LIFE IS FOR LIVING World Premiere to Celebrate Noel Coward at 59E59 Theaters

59E59 Theaters will host the world premiere of LIFE IS FOR LIVING: CONVERSATIONS WITH COWARD, co-created by Simon Green and David Shrubsole. Starring Mr. Green with musical direction by Mr. Shrubsole, LIFE IS FOR LIVING: CONVERSATIONS WITH COWARD was researched by Jason Morell. Produced by Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, LIFE IS FOR LIVING: CONVERSATIONS WITH COWARD begins performances on Tuesday, December 13 for a limited engagement through Sunday, January 1. Press opening is Sunday, December 18 at 7:30 PM.

The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday at 8:30 PM; Saturday at 2:30 PM & 8:30 PM; Sunday at 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM. Please note the holiday performance schedule: Friday, December 23 & December 30 at 5:30 PM; Saturday, December 24 and December 31 at 2:30 PM & 5:30 PM; no performances on Sunday, December 25; Sunday, January 1 at 3:30 PM only. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $25 ($17.50 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or visit www.59e59.org.

A uniquely British take on the twists and turns of life from the creators of the sold-out Coward at Christmas, the Drama Desk-nominated Traveling Light, and So, This Then Is Life.

LIFE IS FOR LIVING: CONVERSATIONS WITH COWARD celebrates Sir Noel Coward's remarkable impact on British and American culture. Fusing theatricality, music, and conversations (both real and imagined) with gems from British musical icon Ivor Novello, LIFE IS FOR LIVING: CONVERSATIONS WITH COWARD blends the wit of Fascinating Aïda's Dillie Keane and the satire of Jeremy Nicholas with the wisdoms of Maya Angelou; the lyricism of Irving Berlin and the syncopation of George Gershwin. An exhilarating and entertaining holiday performance.

Simon Green (co-creator and performer) trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Most recently Simon has played Bernadette in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in the UK national tour and also in Amsterdam, Tel Aviv and Auckland, New Zealand. Prior to Priscilla he played played Bruce Ismay in Titanic (Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre and London's Southwark Playhouse) and M. Andre in Cameron Mackintosh's new production of The Phantom of the Opera (national tour), also Sondheim at 80 and M. Lefevre in the 25th anniversary of Phantom (both at the Albert Hall). Among Simon's other London and West End credits are the original West End productions of three Stephen Sondheim musicals: he appeared as Young Ben in Follies (Shaftesbury Theatre), Torasso in Passion (Queen's Theatre) and as Jules/Bob Greenberg in the multi award winning Sunday in the Park with George (Menier Chocolate Factory and Wyndham's Theatre). Simon made his West End debut playing Tony in the 30th anniversary production of The Boyfriend (Old Vic and Albery Theatres) and went on to play Robespierre in The Scarlet Pimpernel (Her Majesty's); Merrythought in The Knight of the Burning Pestle (Young Vic at the Barbican); Lumiere in Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Dominion); Clorinda in La Cenerentola (Drill Hall); Whizzer in March of the Falsettos (Albery); Brian in Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (Criterion); Titus Lartius in Coriolanus (Young Vic); Frank Shallard in Elmer Gantry (Gate); Dick in Lady Be Good (Regent's Park); And The World Goes 'Round (Union Theatre); Alone Together (King's Head). For the Royal Shakespeare Company, he played the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz (Stratford and Barbican) and Frank Schultz in Showboat (co-production with Opera North - London Palladium and national tour).

Simon has played leading roles in many of Britain's best regional theaters including Bernard Nightingale in Arcadia and Henry Carr in Travesties (both by Tom Stoppard); Crestwell in Noel Coward's Relative Values; the title role in Don Giovanni. He has acted and directed at Sir Alan Ayckbourn's theatre in Scarborough and spent two Christmas seasons as the traditional pantomime dames, Widow Twankey in Aladdin and Sarah the Cook in Dick Whittington, at the Oxford Playhouse.

Together with his long-time musical director and arranger, David Shrubsole, Simon's cabaret, Simon Green - Solo has been seen extensively in London at the Pheasantry, Pizza on the Park, the Café Royal, Leighton House, October Gallery, Riverwalk at Oxo Tower, LauderDale House, Belair House, The Talk of London, Jermyn Street Theatre and at Cliveden. In 1999 he was invited to sing in Mad about the Boy, Noel Coward's centennial gala celebration at Carnegie Hall and he returned to New York to perform his solo show at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall for the Hawthorn Foundation. At 59E59 Theaters, Simon and David presented So, This Then Is Life, Traveling Light (Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Musical Revue) and a sell-out run of Coward at Christmas. They have recorded two CDs, the words and music of Noel Coward - A Changing World and Take Me to the World.

