Curtain Call Presents BUDDY'S TAVERN 2/22

When Curtain Call organized our 2009/2010 season of productions around a salute to the silver screen, no one had any idea how neatly the musical that won this year's American Harmony Prize would fit into that theme. Then, it was announced on December 7 that the 2010 American Harmony Prize would be awared to Raymond DeFelitta, Alison Louise Hubbard and Kim Oler for the book, lyrics and music to the new musical "Buddy's Tavern." "Buddy's Tavern" is based on independent filmmaker DeFelitta's 2000 film "Two Family House." In celebration of that fact, Curtain Call will host a free screening of "Two Family House" in the Kweskin Theater at 7:30 pm on Sunday, February 21, the night before our Musical Mondays presentation of "Buddy's Tavern."

"Buddy's Tavern" was chosen, after a nationwide search, as the winner of Curtain Call's third annual American Harmony Prize -- an award that celebrates works of musical theater that explore our country's many ethnic, religious and gender identifications. The focus of this season's award is to showcase a new musical that dramatizes an aspect of the experience of Italian-Americans.

The musical is set on Staten Island in 1956, where Buddy Visalo, an Italian-American factory worker with big dreams, buys a run-down two family house intending to open a bar on the first floor and live with his wife Estelle in the apartment overhead. His plans are complicated by Estelle's lack of confidence and Irish tenants who refuse to either move or pay rent. Then, the woman in the upstairs apartment gives birth and it's clear that her husband isn't the father, owing to fact that the child is African-American. What what follows is a working class fable about the power of faith to overcome skepticism, mistrust and racial prejudice.
RAYMOND DE FELITTA (Book) is an independent filmmaker whose work as a writer and director has been honored around the world. His short, "Bronx Cheers," was nominated for an Academy Award in 1991. "Two Family House" won the 2000 Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, was nominated for two independent Spirit Awards (including best screenplay) and was cited by the National Board of Review as an outstanding film of that year. His latest release, "City Island," stars Andy Garcia and Julianna Margulies.

ALISON LOUISE HUBBARD (Lyrics) is the winner of the Kleban Award, the NMTN's Director's Choice Award, the Jerry Bock Award, a Richard Rodgers Development Award and the BMI Jerry Harrington Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement. In addition to "Buddy's Tavern," she wrote the lyrics for "Little Women" and many of Theatreworks/USA's touring musicals, including "The Secret Garden" and "Harriet the Spy." Alison is a member of the Dramatists Guild and BMI.

Kim Oler (Music) is the winner of the Jerry Bock Award, a Richard Rodgers Development Award and the BMI Jerry Harrington Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement. In addition to "Buddy's Tavern," she wrote the lyrics for "Little Women" and many of Theatreworks/USA's touring musicals, including "The Secret Garden" and "Harriet the Spy." An EMMY Award winner in 2003 and 2005, his work on television includes "The Tracey Ullman Show," "As The World Turns," Guiding Light' and "All My Children." Kim is a member of the Dramatists Guild and BMI.

A concert reading of material from "Buddy's Tavern" will be presented on Monday, February 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm, as the second offering in Curtain Call's 2009 Musical Mondays series. The performance will take place in the newly renovated Kweskin Theater, followed by the presentation of the award and a reception with the authors and cast. All tickets are $15.00 and reservations may be made by telephoning 203-329-8207 or visiting www.curtaincallinc.com.

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