NYPL's Songbook Series to Feature Brescia, Cates, and More on 11/30

Broadway stars Lisa Brescia and Kristy Cates have been announced as artists for the upcoming New York Public Library Songbook Series, taking place November 30th. Additional casting includes Elizabeth Brackenbury, Deborah S. Craig, Autumn Hurlbert, Matt Lutz, Tracy McDowell, Brooke Sunny Moriber and Zachary Prince.

The series is presnted by Arts and Artists at St. Paul and will take place at the Bruno Walter Auditorium. The event will feature the songs of Jeff Thomson and Jordan Mann, Jonathan Larson Award winners. The evening will be directed by John Znidarsic.

Lisa Brescia has appeared on Broadway as Elphaba in Wicked, starred as Cleo in Twyla Tharp's The Times They Are A-Changin' and was seen as Marion Halcombe in The Woman in White when she stepped in for British star Maria Friedman. She played Amneris in Aida on Broadway for the last year of its run and was seen in the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. Regional credits include the Kennedy Center's Side Show (Violet), The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown (Mom), Evita (Eva), The Last 5 Years (Cathy), A Little Night Music (Petra) and Brigadoon (Meg). For five years, she toured worldwide as a "Mama" with The Mamas and The Papas with original members John Phillips and Denny Doherty. Lisa is a proud graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and was a member of the AADA Repertory Company. Thanks and love to my partner, Craig Carnelia.

Kristy Cates is best known for her roles in the original Broadway cast of Wicked (ensemble/Elphaba understudy). Kristy then went on to a year long run as Elphaba in the Chicago production of Wicked. She was most recently seen at Carnegie Hall in the ensemble of "Jerry Springer the Opera" starring Harvey Keitel. Off Broadway/ Regional: Human Race Theatre (Stephen Schwartz's "Snapshots"), Princess Ida, St. Louis MUNY, The Lucille Lortel White Barn Theatre , North Bay Opera, The Playhouse on the Green, The Eugene O'Neill Conference and the NY Fringe Festival, MANY readings of new works. NYC/Chicago concerts: Don't Tell Mama, The Duplex, Joe's Pub, Laurie Beechman Theatre, and a sold out series "An Evening with Kristy Cates" at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center in Chicago. Kristy is also a professional voiceover artist. She was honored to be a National Anthem soloist for the Chicago Bears, Bulls and White Sox. She recently concluded a production of a new musical UNBEATABLE at the Pheonix Theatre, in which she plays a woman battling cancer. The production is expected to open off Broadway at New World Stages this upcoming Spring.

The concert will take place November 30th at 6:00pm. Tickets to the event are free.

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