tour), Beebo Brinker Chronicles (37 Arts), In Therapy with Celine and The Road to Ruin (NYMF). Since 2007 she has been an associate with
Leve Productions and Raise the Roof, and has worked on such critically acclaimed shows as: The Mountaintop starring
Samuel L. Jackson and
Angela Bassett, La Cage Aux Folles starring
Kelsey Grammer, and A Little Night Music starring Catherine Zeta Jones and
Angela Lansbury.
