HONOR Musical, Based on AS YOU LIKE IT, Plays in Concert Tonight at Prospect Theater

Prospect Theater Company, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Cara Reichel and Managing Director Melissa Huber, and the National Asian Artists Project (NAAP), under the leadership of Executive Artistic Director Baayork Lee and Co-Founder Steven Eng, presents a concert performance of the new musical HONOR, with music and lyrics by Peter Mills, and book by Mills and Cara Reichel, adapted from William Shakespeare's As You Like It.

The concert will take place tonight, September 10, at 8pm, directed by Cara Reichel and with music direction by Yan Li. This special one-night-only presentation of HONOR is part of Prospect's ongoing IGNITE Series of concerts, as well as NAAP's Rediscover Series, and will take place at The Times Center (242 W 41st Street, NYC).

Inspired by Kurosawa's film adaptations of Shakespeare, HONOR transplants the Bard's classic play to a setting in feudal Japan. The cast will include veterans of Prospect's 2008 world premiere production, alongside newcomers.

Diane Phelan (Lincoln Center's The King and I, Bernarda Alba) will reprise her role as Hana (Rosalind), Steven Eng (Paint Your Wagon, Waterfall) returns as Nobuyuki (Touchstone), and Romney Piamonte will once again play Kuro (Silvius). Newcomer Karl Josef Co (Tianamen, The Unsinkable Milly Brown) will portray Yoshiro (Orlando), and Scott Watanabe (Allegiance, Pacific Overtures) will play Lord Takehiro (Duke Senior).

Other company members will include: Raul Aranas, Caitlin Burke, Eymard Cabling, Ariel Estrada, Brian Jose, Mel Maghuyop, and Koh Mochizuki. The evening will also feature members of the NAAP Chorus. Additional casting will be announced shortly.

Honor was premiered by Prospect Theater Company in April 2008 at the Hudson Guild Theatre, with a subsequent benefit concert presentation in April 2010 at Baruch College's Engelman Recital Hall.

NAAP's Rediscover Series is made possible in part with public funds from Creative Engagement, supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC.net). Lower Manhattan Cultural Council empowers artists by providing them with networks, resources, and support to create vibrant, sustainable communities in Lower Manhattan and beyond.

Launched in 2015, Prospect's IGNITE Series is an ongoing concert initiative at The TimesCenter, featuring today's new voices shaping tomorrow's musical theater. Reflecting Prospect's dedication to fostering and producing work by emerging artists, IGNITE Series programming will include premieres of original material by award-winning songwriters and concert presentations of new musicals.

Single tickets are $20, $30 and $40, and may be obtained through online purchase at www.ProspectTheater.org or by calling 212-352-3101. Tickets may also be purchased at the door, beginning at 7pm on the night of the concert.

The TimesCenter (www.TheTimesCenter.com) is located at 242 West 41st Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues, in the heart of NYC's Times Square District. The venue features a 378-seat auditorium with state-of-the-art lighting, sound, and video capability, and a Steinway Concert Grand Piano.

National Asian Artists Project (NAAP) is a community of artists, educators, administrators, community leaders, and professionals. It is a not-for-profit organization that recognizes the need to build bridges between the work of artists of Asian descent, and the many communities that the work can serve, from underserved primary school students to seasoned arts patrons. NAAP exists to be a leader in educating, cultivating, and stimulating audiences and artists-current and future-through showcasing exceptional work by vibrant artists of Asian descent. Art constantly evolves, and NAAP strives to command a place at the fore with a uniquely compelling American voice. NAAP believes that artists of Asian descent have many vital roles to play in the fostering of American communities. Through thoughtful educational programming, NAAP seeks to present the richness of theatre arts to underserved children, fostering creative self-discovery and expression. NAAP supports the artistic growth of theatre artists of Asian descent through professional employment opportunities. NAAP builds and cultivates new local and national audiences that encourage patronage and participation in the arts, including predominantly Asian communities unaccustomed to playing a role in the local or national arts dialogue. NAAP captures and archives stories of prominent artists of Asian descent that they may be made available for future generations from which to learn and inspire.

Prospect Theater Company (founded in 1998) is dedicated to fostering and showcasing today's new voices shaping tomorrow's musicals. Since 2000, the company has fully produced more than 30 premiere musicals in New York City, in addition to new plays and numerous re-inventions of classic works. Reflecting its investment in the future of the field, Prospect leads a variety of developmental initiatives, including an annual Musical Theater Lab for emerging writers, and a Summer Intensive training program for teenagers. In recognition of its enterprising and risk-taking new musical theater, the company received a 2016 OBIE Award grant. Their work as a community anchor for emerging artists that strengthens the quality, diversity, and dynamism of American theater was also honored with a 2013 National Theatre Company Grant from the American Theatre Wing. Notable productions include: the Drama Desk Award winning Working (2012), Jasper in Deadland (2014), the Drama-Desk nominated Tamar of the River(2013), Unlock'd (2013), Iron Curtain (2006, 2011), Myths and Hymns (2012), With Glee (2010), The Blue Flower (2008), Golden Boy of the Blue Ridge (2009), The Hidden Sky (2010), Illyria (2002, 2008), and the Drama-Desk nominated The Pursuit of Persephone (2005).

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