THALIA FOLLIES Returns to Symphony Space, 5/18-19

As the 2012 presidential election season begins, Symphony Space, host of the popular comedy and literary events Uptown Showdown and Selected Shorts, welcomes back its popular political cabaret, The Thalia Follies, for its seventh season with its newest production, Race for the White House.

Joining the show, under the musical direction of Beth Ertz, are regular Follies performers, including the incomparable Ivy Austin, Kathryn Markey and Mary Brienza of the hysterically funny The Chalks, the suave singer Eric Poindexter, soprano Lisa Flanagan, and comedian Joel Chasnoff. Joining the Follies for select dates are special guest stars, including the renowned jazz bassist/songwriter Jay Leonhart and popular comedian Katie Goodman.

Created and written by Symphony Space’s Founding Artistic Director Isaiah Sheffer and veteran comedy writer Martin Sage, Race for the White House addresses the biggest issues of this Presidential election cycle. The G.O.P.’s war against women, the Supreme Court’s historic decision on undoing health care, and the acute suffering of Mitt Romney’s dog, Seamus—New York’s most up-to-date political entertainment addresses it all.

The 2012 election is coming under the comic lens of songs and sketches, including a look at the health care debate in “Life is A Pre-Existing Condition”; “The Real Brokers of Tampa Bay”, which imagines what might happen if a brokered Republican National Convention meets the Real Housewives franchise; “I Should Have Run This Year”, which finds figures from Michael Bloomberg to Derek Jeter imagining their political success to the tune of “I Could Have Danced All Night”; the return of “Barack O’Bama” with “What I’ve Learned Since the Last Time I Ran”; and much more.

Primary Colors will be presented Thursday, May 17 at 7:30, and Friday and Saturday, May 18 and 19 at 5:30 and 8:30pm at Symphony Space, Leonard Nimoy Thalia, located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street. Tickets are $15-$35 and may be purchased online at symphonyspace.org or by calling 212.864.5400.