The Theatre at Arts Garage in Delray Beach, Florida opens their season with The Longing and the Short of It, written and composed by acclaimed composer/lyricist Daniel Maté, who won the 2013 Kleban Prize for Most Promising Musical Theatre Lyricist. The song-cycle will delight audiences with a series of catchy, thrilling, and unpredictable theatre songs in a variety of musical styles. Opening night is tonight, November 1, 2013 and the production runs through November 24th; Wednesday - Friday 7:30pm ; Saturday & Sunday 2pm. Tickets are $30-$45, and can be purchased at www.artsgarage.org or by calling 561-450-6357.
The show features six actors who play a multitude of relatable characters, all struggling to find love and acceptance, or the nearest available substitute. Whether acting out lustily at a party, running into an ex in a public place and saying all the wrong things, pleading insanity to keep a relationship from ending, or simply enjoying a nice, quiet self-pity party at home, these people all long to feel, in the words of the opening song, "something like okay."
"Our audiences will be riveted by this completely original musical storytelling," said Lou Tyrrell, Artistic Director. "The songs are immediate, they are now, right in the present. Funny, poignant, insightful, touching - these are the songs of our lives today."
For Tyrrell, the song cycle holds a special significance that he feels will resonate with the Arts Garage audience. "Song cycles have had a great impact on me. Think "
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris," a classic and beloved compilation. I feel the song cycle is able to tell a story in a very different and theatrical way. Unlike traditional narrative storytelling, it's the personal expression or observation of a character through song - the emotional life of that person, as reflected not only by the lyrics, but also by the music."
Tyrrell is especially delighted to be featuring the acclaimed work of Daniel Maté again.
"Having had a chance to spend time with his work during our Arts Garage Summer Tune-Up program, I am convinced that Daniel is going to be an important musical-theater contributor through the course of his career," he said. "I think he going to take his place as a lyricist/composer and American storyteller alongside Kander & Ebb, Maltby & Shire, even
Stephen Sondheim - some of our most celebrated composer/lyricists."
The cast includes:Liz Lark Brown, winner of the Bistro, MAC and Nightlife Awards for her own one-woman show, Tarnished. She has also appeared at Town Hall on Broadway for the live broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion with
Garrison Keillor, as well as
Scott Siegel's Broadway By The Year - 1921.
Beth Dimon, a 3-time winner of the Carbonell Award and 2010 recipient of the Frank Prize.
Henry Gainza, a multi-faceted entertainer who just completed the critically-acclaimed 25th Anniversary Production of In the Heights atActor's Playhouse.
John Herrera, a Carbonell winner who received a Tony nomination for creating the role of Neville in the original Broadway production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
Noah Zachary, whose Off-Broadway/New York Theater credits include Dear Edwina (D.R.2.), Clown Bar (Pipeline Theater), Save The Date (NYC Fringe), Once Upon a Time in New Jersey (Prospect Theater), Supersoldier (Fundamantal Theater co.).
Alix Paige, a critically acclaimed jazz and cabaret singer who has appeared at such venues as The Metropolitan Room and The Top of The Standard Hotel in NYC.
The production is directed by
Max Friedman, a New York City-based director with a focus on new musical theater. Max most recently directed the world premiere of the multimedia Sondheim revue "The Bluest Ink" at downtown NYC art space (le) poisson rouge. Max also serves as the director/producer for the hit concert series "
Charlie Rosen's Broadway Big Band," currently enjoying a residency at 54 Below.
The show also features Paul Reekie as Musical Director/Piano,
Julie Jacobs on drums, and Dave Wilkinson on Bass, and Bob Bunin on guitar.
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