Santino Fontana, Lilli Cooper, and More to Celebrate Rodgers & Hart

"We'll turn Manhattan into an isle of joy," wrote Lorenz Hart in 1919, at the beginning of his partnership with Richard Rodgers. Now 100 years later Lyrics and Lyricists begins its 49th season with We'll Have Manhattan: Rodgers and Hart in New York, celebrating the team who brought us such enduring classics as "My Funny Valentine," "Isn't It Romantic?," "I Could Write A Book," "It Never Entered My Mind" and over 600 others. Conceived by and featuring the multi-talented Santino Fontana - a Tony nominee for Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella and star of the upcoming Broadway musical Tootsie - the show also includes vocalists Lilli Cooper, Jessica Fontana, Ann Harada and Vishal Vaidya.

"Rodgers and Hart's songs have proven to be among our most enduring and universal," comments Santino Fontana. "What other songwriting duo has had their work recorded by Al Jolson, The Supremes and Lady Gaga? Songs with this kind of staying power deserve to be examined, celebrated and explored once again, and I can't help but feel that Hart would be smiling down on our celebrating his work with Rodgers in the city he loved."

For more information on the creative team and cast, please click here.

Since 1970, Lyrics & Lyricists, the pioneering American Songbook series, and one of 92Y's signature series, has celebrated the work of songwriters like Irving Berlin, Frank Loesser, Lynn Ahrens, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, Dorothy Fields, Betty Comden & Adolph Green, and Sheldon Harnick. Artist who have championed and interpreted the American Songbook include Rob Fisher, David Loud, Jonathan Groff, John Pizzarelli, Amanda Green, Alex Timbers, Jason Danieley, Billy Stritch, Mary Testa, Jeremy Jordon and Laura Osnes. 92Y Lyrics & Lyricists receives support from Gilda Block; The Hite Foundation; The Edythe Kenner Foundation; The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation; Ellen F. Marcus; and Howard and Eleanor Morgan.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski