James Beaman, Keith Gerchak And More Lead The Road To Qatar!, Begins 1/25

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) presents the Off-Broadway premiere of the new true musical comedy, The Road to Qatar!, featuring book and lyrics by Stephen Cole and music by David Krane, with direction by Phillip George (Forbidden Broadway), choreography by Bob Richard (Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!) and musical direction by David Caldwell (Children of Eden). The five-member cast features James Beaman (Spamalot, National Tour) as Michael, Keith Gerchak (Finding Nemo, The Musical) as Jeffrey, Bill Nolte (La Cage aux Folles) as Mansour, Sarah Stiles (Avenue Q) as Nazirah, and Bruce Warren (The Wizard of Oz) as Farid.

Performances begin Tuesday, January 25, 2011 and continue through Sunday, February 27, 2011 at The Theatre at Saint Peter's (619 Lexington Avenue, entrance on East 54th Street). Opening night is set for Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

The Road to Qatar is a new true musical comedy about two American musical theatre writers commissioned to do the impossible: write a larger-than-life Broadway-style mega-musical for the Emir of Qatar that includes 100 actors, 40 camels, 17 fire-eating jugglers and Muhammad Ali. Surprises abound as the quirky self-professed "short Jewish writers" leave New York and begin trotting the globe in their own version of a madcap Bob Hope/Bing Crosby adventure.

The creative team also includes Michael Bottari & Ronald Case (Set, Costume & Puppet Design), Martin Vreeland (Lights), and Chris Kateff (Projections). The Production Stage Manager is Sarah Hall. The musical is produced by special arrangement with Paul Burchett in association with Coltrane, LLC.

The Road to Qatar will play the following performance schedule: Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m., Wednesdays- Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. & 8:00 p.m., with special Sunday matinee performances on February 13th, 20th & 27th at 2:30pm. There is a special added performance on Monday, January 31st at 7:00 p.m. and an early Wednesday evening performance on February 2nd at 7:00 p.m.

Please visit www.yorktheatre.org for the complete performance schedule. Tickets are $67.50 and are available online at www.yorktheatre.org, by calling (212) 935-5820, or in person at the box office at the York Theatre at Saint Peter's (enter on 54th Street, just East of Lexington), and are currently on sale through Sunday, February 27th. Running time is approximately 95 minutes.

The York Theatre Company is the only theater in New York City - and one of very few in the world - dedicated to developing and fully producing new musicals and preserving neglected, notable shows from the past. Over the past two seasons, York productions and artists have been nominated for a combined 31 Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, AUDELCO and Callaway Awards (and its productions of Yank! A WWII Love Story and Enter Laughing, The Musical have both been announced for Broadway transfers). For over four decades, York's intimate, imaginative style of producing both original and neglected classic musicals has resulted in critical acclaim and recognition from artists and audiences alike. Under the guidance of Artistic Director James Morgan since 1997, the York has focused exclusively on new musicals in its Mainstage Series-most of them world, American, or New York premieres-by some of the field's most esteemed creators, and has also helped launch the careers of many talented new writers. Over 30 cast recordings from York Theatre Company productions are now available on CD, and commercial transfers of such York premieres as The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), Souvenir, Jolson & Company, and its acclaimed revivals of Sweeney Todd and Pacific Overtures have all showcased the importance of the York and its programs.

 

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