COMMON GROUND Special Book-in-Hand Presentation Set For New York In December

Common Ground, the new musical by Granville Wyche Burgess and Stan Wietrzychowsk, tells the yet-untold story of what really necessitated the Emancipation Proclamation. This special book-in-hand presentation, will be Monday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m. at The Actors Temple, 339 West 47th Street, NYC. Common Ground begins with a veiledly racist President Lincoln, carrying a country-at-war on his back, deliberating on how to make peace with his foes and forge an alliance with the formidable Frederick Douglass. Douglass, a literate, courageous "Moses" to his people, must show President Lincoln a new realty.

Burgess, a veteran writer for stage and screen, has been workshopping this musical for over two years. "The age of idolatry is coming to an end," said the playwright, director, producer, lyricist, composer, and teacher with nearly a half-century of professional experience; "our historic leaders are still great men and women but they are still just men and women." Burgess teamed with celebrated "show doctor," Stan Wietrzychowsk, who earned that title due to the scores of shows he shepherded to acclaim. Wietrzychowsk is particularly known for writing scores for film, TV, and commercials as well as personal compositions. He was also the personal vocal coach for the first winner of The Voice, Javier Colon, and former colleague of world-famous violinist Alexander Markov for many years. Coming on-board for this presentation is Jay Michaels as director. Michaels, a major player in the promotion of independent theatre and film, has a track record as a director in both stage and screen since 1985. "I've been involved with Common Ground since 2017 and am honored to take the directors' chair for this version. I think this is a play that can easily be a learning lesson as well as a profitable commercial venture." Michaels has served as a producer and marketing executive on and off-Broadway, as well as indie films. He is the recipient of the Jean Dalrymple, Midtown Theatre, Off-Off Broadway Review, Marketing Star, and Performing Arts Society awards, as well as numerous educational and marketing honors. He also received the Spotlight on Festivals Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.

Ten-time MAC award winning musician, Tracy Stark, joins the creative team. Stark, aside from her astronomical record with the MAC awards, is also recipient of the Bistro Award and has played/conducted on numerous television shows, including The Today Show. Completing the team is Jessica Francis Fichter. Fichter, a director, playwright, and teaching artist in her own right, has worked in venues including Flat Rock Playhouse, The Edge Theatre, The Connelly Theater, Feinstein's/54Below, and Chapin Theatre Company. The company for this presentation features Kalonjee Gallimore as Frederick Douglass; Dan Pavacic as Abraham Lincoln, with Aviana Rivera, Miranda Luze, Maurio Brown, Brenden MacDonald, Hannah Bonnett and Steven M. Singer as John Wilkes Booth.

Reservations are required for this event. Contact Liz Cope at JMAE.events@gmail.com or call 347-497-4814

Granville Wyche Burgess' plays and musicals have appeared Off-Broadway and regionally. His teleplays have appeared on PBS and in syndication, and he was a staff writer for the Emmy-nominated soap opera Capitol. Mr. Burgess is President and CEO of the entertainment company EdVenture Networks, Inc., which produces historical programming for youth. His produced plays and musicals include The Death of Dracula (commissioned by the Walnut Street Theatre), Play It As It Lies, The Freak: A Play About Edgar Cayce, A Country Carol, Conrack, Glory Road!, Dream..., Everybody's Watching: The Making of the Constitution, On To Oklahoma!, and Whalesong. He has received awards and grants from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, CBS/Foundation of the Dramatists Guild, The Drama League, The Center for Southern Studies, Circuit Theatre, and Dayton Repertory Theatre.