York Theatre Company To Present The Road to Qatar, Begins 1/25/2011

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) presents the Off-Broadway premiere of the new true musical comedy, The Road to Qatar, featuring book and lyrics by Stephen Cole and music by David Krane, based on an actual adventure. Performances begin Tuesday, January 25, 2011 and continue through Sunday, February 27, 2011 at The Theatre at Saint Peter's (619 Lexington Avenue, entrance on East 54th Street). Opening night is set for Thursday, February 3, 2011.

The Road to Qatar is a new true musical comedy about two American musical theatre writers commissioned to write a larger-than-life Broadway-style musical for the Emir of Qatar. Surprises abound as the self-professed "short Jewish writers" soon find themselves traveling the globe in their own version of a madcap Bob Hope/Bing Crosby adventure. Cast and creative team to be announced shortly.

Please visit www.yorktheatre.org for the complete performance schedule. Tickets are $67.50 and are available online at www.yorktheatre.org, by calling (212) 935-5820, or in person at the box office at the York Theatre at Saint Peter's (enter on 54th Street, just East of Lexington), and are currently on sale through Sunday, February 27th. Running time is approximately 95 minutes.

Stephen Cole (Book and Lyrics) Musicals include After the Fair (CD; Lyric Stage: 5 Dallas Theatre Awards; York Theatre Company: nominated for the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical; produced in London.), The Night of the Hunter (CD; World Premiere San Francisco; NYMF 2006; Lyric Stage 2010 with full orchestra), and Saturday Night at Grossinger's (Dallas starring Gavin McLeod; Long Island; LA and Florida). Broadway legend Chita Rivera toured in his show Casper and Hal Linden and Dee Hoty starred in the world premiere of his musical adaptation of Dodsworth. In 2005, Stephen and David Krane were commissioned to write Aspire, the first American musical to premiere in the Middle East. Their experiences resulted in the new musical The Road to Qatar. Time After Time premiered in 2010 at Pittsburgh Playhouse. Stephen's books include Noel Coward, That Book About That Girl, I Could Have Sung All Night: The Marni Nixon Story, ghosted Put On a Happy Face (Charles Strouse memoirs). Stephen is the recipient of the Edward Kleban Award and a Gilman-Gonzales Falla Commendation for musical theatre. www.stephencolewriter.com

David Krane (Music) created the dance music and additional score adaptation for the Oscar-winning movie Chicago, and wrote all new music arrangements and additional score adaptation for the film version of Nine. He composed Aspire with Stephen Cole, the first-ever commissioned American musical produced in the Middle East, and wrote the movie musical The Wheel Goes Round, which was screened in several film festivals. Dance music and arrangements for 29 Broadway shows, including: 110 In The Shade, La Cage aux Folles, Cabaret, Man of La Mancha, Oklahoma! (RNT & Broadway), Kiss Of The Spider Woman, The Music Man, Showboat, Ragtime, Victor/Victoria, Minnelli On Minnelli, Damn Yankees. Orchestrations: She Loves Me, The World Goes ‘Round (Drama Desk nominee). Television credits include "Once Upon A Mattress," 2003 Oscars, "Annie," "Mrs. Santa Claus," "Cinderella," "The Kennedy Center Honors" and "Evening at Pops." www.davidkrane.com

The York Theatre Company is the only theater in New York City - and one of very few in the world - dedicated to developing and fully producing new musicals and preserving neglected, notable shows from the past. Over the past two seasons, York productions and artists have been nominated for a combined 31 Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, AUDELCO and Callaway Awards (and its productions of Yank! A WWII Love Story and Enter Laughing, The Musical have both been announced for Broadway transfers). For over four decades, York's intimate, imaginative style of producing both original and neglected classic musicals has resulted in critical acclaim and recognition from artists and audiences alike. Under the guidance of Artistic Director James Morgan since 1997, the York has focused exclusively on new musicals in its Mainstage Series-most of them world, American, or New York premieres-by some of the field's most esteemed creators, and has also helped launch the careers of many talented new writers. Over 30 cast recordings from York Theatre Company productions are now available on CD, and commercial transfers of such York premieres as The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), Souvenir, Jolson & Company, and its acclaimed revivals of Sweeney Todd and Pacific Overtures have all showcased the importance of the York and its programs.

 

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