New York Conservatory Pays Tribute to Broadway Journeyman Herbert Greene, 4/28

The Broadway universe has a multitude of stars deserving of praise, New York Conservatory picks a bright and prolific one - singer, actor, conductor, arranger, producer, and even voice doctor - Herbert Greene. A true unsung hero of the American Musical Theatre.

THE GREEN TOUCH, A TRIBUTE TO HERBERT GREENE AND THE GOLDEN AGE OF BROADWAY, wends its way from the 1940s through the 1980s with memorable works that had "The Green Touch" - as a composer/arranger and conductor - from masters like Frank Loesser, Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, Julie Styne, Meredith Wilson, Harry Warren, and Leonard Bernstein, among others. Original compositions by Greene are also part of the event.

Produced by New York Conservatory, the evening features the talents of Mike Flynn, Deborah Greene, Nicole Intravia, Anna Marie Sell, Perry Sook, Victoria Rae Sook, Jillian Stevens, Chris Tefft. Carter Unger, and William Zeffiro.

Deborah Greene (Herbert Greene's daughter) serves as executive producer. Mr. Unger is producer, Mr. Zeffiro is musical director - supplying original contributions of his own; Mr. Zeffiro and Ms. Sook also serve as writers. Choreography is by Amanda Turner, orchestrations by Albin Konopka, production manager is Marshall Miller, with sound design by Michael Mittelsdorf. Entire production directed by Mitch Tebo

HERBERT GREENE

Greene was a key player during Broadway's heyday. Trained as an opera singer and composer of classical works (his Sonata for Cello and Piano was performed in New York City, and The White Notes, a series of piano pieces, was published). He quickly moved to musicals, singing in the chorus in Leonard Bernstein's 1944 production of On The Town. Seeing another level of talent in Greene, Bernstein gave him the opportunity to conduct the show - first for the matinees and then replacing him. In addition to being a singer, actor, conductor and arranger, he was known as a "voice doctor" who could take a film or stage actor and make a Broadway singer of him or her. Hollywood stars like Rex Harrison, Rosalind Russell, Angela Lansbury, Barbara Cook, Robert Preston, Don Ameche, and Judy Holliday, profited from his tutelage.

His entrance into Tony Award history came in 1958, when he won two Tony for The Music Man - one as musical director/conductor and one as producer.

New York Conservatory offers intellectual, emotional and artistic approaches to addressing the creative and psychological challenges of becoming a performer. The New York Conservatory will provide propriety natural techniques, training, performances, master classes, seminars and academic accreditation. Founded by Dr. Deborah Greene, the New York Conservatory will holistically serve the artist endeavoring to master both craft and confidence.