'Thalia Follies' Beginning October 23rd

For a fifth hysterical season The Thalia Follies: A Political Cabaret return to Symphony Space. Tackling a range of issues ripe for parody, from the battle for the presidency to the race for city hall, The Thalia Follies, curated by Artistic Director Isaiah Sheffer, uses song, dance and no small amount of humor to track the nation's political landscape. Look no further than the Thalia Follies for incisive political comedy during the election season and beyond. (Please see reverse for a complete schedule of performances.)

The Follies begins a three-show run at Symphony Space on October 23 with At Last-An Election! before heading out on the road to the Mahaiwe Theatre in Great Barrington, MA on November 1. After many months of waiting and many more primaries, decision time has finally arrived and the Thalia Follies aims to make light of the build-up to the presidential election with songs like "This Nearly Was Mine" (as sung by Hillary Clinton) and "Between Barack and a Hard Place." The show features a cast of performers including star of television and stage Jane Curtin, Ivy Austin (American Radio Company), noted jazz bassist and songwriter Jay Leonhart, singer-songwriters David Buskin and Rebecca Donner, acclaimed jazz stylist Marion Cowings, colorful faux country music ensemble The Chalks, author of last season's award-winning off-Broadway play Red State/Blue State Gregory Jones, seven-time Emmy winning arranger and orchestrator, Musical Director Lanny Meyers and star of literary public radio Sheffer himself.

Thalia Follies continues its exploration of politics in America after the election as well. Beginning February 19, the Follies examines the results and ramifications of election day and our new president with America Reborn?, and starting June 4 the Follies shifts the focus to our local elections with Go Fight for City Hall.
Also new for the 2008/2009 Season, enjoy unbelievably inexpensive drink specials delivered directly to your seats. For only $15, UnWINEd offers all-you-can-drink sangria, $3 beers and $15 bottles of wine before, during and after the show. Laugh, have fun and enjoy one of least expensive drink specials available anywhere in town!
Symphony Space's theatre season is curated and produced by Isaiah Sheffer. Apart from having co-founded Symphony Space with Allan Miller in January 1978, Sheffer, the Artistic Director, is a playwright, a librettist and an actor. He has worked in radio, television, theatre and film, including time as an arts commentator for WNYC's weekly radio column Around New York, a writer/producer for NBC's The Road to the White House public affairs series, a writer/director of award-winning historical documentary The Last Chapter, and a writer of the musicals Yiddle with a Fiddle and The Rise of David Levinsky.

When Symphony Space opened its doors in 1978 with its first production, Wall to Wall Bach, it gathered together an eclectic group of musicians, professional and amateur, well-known and emerging. What began as a natural outgrowth of the cultural epicenter that is the Upper West Side, traditionally home to many of the great actors, writers, dancers and musicians of our time, remains a unique melding of world-class artistry with the informality and intimacy of a neighborhood salon.

For more information, please contact
Brian Shimkovitz, Krista Williams or Carla Sacks at Sacks & Co., 212.741.1000,
brian@sacksco.com, krista@sacksco.com or carla@sacksco.com.

SCHEDULE

The Thalia Follies: A Political Cabaret
Born in the midst of the 2004 election cycle, Symphony Space's hilarious political cabaret series comes to full term in its 5th season, and asks for your vote for four more years of the kind of spot-on insight and humor that only Isaiah Sheffer and Martin Sage can provide. The Follies also grows up this year, graduating from its previous series of Monday night one-offs to three full-fledged stage productions. So bring your friends and if you're lucky, we may just let you vote twice!

At Last-An Election!
October 23 & 24 at 7:30 pm
October 25 at 5:30 pm & 8:30 pm $30 Day of Show; $25 Advance; $20 Member
Ten days before the endless election process of 2008 finally comes to a climax, the Follies reviews the candidates, the issues, and the prospects for America, in comedy, song, and poetry.

America Reborn?
February 19 & 20 at 7:30 pm
February 21 at 5:30 pm & 8:30 pm $30 Day of Show; $25 Advance; $20 Member
One month into the new administration in Washington, the Follies tries to figure out how things look and just what exactly has happened.

Go Fight for City Hall
June 4 & 5 at 7:30 pm
June 6 at 5:30 pm & 8:30 pm $30 Day of Show; $25 Advance; $20 Member
The springtime Follies zooms in to cover the upcoming New York Mayoral election race, while keeping an eye on Albany and Washington, as well.

Box Office Tickets for performances are available:

• †In person at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street, Tuesday-Sunday, noon to 7 P.M.
• †Over the telephone at (212) 864-5400, Tuesday-Sunday, 11 A.M. to 7 P.M.,
• †Online at www.symphonyspace.org.

For more information, please contact
Brian Shimkovitz, Krista Williams or Carla Sacks at Sacks & Co., 212.741.1000,
brian@sacksco.com, krista@sacksco.com or carla@sacksco.com.

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