Musical Theater Project, Kent State and Beck Center Present ZORBA

The Musical Theater Project presents "Perfectly Marvelous: The Songs of John Kander," on Saturday, December 5 (2pm) at Kent State University's E. Turner Stump Theatre and Wednesday, December 9 (7:30pm) at the Beck Center's Mackey Mainstage.

Based on the popular novel and film Zorba the Greek starring Anthony Quinn, the story focuses on the friendship that develops between the charismatic Zorba ("I believe in grabbing at life") and Nikos, a shy young American who has inherited an abandoned mine on the Greek island of Crete. Zorba teaches Nikos to embrace love, life and death with equal passion.

Zorba! is a 1968 Broadway musical written by the legendary songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb, of Chicago and Cabaret fame, with a script by Joseph Stein, author of Fiddler on the Roof. The two performances of Zorba! complete a celebration of John Kander's work that included a recent concert at Playhouse Square and the release of "John Kander: Hidden Treasures," a 2-CD retrospective of the composer's career.

The concert is staged by Porthouse Theatre artistic director Terri Kent and features local favorite Fabio Polanco (a member of Actors' Equity) in the title role alongside current students from Kent State University's Musical Theatre Program, which Kent directs. Nancy Maier serves as music director.

The full-length show will be performed as an in-concert reading, which has become a popular way to explore musicals that are rarely staged but important to the art form. "In concert" means the company will tell the story without sets or costumes, focusing on all of the spoken dialogue and songs.

TMTP artistic director Bill Rudman will provide an introduction to the musical just before both performances. Afterward the entire company, Kent, Maier and associate music director Jen Korecki will join Rudman in a discussion with the audience.

Says Rudman: "This is my favorite of all the Kander & Ebb musicals-earthy, passionate and as full of life as Zorba himself. Every year TMTP is committed to presenting a very special show in concert. We can't wait to share this one with the community."

E. Turner Stump Theatre is located in the Center for Performing Arts at 1325 Theatre Drive on the Kent State University campus. Tickets for the December 5th performance are $14-$18 and can be purchased through the KSU box office at (330) 672-2787 or online at www.kent.edu/theatredance.

Beck Center for the Arts is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood. Tickets for the December 9th performance are $21-$26 and can be purchased by calling The Musical Theater Project's Box Office at (216) 245-8687 or online at www.musicaltheaterproject.org.

"Zorba!" is part of TMTP's "Song Is You!" concert and cabaret series. 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. Additional support is provided by Robert Conrad, Susan Kohn and Mike Kohn, the Cleveland Foundation, the George Gund Foundation, the Kulas Foundation and Cleveland Public Library.

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