2nd Installment of Symphony Space's THALIA FOLLIES Runs 2/18-20

The Thalia Follies: A Political Cabaret continues its sixth hilarious season at Symphony Space with Which Way, America?, February 18-20. Tackling a range of issues ripe for parody, from New York City's recent race for mayor to midterm elections later this year, The Thalia Follies, curated by Artistic Director Isaiah Sheffer, uses song, dance and no small amount of humor to track the nation's political landscape. Look no further than the Thalia Follies for incisive political comedy during the election season and beyond. Audiences can now enjoy a glass of wine and a light evening meal in the intimate cabaret atmosphere of the Leonard Nimoy Thalia. (Please see reverse for a complete schedule of upcoming performances.)

After looking inwardly for this fall's successful performances of All Politics is Local!, the Follies begins a five-show run at Symphony Space on February 18 with Which Way, America? This time the gang of humorous actors asks the nagging question of which direction this country is headed. And for the first time-in addition to offering up songs, sketches and satire on trends and predictions-the second half of the show will feature the world premiere of The Three-Trillion Dollar Opera, an updated take on the classic Three Penny Opera, including songs like "Barack The Knife," "The Blue Dog Song," and "Ballad of Fox News Mendacity." The show will also feature send-ups including an updated version of Fred Astaire's "Cheek to Cheek" for the new decade ("Yemen-I'm from Yemen..."), Tiger Woods' social correspondence as well as raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, bottled water, footwear and other "Favorite Things" you can no longer bring aboard an airplane.

The Follies features a cast of acclaimed performers including Ivy Austin (American Radio Company), Broadway actress Mary Brienza, singer-songwriter David Buskin, seven-time Emmy winning arranger and orchestrator, Musical Director Lanny Meyers and star of literary public radio Sheffer himself.

The Follies season will conclude with Cramming for Midterms May 20-22. As we near the half-way point of Obama's first term, Symphony Space examines the midterm elections with a humorous look at the big challenges facing politicians on both sides of the aisle.

New this season to the Leonard Nimoy Thalia are food and drink delivered directly to your seats during and after the show from UnWINEd. Laugh, have fun and enjoy inexpensive drinks and snacks!

Symphony Space's theatre season is curated and produced by Isaiah Sheffer. Apart from having co-founded Symphony Space with Allan Miller in January 1978, Sheffer, the Artistic Director, is a playwright, a librettist and an actor. He has worked in radio, television, theatre and film, including time as an arts commentator for WNYC's weekly radio column Around New York, a writer/producer for NBC's The Road to the White House public affairs series, a writer/director of award-winning historical documentary The Last Chapter, and a writer of the musicals Yiddle with a Fiddle and The Rise of David Levinsky.

When Symphony Space opened its doors in 1978 with its first production, Wall to Wall Bach, it gathered together an eclectic group of musicians, professional and amateur, well-known and emerging. What began as a natural outgrowth of the cultural epicenter that is the Upper West Side, traditionally home to many of the great actors, writers, dancers and musicians of our time, remains a unique melding of world-class artistry with the informality and intimacy of a neighborhood salon.

 

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