On screen, most recently Simon played the butler to Samuel L Jackson's Valentine in The Secret Service (Warner Brothers), directed by Michael Vaughn; and 24 - Live Another Day (Fox) with Stephen Fry and Mr. Selfridge.

For Brits Off Broadway at 59E59 Theaters, Simon has directed Dillie Keane in Hello Dillie, Being Sellers, Fascinating Aïda in Absolutely Fascinating, Beau Brummel, Cooking for Kings and he was the consulting director for The Hired Man.

David Shrubsole (creator/music director) studied at Trinity College of Music, London. David has written music and lyrics for The Friendship of Town Mouse & Country Mouse, Pinocchio, The Great Wall (Singapore) and So, This Then Is Life (59E59 Theaters, New York).

Compositions include National Gallery Singapore Opening Festival; The Crucible (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Table, The Enchantment (National Theatre, London); The Diary Of Anne Frank (York, Theatre Royal); As You Like It/Merlin (Chester); Macbeth (Singapore Repertory Theatre); Alice (Sheffield Crucible); The Dark Side of Buffoon (Coventry & Lyric Hammersmith); Traveling Light (59E59 Theaters, New York, Drama Desk nomination); Kes (Liverpool Playhouse and Touring Consortium); Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo & Juliet (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre); Hay Fever (Chichester Festival Theatre); Gaslight (Old Vic, London); Total Eclipse (Menier Chocolate Factory); Troilus and Cressida (co-composed with George Stiles, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, nominated for a Jeff Award); French Without Tears(English Touring Theatre); Dead Funny (Oldham Coliseum, Tour); Hobson's Choice (Watermill, Newbury); Epitaph for George Dillon (Comedy Theatre, London); Of Mice And Men (Mercury Theatre, Colchester); A Streetcar Named Desire (Clwyd Theatr Cymru); and Unless (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough).

As an orchestrator/arranger his credits include The Wind in the Willow (UK tour and West End), wonder.land (Manchester International Festival); Porgy & Bess, Hello, Dolly! (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre); Sweeney Todd, Annie (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Ramin (Concert tour); She Stoops To Conquer (National Theatre); I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (Singapore Drama Centre); Barnum, Betty Blue Eyes (Assistant to Bill Brohn); Sing For Your Supper (Cadogan Hall, London); Latin Fever (Peacock Theatre, London); Let's Face the Music and Dance (Salisbury Playhouse), Peter Pan(Birmingham Repertory Theatre); Aspects Of Love (UK tour, South Africa); The Importance of Being Earnest (Vaudeville Theatre, London); The Three Musketeers (Rose Theatre, Kingston, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Assassins, Ain't Misbehavin', A Chorus Line and High Society (Crucible, Sheffield); Annie Get Your Gun (National Tour); A Twist Of Fate (Singapore Repertory Theatre and cast album); Mixed Doubles, Rogues to Riches (Watermill, Newbury); and Take Me To The World and A Changing World (albums). David has worked extensively as MD and arranger for Simon Green and together they have played three seasons at New York's 59E59 Theaters with Coward at Christmas; So, This Then is Life; and Traveling Light (Drama Desk nomination).

Musical Direction credits include: American Psycho (Almeida, Broadway); London Road (National Theatre and Cuba pictures feature film); Matthew Bourne's DorIan Gray (Edinburgh International Festival and World Tour); The Threepenny Opera (also co-lyricist); The Magistrate, Major Barbara, The Alchemist (National Theatre); Just So (Chichester Festival Theatre & Album); Ragtime (Piccadilly, London); MissSaigon (National Tour); My Fair Lady (National Theatre and Theatre Royal, Drury Lane); A Christmas Carol (Royal Festival Hall); Dick Whittington (Sadler's Wells); Martin Guerre (West Yorkshire Playhouse, National Tour & Album); Master Class (Queens, London); Chess (National Tour, Oslo); and Carmen Jones (European Tour).

Jason Morell (researcher) studiEd English at Oxford and trained at Central. As an actor he has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, for Cheek by Jowl, Headlong and The Wrestling School, appearing in many major London and regional theaters. Films include Mrs Brown, Wilde, Damage and The Gathering with frequent television appearances including "Dr. Who," "Affinity," "Second Sight," "Hear the Silence," and "Ultimate Force." As a director, his work includes productions at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, Shakespeare's Globe and the National Theatre Studio. As a writer, his most recent projects have included collaborations with the Royal Opera House and the UK Film Council.

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