The critically acclaimed open mic series, Big Night Out returns! Billed as a delicious gathering for the musical community, Big Night Out is a unique and supportive environment for performers and composers of all backgrounds to come together and perform the music that they love. Hosted by The Fabulous Jennifer Wren, who made her cabaret debut in 2006 with her revue Love, Rainbows and All at Don't Tell Mama, and resident Musical Director William "Bill" Zeffiro, singers are encouraged to try out new material, sing the roles that they aspire to play, sing the roles they will never play, or just show off for the joy of it.
On March 5th, 2009, will continue its critically acclaimed Featured Composer Series. Showcasing New York-based musical theatre/cabaret songwriters, the Series includes MAC Award winners, BMI Musical Theatre Writing Workshop students, and up-and-coming composers. The Featured Composer on March 5th will be Jay Alan Zimmerman. Jay Alan Zimmerman, a man once called a young
Leonard Bernstein by the legendary Broadway lyricist
Adolph Green, will be the 2nd artist in our 2009 Featured Composers Series. Christened “Broadway’s Beethoven” by
John Znidarsic of the Lincoln Center Songbook Series, Mr. Zimmerman, who happens to be deaf, has written for Broadway singers, opera divas, classical instrumentalists, drag queens, and musical robots. At Big Night Out, Jay will discuss composing both pre- and post- deafness while presenting highlights from his past, present, and future projects. Born with normal hearing, Mr. Zimmerman will share how he attempted to hide his progressive hearing-loss for years and became so depressed about it that… he wrote a musical about it. That show, Jay Alan Zimmerman’s Incredibly Deaf Musical, was a hit at the inaugural D.C. Fringe Festival, a Washington Post “Pick of the Fringe,” and is being developed for an Off-Broadway run. In addition, Jay will also premiere songs from his new show: I.M. — The Invisible Man Musical.
Mr. Zimmerman is the composer and author of several original stage musicals including My Café Cinderella and HoliDaze, the musical films The Madness Channel, Love Burns, and Pawns, and the song cycle Punctuated Thoughts. He composed the for music for the plays Booth and Our Brutus, which were both Fringe First Award-winners at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and had New York and London productions. His dance/film scores include Do Not Call It Fixity (Special Music Award, Grand Prix International Video Danse Festival and selected
North American film in the MOMA retrospective, Georges Pompidou Centre, Paris) and The Last Leaf (Best Score, First Run Festival, NYC). Additionally, Mr. Zimmerman is also an award-winning filmmaker with a BFA in film from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and the author of over 30 children's songs published by MONDO publishing and Warner/Chappell.
As he lost his hearing,
Jay Became a solo performer of his own works, including Evil Eye, DEaF Jam and DEaF Man Mocking, all produced in NYC by PACT and Dixon Place, as well as the previously mentioned Jay Alan Zimmerman’s Incredibly DEaF Musical, which debuted as part of DC’s Capital Fringe Festival. He is also the composer of the aerial work, The Sunlight Zone, and recent resident at LEMURplex where he composed for musical robots. The Zipper Theater presented two evenings of his work last year in partnership with thedramaloft, featuring performances by
Kevin Massey (Tarzan, Big River),
Angel Desai (Company), and the Drag Queen of the Year, Miss Peppermint. Though fully hearing at the start of his career, Jay has become deaf to speech but still hears some music below middle C. You can find out more about his amazing story at www.jayalanzimmerman.com!
Performances of Mr. Zimmerman’s work on March 5th will include divas
Kelly Ellenwood and
Raissa Katona Bennett (both have appeared in Phantom . . .), Kara Lyndsay (Little House), Sierra Rein,
Doug Shapiro, Jennifer Wren, and the artist himself.
Jennifer Wren has appeared in various New York productions including The Wild Party (The Gallery Players), Commedia Del'artemisia and The Man Who Laughs (both with The Stolen Chair Theatre Company), Medusa and The Amazing Colossal Thing (both in the Vital Signs Festival), Granola! The Musical (NY International Fringe Festival), and numerous concerts, benefits, and workshops (including the BMI
Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop). She has performed for audiences large and small in venues ranging from CBGB to the Hudson Theatre. An accomplished actor as well as a singer, Ms. Wren has appeared on the Discovery Channel series, “Sensing Murder” as the ill-fated Mary Leonard, in several national commercials (including Atari: Dragon Ball Z Burst Limit and Cablevision’s “Pixel” series) and on the new Independent Film Channel original series, "Z-Rock." In addition, Ms. Wren will be appearing this March in
Jeffrey Sweet’s new play, Unexpected Guest.
William "Bill" Zeffiro is the composer/lyricist and book writer of The Road To Ruin (NYMF 2008). In addition, Mr. Zeffiro worked as a co-writer/actor on USA Network’s "Up All Night," as the musical director/composer for "Extreme Makeover" (ABC), and composed special material for "Another World" (NBC),
Mario Cuomo and Rudolph Giuliani. He produced and performed with the lovely and legendary
Kay Swift in An Evening Of
Kay Swift. In addition, Mr. Zeffiro's career includes numerous music direction, performances, and recordings. Mr. Zeffiro continues his vocal training work with students on -and off-Broadway.
Big Night Out featuring Composer Potpourri will play Thursday, March 5th at 9:00pm – in the Reprise Room at Dillon’s (245 W. 54th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenues). Big Night Out will occur at 9:00 PM on select THURSDAYS following this performance. There is a $10 admission ($5 for MAC, AEA, and EMC Members) and a 1 item minimum. More information can be found at
www.jenniferwren.info.
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