'BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?' Begins Triad Run 3/6

Told through 24 songs and actual first-hand accounts, the new musical revue----"Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?" Songs and Stories from The Great Depression will open Sunday, March 8th (3PM) at Off-Broadway's Triad Theatre (158 West 72nd Street ~ between Broadway & Columbus Avenue). Conceived and staged by Bill Daugherty, this musical time capsule is produced by Thoroughbred Records and Max Weintraub. Preview performances begin March 6th (7PM) & March 7th (3PM) This engagement will run through June 14th.

"Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?" Songs and Stories from The Great Depression will take the audience on a heartfelt journey from pre-crash mania through to the plight of the Dustbowl "Okies," the folks who rode the rails in search of work, letters to Mrs. Roosevelt and then the eventual recovery of our nation. A timely subject, the revue paints the emotions of a country in economic turmoil and how the music of Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley reflected the commonality of Americans and asked us to look toward better times.

The production features Bill Daugherty, Alexander Elisa, Christina Morrell, Jennafer Newberry, Deborah Tranelli and Morgan West. Doyle Newmyer serves as musical director with John Loehrke on bass and Spiff Wiegand on guitar. Theater audiences may remember members of this creative team from the critically acclaimed, long running When the Lights Go On Again which set box office records Off-Broadway and Broadway - Our Way which was held over for six months to sold-out houses.

Bill Daugherty (Man 1) has had a successful career in theater, cabaret and concert halls. For several years, he was part of Daugherty & Field, a greatly celebrated musical comedy team, playing in some of New York's top venues including Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, The Oak Room at The Algonquin and The Russian Tea Room. The duo traveled worldwide before starring in an Off-Broadway run, Daugherty & Field Off-Broadway (nominated for an OBIE Award). Bill has accrued 4 MAC Awards and 3 BackStage Bistro Awards including Outstanding Vocalist and for his brainchild When The Lights Go On Again (Triad Theatre). Theatrical credits include Light Opera of Manhattan (Cherry Lane Theatre); Candide, Damn Yankees (dir. George Abbott), Annie Get Your Gun, (Paper Mill Playhouse); Regional: Evita; My Fair Lady;, The King and I; The Pajama Game and the first European tour of Guys and Dolls (Nicely Nicely Johnson). He was a featured artist in the Lyrics & Lyricists series for 12 years and appears regularly in Broadway Unplugged at Town Hall. His award winning CD, "Look To The Rainbow," is available on Thoroughbred Records. Bill was a pioneer member of Camp Broadway and is in his 11th year on faculty at New York University's CAP21 conservatory.

Alexander Elisa (Man 2) holds degrees in Psychology (B.A) and African American Studies (B.A.) from Oberlin College. Roles include: Othello (Othello, Mile Square Theatre), the Beast (Disney's Beauty & the Beast, Weathervane Theatre), Fred (Smokey Joe's Café, Maine State Theatre), Bernardo (West Side Story, Weathervane Theatre) and Curtis Taylor Jr. (Dreamgirls, Red Mountain Theatre). Alexander has been featured in operettas: The Student Prince (Media Theatre) and The Yeomen of the Guard (NY Gilbert & Sullivan Players); on television: LJ Lion on PBS' Kid Fitness; and he has toured Germany as a lead singer and choir member with Queen Esther Marrow & the Harlem Gospel Singers. His most memorable New York City performance was in The Classical Theatre of Harlem's 2007 revival of Langston Hughes' Black Nativity.

Christina Morrell (Woman 2) Most recent credits: Nancy in When The Lights Go On Again, Gladys, et al in Back Home (NYMF) at the Sage Theatre, and Rita in Steel Pier at Cape Rep Theatre. Other NYC credits: The Classics Professor - The Shop Theatre (CAP21), Broadway Our Way - Helen's Hideaway Room; War Brides, Pacific 1860, and New Girl In Town - The York Theatre. 1st National tours: Oklahoma! and Oliver! (Cameron Macintosh and NETworks productions). Concerts: Soloist in Phoenix Rising at Symphony Space & Marin PAC, American Operetta Concert at the Sandisfield Arts Center, and Wall to Wall Richard Rodgers at Symphony Space. Christina graduated from NYU Tisch (CAP21) with an award for academic and artistic excellence.

Jennafer Newberry (Woman 3) She has most recently been seen onstage with Disney Cruise Line in their shows Disney Dreams, The Golden Mickeys and in the closing cast of Hercules the Muse-ical. Other favorite credits include: Mary Phagan in Parade at NYU, Avia in a workshop of Unlock'd: A New Musical at the Player's Theatre NYC, the recent Life's Changing Tide: The Music and Lyrics of Bobby Cronin at the Laurie Beechman Theatre as well as many benefit concerts for BC/EFA. Jennafer is a Graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts and Native of Houston, Texas.

Deborah Tranelli (Woman 1) has appeared Off-Broadway as Tallulah Bankhead in Tallulah's Party, newyorkers (MTC) and in the NYMF in Jungle Queen Debutante. Tours include: Company, Mameleh! and Cole Porter's 100th Birthday Party. Recent regional includes: Bea in The Food Chain; Vicki in The Full Monty; Elsa in The Sound Of Music; Mona in Dames At Sea; Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd; Abigail in 1776; Dorothy in 42nd St; Aldonza in Man Of La Mancha and Arlene in Baby. Numerous television appearances include: Dallas (co-star 11 seasons), Law and Order, Three's Company, Hart to Hart and Circus of the Stars (trapeze!) Concert appearances include: Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Lyrics & Lyricists and the Jacksonville and Greenville Symphonies. She is a three-time winner of the BackStage Bistro Award for her cabaret work and her solo CD, A Lot of Livin', on PSClassics.

Morgan West (Man 3) is currently a senior in New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, pursuing a degree in Musical Theater and is currently enrolled in Stone Street film acting studio. He has appeared in productions at Lincoln Center, The Cleveland Opera, The Cleveland Playhouse, Playhouse Square, Clague Playhouse and CAP21's SHOP Theater. Favorites include: Evita, Urinetown, Pirates of Penzance, The Fantasticks, 42nd Street, Pippin and Into The Woods. Independent films include: Aramiaha and Slight Insecurities Regarding Vermin. Morgan was recently featured alongside of Andy Williams in the 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Doyle Newmyer (Musical Director) has appeared as soloist, composer and arranger with the Memphis Symphony and the Memphis Civic Orchestra. Doyle worked as Vocal Coach for Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus Ringmaster Tyron McFarlan and songstress Jennifer Fuentes. He is currently Musical Director/Arranger and Vocal Coach for numerous performing artists including Tony Award Winner Chuck Cooper, Alton Fitzgerald White, Jana Robbins, Marieann Meringolo, Karen Kohler, and Avery Sommers. Doyle has served in that capacity for the last three Thoroughbred productions. He is also on the faculty of New York University's CAP21 program and serves as bandleader for Unity Church of New York.

Starting on March 6th, "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime will play the following schedule at The Triad Theatre (158 West 72nd Street ~ between Broadway & Columbus Avenue): Fridays at 7PM, Saturdays & Sundays at 3PM. Tickets are $45. For tickets and reservations call (212) 352-3101 

 

Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter-Keddy

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