'HEY, BIG SPENDER!' Will Bring Cy Coleman to Playhouse Square

The Musical Theater Project (TMTP) and Cleveland Jazz Orchestra (CJO) will produce "Hey, Big Spender! The Cy Coleman Songbook" on Saturday, January 28 (8pm) and Sunday, January 29 (2pm) at the Hanna Theater at Playhouse Square.

Broadway meets jazz with the music of Cy Coleman. One of the only songwriters to successfully tackle both genres, Coleman conquered the Great White Way with musicals "Sweet Charity," "The Will Rogers Follies," "Barnum" and "City of Angels," and he contributed to the Great American Songbook with hits including "I've Got Your Number," "The Best Is Yet to Come" and "Witchcraft."

The concert is TMTP and CJO's third annual collaboration at Playhouse Square and will include dozens of rare still images and video clips, showcasing Coleman's finest theater and pop songs and exploring the man behind the music.

The concert will be co-hosted by TMTP artistic director Bill Rudman and CJO artistic director Paul Ferguson. The songs will be performed by vocalists Vince Mastro and Treva Offutt. Joining the full 16-piece Cleveland Jazz Orchestra is the Joe Hunter trio.

"Cy was an outstanding pianist, and his singing was icing on the cake," says Ferguson. "As a jazz man, he brought extra elements of harmonic and melodic sophistication to his songs in a manner that makes me think of Cole Porter. His techniques are subtle, but ingenious. If you assume 'The Best Is Yet to Come' is an easy swinger, just try singing it!"

The Hanna Theater, Playhouse Square is located at 2067 E. 14th Street, Cleveland 44115. General tickets are priced at $30-$55. Tickets are available through Playhouse Square's Box Office at 216-241-6000.

"Hey, Big Spender! The Cy Coleman Songbook" is part of "The Song Is You!" concert and cabaret season produced each year by The Musical Theater Project at a variety of locations.

A nonprofit organization founded in 2000, TMTP produces concerts, in-school residency programs, radio programming and recordings that foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of a uniquely American art form. To learn more about TMTP, call 216-860-1518 or visit www.MusicalTheaterProject.org.

Ohio Arts Council helps fund The Musical Theater Project with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Musical Theater Project also receives public support with local tax dollars from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, to preserve and enrich our region's artistic and cultural heritage.

For over 30 years, The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra has been Northeast Ohio's premier jazz voice. Led by new artistic director Paul Ferguson, the CJO promotes jazz in its historical and contemporary forms, through concerts with gifted jazz musicians, arrangers, composers and educators in northeast Ohio. See more at www.ClevelandJazz.org.

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