J2 Spotlight Musical Theater Company Announces 2023 Season Featuring WOMAN OF THE YEAR & More

J2 Spotlight Musical Theater Company has announced the exciting three-musical lineup for its third season. The 2023 season, running April 13 through May 21, 2023 at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street - between 9th and Dyer Avenues), will include Woman of the Year, Sugar, and The Goodbye Girl. Creative teams and casting for the 2023 season will be announced in the coming weeks. Subscriptions for all three shows with a 25% discount are now on sale and single tickets will go on sale starting Tuesday, January 24, 2023.

"After considering dozens of candidates, we are thrilled to have settled on this three-show line-up for our third season," said Jim Jimirro, Executive Producer / Co-Founder. "Every one of the composers, lyricists, and librettists of these shows is at the pinnacle of the golden age of the American Musical. So, each of these three musicals richly deserves to be enjoyed again."

"This year we get to bring back the works of legends like Kander and Ebb, Styne and Merrill, Hamlisch and Zippel, as well as Peter Stone and Neil Simon," said Robert W. Schneider, Artistic Director / Co-Founder. "We could not be more excited that the authors and their estates have entrusted J2 Spotlight to bring these fabulous works backs to New York audiences."

The spring season kicks off with Woman of the Year (April 13 - 23) a Tony Award-winning adaptation of the classic film starring Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Peter Stone. The sassy and clever musical centers around Tess Harding, America's most famous TV reporter, and Sam Craig, America's most famous cartoonist. When Tess goes on air to insult Sam's work, the two start an epically public feud in their respective mediums. The feud turns to romance but not to harmony, in a delightful battle of the sexes between two outsized egos. The Kander and Ebb score features "Sometimes a Day Goes By," "I Wrote the Book" and "The Grass is Always Greener."

The second show of the season is the brash, brassy, and exuberant, Sugar (April 27 - May 7) based on the screenplay "Some Like It Hot" and featuring music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill, and a book by Peter Stone. Sugar follows the zany antics of two male musicians of the Prohibition era who witness a gang slaying. Hoping to hide from the mob, Jerry and Joe disguise themselves as "Daphne" and "Josephine" and join an all-female orchestra. Complications ensue when Joe falls for Sugar Kane, the group's lead singer. The fabulous score includes "Penniless Bums," "The Beauty That Drives Men Mad," "We Could Be Close" and "Beautiful Through and Through."

The spring season closes out with the Neil Simon (book), Marvin Hamlisch (music), and David Zippel (lyrics) romantic dramedy, The Goodbye Girl (May 11 - May 21) based on the film which starred Marsha Mason and Richard Dreyfus in an Academy Award-winning performance. The Goodbye Girl follows the unlikely romance between Paula, a single mother who has been jilted one too many times, and Eliot, the opinionated actor who shows up - unexpectedly - on her doorstep with a lease to sublet her apartment. The tuneful and snappy score features "A Beat Behind," "Eliot Garfield Grant," and "I Think I Can Play This Part."

J2 Spotlight Musical Theater Company presents professional revivals of worthy Broadway musicals; in doing so it provides an opportunity for patrons to re-visit these shows and, in some cases, experience them for the first time. The Company chooses shows that it deems deserving of continued exposure. The company, as part of its casting, will introduce audiences to emerging artists within the New York theatrical community. The productions will include frequent lagniappes designed to enhance audience appreciation of the classic works. Honorary Board members include Lynn Ahrens, Jim Brochu, Peter Filichia, Stephen Flaherty, Randy Graff, LaChanze, Donna McKechnie, Mel Miller, James Morgan, Lonny Price, Ken Page, Robbie Rozelle, Stephen Schwartz, and Allyson Tucker-Mitchell. For more information, visit j2spotlightnyc.com.

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Woman of the Year

Music: John Kander

Lyrics: Fred Ebb

Book: Peter Stone

Based on the MGM film by Ring Lardner, Jr. and Michael Kana

April 13th, 14th, 15th, 20th, 21st, 22nd at 7:30 PM

April 15th and 22nd at 2 PM and April 16th and 23rd at 3 PM

Tess Harding is America's most famous TV reporter and Sam Craig is America's most famous cartoonist. When Tess goes on air to insult Sam's work, the two start an epically public feud in their respective mediums. The feud turns to romance but not to harmony, in this delightful battle of the sexes between two outsized egos.

Woman of the Year is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals.

Sugar

Music: Jule Syne

Lyrics: Bob Merrill

Book: Peter Stone

Based on the screenplay "Some Like it Hot" by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond

Based on a story by Robert Thoeren

April 27th, 28th, 29th, May 4th, 5th, and 6th at 7:30 PM

April 29th and May 6th at 2 PM and April 30th and May 7th at 3 PM

Based on the film Some Like It Hot, Sugar follows the zany antics of two male musicians of the Prohibition era who witness a gang slaying. Hoping to hide from the mob, Jerry and Joe disguise themselves as "Daphne" and "Josephine" and join an all-female orchestra. Complications ensue when Joe falls for Sugar Kane, the group's lead singer.

Sugar is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark, LLC.

The Goodbye Girl

Music: Marvin Hamlisch

Lyrics: David Zippel

Book: Neil Simon

Based on the screenplay "The Goodbye Girl" by Neil Simon

May 11th, 12th, 13th, 18th, 19th, 20th at 7:30 PM

May 13th and May 20th at 2 PM, and May 14th and May 21st at 3 PM

The Goodbye Girl follows the unlikely romance between Paula, a single mother who has been jilted one too many times, and Eliot, the opinionated actor who shows up - unexpectedly - on her doorstep with a lease to sublet her apartment.

The Goodbye Girl is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals.

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