The Show Goes On Productions presents To Carry On... a Tribute to the Life and Music of Laura Nyro written and performed by Mimi Cohen. Gretchen Cryer directs and Jeffrey Klitz music directs. The production opens on Ms. Nyro's 66th birthday, tonight, October 18th, and runs for six performances beginning tonight, October 18 to Sunday, October 27, 2013, at The TBG Theatre, 312 West 36th Street, 3rd Floor in NYC.
To Carry On... is a one-woman tribute to the late singer and songwriter Laura Nyro. Nyro is portrayed as the ultimate role model for girls growing up in an unforgiving world, and women who live in it. Star Mimi Cohen uses her strong vocal prowess and funny characterizations of real people and events in Laura's life to personify the rite of passage girls experience when becoming women. This powerful production weaves more than a dozen of Laura's now classic, impassioned pop songs through the story of Laura's early years in the music industry, such as; "Wedding Bell Blues" by the 5th Dimension, "And When I Die" by Blood Sweat and Tears, "Eli's Comin'" by Three Dog Night, and "Stoney End" by Barbara Streisand. To Carry On... passes on Laura's gift of authenticity and self-confidence to every generation of young women, inspiring us all to carry on.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at www.ShowGoesOnProductions.com or by calling 212-352-3101. For more information, please visit www.ShowGoesOnProductions.com. Tickets for opening night also include a post-show reception to celebrate Laura Nyro's birthday.
The runtime for To Carry On... is 90 minutes with no intermission.
Mimi Cohen (Writer & Performer) is an earthy downtown Cabaret diva, a soulful, stylized singer and performer. A native New Yorker, Mimi's artistry is borne of a Manhattan sensibility. In the early 90's, Mimi served as one half of the avant-pop duo, Gene and Mimi, an all-original acoustic band. The duo was part of New York's Anti-Folk scene, the scene that spawned Beck, Kimya Dawson and Nellie McKay. Gene & Mimi toured the country for many years, performing at every college and pizza parlor, from New York to San Francisco.
After graduating the well-known High School of Music & Art in New York City as a vocal major, Mimi went on to receive her B.A. in Theatre at Smith College. Upon graduation, Mimi went to work backstage in numerous Off-Broadway theatres in New York City; from Roundabout to City Center. She worked and studied at The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. As a solo performer, Mimi has sung at countless cabarets and clubs. She has participated in a landmark group performance, The Sisters of the Sixties, a tribute to girl groups and female artists, which took place at Town Hall in the late 90's. The show was hosted by Darlene Love and featured such legends as Mary Wilson of The Supremes, BEverly Lee of the Shirelles, Leslie Gore and Vicki Sue Robinson.
Gretchen Cryer (Director) is most well known for writing the book and lyrics and starring in I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road with music by Nancy Ford. This seminal Off-Broadway musical created a sensation when it was originally produced at The Public Theater in New York City in the late 1970s. The original run was followed by a 3-year run at the Circle in the Square. The show subsequently ran a year in Chicago, a year in Los Angeles, had numerous productions around the country and over 100 foreign productions. In Chicago, the show won the Joseph Jefferson Award for the Best Musical and Gretchen won the Best Actress Award. The cast album received a Grammy nomination. Gretchen and Nancy have written numerous musicals: Now Is the Time for All Good Men (off-Broadway), The Last Sweet Days of Isaac (Obie Award for Best Musical, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award), Shelter (Broadway), Hang On to the Good Times (Manhattan Theater Club), The Fabulous Party (Williamstown Theater Festival), The American Girls Revue (American Girl Place, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles), Circle of Friends (American Girl Place, Chicago and New York), and Anne of Green Gables (Theatreworks, Lortel Theater.) Gretchen is the author of the play The House That Goes On Forever (Women's Project, New York). This past July, I'm Getting My Act Together ... was warmly received as the final presentation in the Encores! Off-Center Series at City Center. Gretchen and Nancy have recently completed a follow-up musical entitled, Still Getting My Act Together.
Jeffrey Klitz (Music Director) is a Yale graduate and highly regarded New York music director, arranger, and orchestrator. On Broadway he served as music director/conductor for Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Guys & Dolls, Hot Feet and Lennon. Other Broadway credits include: Chicago, Grand Hotel and Stardust. He has worked with numerous performers, serving as music director and pianist for Judy Collins, Joel Grey, Betty Buckley, Tommy Tune, Judy Kuhn, Carol Hall and Amanda McBroom, among others. His credits as arranger and orchestrator include work with the New York Philharmonic, The Chicago Symphony and Disney, and as producer/arranger with Paul McCartney's publishing house MPL. At the Goodman Theatre he music directed The House of Martin Guerre, for which he earned a Joseph Jefferson Award. He wrote the new orchestrations for Carol Hall's The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas national tour starring Ann-Margret, and has arranged and orchestrated for Andrea Marcovicci. Mr. Klitz conducted vocal performance workshops for Broadway performers and taught at Yale College, the National Theater Institute, and the Cabaret Conference at Yale.
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