Musical of Musicals Returns February 2

The York Theatre Company's hit musical comedy The Musical of Musicals - The Musical!, the show that The Daily News says "keeps you laughing from start to finish," will begin an open-ended run on Wednesday, February 2, 2005, at the new Dodgers Stages, featuring the original cast. The Musical of Musicals - The Musical!, which played to sold-out houses at the York, will be presented by the York Theatre Company, Melanie Herman, W. David McCoy and James Morgan. Martian Entertainment (Tom Smedes and Carl White) will serve as general manager. A February 10th re-opening is scheduled.

The Musical of Musicals-The Musical! first opened on December 16, 2003 as part of the York Theatre's subscription series, for a limited run through January 25, 2004. The show garnered rave reviews and was nominated for five 2004 Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical and the 2004 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical. The New York Times wrote, "The Musical of Musicals - The Musical! has real wit, real charm. It's great fun!" The demand for tickets was so great that the York re-configured its 2004 season, and re-opened the show on May 24, 2004, running through October 2, 2004. The Associated Press said "Calling all musical theater buffs – has the York Theater got a show for you! A delightful, fizzy concoction." The Village Voice called it, "Witty, refreshing and shameless."

The music is by Eric Rockwell, lyrics by Joanne Bogart, and book by Rockwell and Bogart. The cast of The Musical of Musical--The Musical! is Craig Fols, Lovette George, and the authors, Rockwell and Bogart. Pamela Hunt directs and choreographs. Designers are Mary Jo Dondlinger (lighting) and John Carver Sullivan (costumes); Morgan designed the set and graphics. The Original Cast album of The York Theatre Company production is available on Jay Records.

In speaking about the move, Melanie Herman, producer, says: "I'm pleased to have found a permanent home for Musicals. Audiences have been begging us to bring the show back; in fact, many audience members returned multiple times to see it. We are thrilled that the show will now reach the audience it deserves, and are looking forward to a wonderful run at the Dodger Stages."

David McCoy, York's Chairman of the Board, comments: "This is a proud day for the Board, for me, and the Company. It is another major milestone in pursuing our mission to help find and develop the next generation of musical theatre talent – especially writers. I think of Eric and Joanne as the next Comden and Green, who gave us so many delightfully funny, clever and intelligent musicals – and wrote wonderful parts for themselves in the process."

James Morgan states: "A number of our productions have moved on to open-ended runs, but this is the first time that the company has been able to serve as producer for one of its shows. It is an important step in our development. We are delighted to have Musicals join other York productions which have moved to open-ended runs, on Broadway and off, including Jolson & Company, Pacific Overtures, and Sweeney Todd.

The Musical of Musicals - The Musical! is a musical about ... musicals! In a comic satire of musical theatre genres, one story becomes five musicals, each in the distinctive style of a different master of the form, from Rodgers and Hammerstein to Stephen Sondheim.

June, an ingénue who can't pay the rent, is threatened by her evil landlord. Will the handsome leading man come to her rescue? In an evening of variations on a theme, this basic plot is musicalized the way Rodgers and Hammerstein might have envisioned it, taking place in Kansas in August, complete with a Dream Ballet. The story is then done in the style of Stephen Sondheim, featuring the landlord as a tortured, artistic genius who slashes the throats of his tenants in revenge because they don't appreciate his art. When presented in the style of Jerry Herman, the story becomes a splashy star vehicle, while the Andrew Lloyd Webber version is a rock musical, with borrowed themes from Puccini. The story is re-told one last time in the style of Kander and Ebb, set in a speakeasy in Chicago. The tone of this evening of satire is loving/irreverent "in a sorry/grateful kind of way."

Eric Rockwell (music) and Joanne Bogart (lyrics) began their collaboration in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. For The Musical of Musicals -The Musical! they were honored with a 2004 Drama Desk nomination for Best Musical, as well as individual nominations for Best Music and Best Lyrics. Their parody of Mickey and Judy musicals, Golly Gee Whiz was originally produced by the TADA! Theatre, then later featured at the Lincoln Center "Reel to Real" series. Their other collaborations include productions of The Trials of Alice in Wonderland and David and Goliath. As a lyricist, Ms. Bogart contributed several lyrics to The Book of Pooh, and Bear in the Big Blue House, both for the Disney Channel. Mr. Rockwell composed the score for The History Mystery, and wrote the libretto to Everything About School, both produced by the TADA! Theatre Company. They are currently working on their next project together, a traditional full-length Broadway book musical, which will leave them open to parody by some new upstart in years to come!

Pamela Hunt (Director/Choreographer) 2004 Drama Desk Nominee, Outstanding Director, The Musical of Musicals – The Musical!, ...Forum and Carnival! (Outer Critics Circle Award) for the York Theatre, as well as Destry Rides Again in the Company's acclaimed "Musicals in Mufti" series. In addition she has directed at numerous regional theaters including The Actors Theatre of Louisville, ACT, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Asolo Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Florida Studio Theatre, GEVA, Milwaukee Rep.,Ordway Theatre, Papermill Playhouse, Rep. St. Louis, Studio Arena Theatre. Stock: Cape, Westport Playhouses, MUNY.

Now beginning its 36th season, The York Theatre Company, (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) is the only theatre in New York City—and one of very few in the world—dedicated to developing and fully producing new musicals, and preserving neglected, notable shows from the past. For over three decades, York's intimate, imaginative style of producing both original and neglected classic musicals has resulted in critical acclaim and recognition from artists and audiences alike. More than 20 cast recordings from York Theatre Company productions are now available on CD, and commercial transfers of such York productions as Jolson & Company, Sweeney Todd, and Pacific Overtures have all showcased the importance of the York and its programs. The Musical of Musicals – The Musical! was developed in York's Developmental Reading Series, where the current Broadway hit, Avenue Q, also started.

The Musical of Musicals- The Musical! begins performances on February 2, 2005 at the Dodger Stages, Stage Five, 340 W. 50th Street. Tickets are $55 and $59.50 (Friday and Saturday evenings) and are available through Telecharge at (212) 239-6200 or at the Dodger Stages Box Office. For information visit www.musicalofmusicals.com.