From Paris To New York – 5TH REPUBLIC in Concert at Feinstein's/54 Below

Visit Feinstein's/ 54 Below for an evening featuring songs from the original musical 5th Republic to celebrate the return of the Paris-based company Broadway au Carré which features contemporary American Musical Theater writers in France every month.

An update of Victor Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris, 5th Republic resets the classic tale to Paris in 1959 against the backdrop of the Algerian War for Independence. The piece has previously been developed at NYMF, MTF, and as part of the Dramatists Guild Fellowship; it features music and lyrics by Dana Levinson, book and additional lyrics by Stacey Weingarten, and additional story by Donna Drake. This concert originally premiered in October 2016 in Paris featuring French and Algerian singers, many of whom will reprise their roles in the Big Apple, lending authenticity and truth to the story at hand. Let us transport you back to 1950s Paris with French chanson and North African melodies sung by the pioneers of Broadway-style theatre in the city of lights!

A timely piece given the current political climate and controversial policies regarding immigration, war, and multiculturalism, 5th Republic is the story of Layla, an Algerian refugee and member of a the guerrilla group fighting for Algerian Independence, called the FLN, and Étienne Deschamps, a right-wing Senator in Paris. As the animosity between the two grows, it threatens to quite literally tear all of Paris and France apart, shaking its conservative Catholic foundations with notions of freedom and equality for its Algerian Brothers and Sisters.

Starring: Kaïna Blada (Aladdin, Disneyland Paris' Frozen), CJ Eldred (The Book of Mormon), Bastien Jacquemart (Shrek, Fame) , Lisandro Nesis (Ordinary Days, Island Song, Seasons) , Manon Taris (Beauty and the Beast, Dance of the Vampires)

Also featuring: Lauren Berkman (Edges, Ordinary Days, Next Thing You Know), Quentin Bruno (Cabaret, Naked Boys Singing) , Déa Julien (West Side Story Nat'l Tour) , Marion Préïté (Next Thing You Know) , Michael Jayne Walker (Edinburgh Fringe's Rent, Ludo's Broken Bride)

Directed by Donna Drake, with music direction by Peter Hodgson.

FROM PARIS TO NEW YORK:5th Republic in Concert will play Feinstein's/54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on Thursday February 16th with a $25-35 cover charge (premium seats $60) and $25 food and beverage minimum. Doors at 8:45p, Show at 9:30p. Advance tickets and information available at www.54Below.com. On performance day tickets will be available by calling (646) 476-3551.

Broadway au Carré is the leading American musical theatre concert and open-mic series in Paris. At a time when borders are closing, its aim is to build an artistic bridge over the ocean by bringing together the two cities that never sleep, Paris and New York, through musical theater. For over three years now, the company has been inviting American songwriters to collaborate with Paris-based musical theatre performers. Broadway au Carré has already produced over 60 concerts, readings, full productions and open mics in Paris and abroad (New York, London, Berlin, Buenos Aires...), including several new musicals that had never been performed in France, such as Carner and Gregor's Island Song, Adam Gwon's Ordinary Days, Adam Overett's The Double-Threat Trio, Pechacek and Hammond's Seasons and Michael Cooper's Love, Always.

In November 2015, Broadway au Carré also brought together over 20 French performers, American songwriters and Broadway guests in a sold-out concert at Feinstein's/54 Below.

Dana Levinson (music and lyrics) is a Musical Theatre composer, arranger and orchestrator. Music and Lyrics: 5th Republic (NYMF 2011 under the title Les Enfants de Paris), Jarreau's (NYMF Developmental Reading 2012 under the title MADAME), Báthory. Arranging and Orchestration: Gypsy of the Year: Avenue Q Presentation (Minskoff Theatre), Joanna Gleason (Provincetown Art House, 54 Below), Well-Strung (various), LUDO's Broken Bride (Ars-Nova). Film Scoring: "The Waystation in the Stars" (dir. Brandon Morrissey), "Monica's Mixing Bowl" (dir. Jesse Averna, prod. Stacey Weingarten and Monica Willey). Dana is a graduate of The New School and a 2014-15 Dramatists Guild Fellow. She also studies Oud and Arab music. www.danaaliyalevinson.com

Stacey Weingarten (Book) is a bookwriter, puppeteer, director, and producer (EP of Chinese Mother Jewish Daughter LLC). As a writer she's exploring subjects as varied as the Paris and the Algerian War in 5th Republic (NYMF '11 under Les Enfants de Paris), 1890's New Orleans in Jarreau's (NYMF Reading '12 under "Madame"), and time travel and true love in LUDO's Broken Bride (ANT Fest '13; The Cutting Room). Family works include a fairytale about her adopted dog called Rescue Rue (NYMF & NYCTF '14) and series Monica's Mixing Bowl that aims to demystify allergies and dietary restrictions. Stacey originated Bubbles the Fish in John Tartaglia's ImaginOcean Off-Broadway and teaches puppetry at Pace University; she's also a puppet wrangler, most recently at Sesame Street, Julie's Greenroom, and Avenue Q Off-Broadway. FCLC '10. Dramatists Guild Fellow '14-'15. www.StaceyWeingarten.com

Donna Drake (Director) Broadway: The original production of A Chorus Line, Sophisticated Ladies, Woman of the Year, The Wind in the Willows, 5678-Dance, It's so nice to be Civilized and the original production of The 1940s Radio Hour.
She directed 4 Broadway Concerts of Nothing Like A Dame for BC/EFA, and the highly acclaimed musical concert on Broadway starring Jennifer Holliday called Romance in the Dark. She was the director and co-writer for the singing string quartet, WELL-STRUNG, having debuted at London's West End, NYC and currently on National Tour.
Awards: Two Emmy nominations, 4 Drama Desk Nominations, A Mac Award Nomination, A Theatre World Award, an Off Broadway Alliance Nomination and Broadway World's Best Director/Choreographer 2016.

She choreographed Catherine Zeta Jones for the American Film Institute Awards, 2009 and The AFI 2011 honoring Morgan Freeman and starring Betty White.
She directed/choreographed: John Tartaglia's Imaginocean- Off Broadway, National & International tours. TV credits: "Julie's Greenhouse," starring Julie Andrews, Disney's "Johnny and the Sprites," "Monica's Mixing Bowl," "The New Fangled Variety Show," "AFI Awards 09,11," ABC TV's "Dear Alex & Annie," "One life to live" and "The Edge of Night." Regional credits: The Wizard of Oz, All the world is a Stage at Carnegie Hall. A Chorus Line national tour, AIDA, Cats, Chicago, Hairspray, Rent, Tommy, Damn Yankees, NEWSicle, Annie, Love Always, Patsy Cline, Smokey Joes Cafe!, Sweet Charity, Honk!, Lucky Guy, Beauty & the Beast, Anything Goes and Chess, BOOBS! The musical, Christmas with the Crawfords, Andrew Sisters Stage door Canteen, Snail Road, Across the Pond, The Wiz, Little Shop of Horrors, The Buddy Holly Story, Mary Poppins, The Full Monty, Sister Act, The Medium, and John Tartaglia at 54 Below, NYC.
She has written and published a new book for children called "Willow Whispers." She will co-create and direct a new "Cirque" version of Godspell for Arkansas Rep Theatre 2017 season. Miss Drake is currently teaching Acting at PACE UNIVERSITY, New York City. www.donnadrakedirector.com

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