Photo Flash: First Look at York Theatre Company's DON'T BOTH ME, I CAN'T COPE

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Evans Haile, Interim Executive Director), dedicated to the development of new musicals and the preservation of musical gems from the past, celebrates musical revues, presents the season opener of the Winter 2016 Musicals in Mufti Series: Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, a musical entertainment by Micki Grant, conceived by Vinnette Carroll. Scroll down to see photos!

Directed by Leslie Dockery, and with musical direction by William Foster McDaniel, the eight-member cast features Jelani Alladin (Ragtime), Darilyn Castillo (It Ain't Nothin But the Blues), Doug Eskew (The Color Purple), Tina Fabrique (Ragtime), Marva Hicks (Motown, The Musical), Devin L. Roberts (The Lion King), Raun Ruffin (The Civil War) and Debra Walton (Storyville).

Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, a musical entertainment with book, music, and lyrics by Micki Grant and conceived by Vinnette Carroll, will be directed by Leslie Dockery. With five 1972 Tony Award nominations (including Best Musical) and an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical the same year, the show also won Micki Grant a Grammy Award for best score-the first female to be so honored. Ms. Grant was also one of the stars of the show, which came to Broadway after successful runs in Washington DC, Detroit, and Philadelphia. The show ran for over two years on Broadway. A dynamic mixture of gospel, jazz, funk, soul, calypso, and soft rock, the show illuminates the African-American experience with vibrant song and dance. Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope was described as "a cultural pulse-taking of the challenges facing the black community in America" and is the first Broadway musical written entirely by a woman and the first Broadway production to be directed by a female African-American. T. E. Kalem, writing in TIME Magazine, said, "all heaven breaks loose on stage. This is the kind of show at which you want to blow kisses." The New York Times declared, "A hand-clapping, sky reaching, body-swaying musical."

The limited engagement of Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope began performances February 27, 2016 for 10 performances only and will continue through March 6, 2016 at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (619 Lexington Avenue, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).

SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE! Single tickets are priced at $45, or buy both Muftis Shows for $65 and save $25. Musicals in Mufti tickets are available online at www.yorktheatre.org, by calling (212) 935-5820, or in person at the box office at the York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (619 Lexington Avenue, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue), Monday through Friday (12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.).

Photo Credit: Ben Strothmann