The York Theatre Company's BLIND LEMON BLUES Enters Last Days Of Run, Closes 10/4

This is the last chance to catch The York Theatre Company's acclaimed production of Blind Lemon Blues, called "an inspired, highly original tribute" by Associated Press. Performances continue through Sunday, October 4th only.

Blind Lemon Blues and The York Theatre Company was honored by the Hon. Charles B. Rangel who included Blind Lemon Blues in the Congressional Record in honor of its first performance on September 8th, 2009.

Performances for Blind Lemon Blues, featuring more than 60 Blind Lemon Jefferson songs, began September 8th, with Opening Night set for Tuesday, September 15th. All performances will be at the company's home at The Theatre at Saint Peter's (54th Street just east of Lexington Avenue). To purchase tickets, visit www.yorktheatre.org or call 212/935-5820.

Featured as Blind Lemon Jefferson is co-writer Akin Babatunde. His other credits include his one-man show written with his brother, celebrated actor Obba Babatunde, entitled Before the Second Set - a Visit with Satchmo, which has received critical acclaim at theaters across the country. Also featured in the cast are Cavin Yarbrough and Alisa Peoples Yarbrough (of Yarbrough & Peoples, who received a Grammy nomination for the hit single "Don't Stop the Music"), Inga Ballard, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Timothy Parham, with Skip Krevens on guitar.

Blind Lemon Blues was created by Alan Govenar and Akin Babatunde, has musical arrangements by Akin Babatunde, Cavin Yarbrough and Alisa Peoples Yarbrough, and is directed and choreographed by Mr. Babatunde. Scenic design is by Russel Parkman, lighting design by Steve Woods and costume design by Tommy Bourgeois. It will be presented by The York Theatre Company and Documentary Arts, in association with Central Track Productions.

Blind Lemon Blues pays homage to Blind Lemon Jefferson, America's best-selling country blues singer of the 1920s. The New York Times called this new musical "a lively and intelligent new musical. . . an inspiration." Seen briefly at the York in 2007, Blind Lemon Blues combines blues, gospel, R&B, soul, doo-wop and rap to evoke the enduring legacy of Blind Lemon and his contemporaries. Prepare to "go weak at the knees" as "Blind Lemon Jefferson's voice emerges with full force" (Variety).

Jefferson was a blind street musician who played his guitar with a tin cup tied to it until a Paramount Records scout discovered him. Between 1926 and 1929, Jefferson made more than 80 records and became the biggest selling down-home blues singer in America. Blind Lemon Blues is set in New York City in 1948 at the last recording session of the legendary Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Leadbelly, and combines elements of traditional blues, gospel, rhythm and blues, soul, doo-wop, and rap to evoke the enduring legacy of Blind Lemon and his contemporaries Blind Willie Johnson, Lillian Glinn, Hattie Hudson, Bobbie Cadillac, Lillian Miller and Leadbelly himself.

Now in its 40th year, The York Theatre Company was nominated for five 2009 Drama Desk Awards, four 2009 Lucille Lortel Awards, two Outer Critics Circle Awards, and two Drama League Awards for its productions of Enter Laughing, The Musical and My Vaudeville Man! last season. The York is the only theater in New York City - and one of very few in the world - dedicated to developing and fully producing new musicals, as well as preserving gems from the past. Winner of a special Drama Desk Award for developing and producing new musical theatre, York's intimate, imaginative style of producing both original and 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 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. A number of York's Mainstage productions, including The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), Souvenir, Jolson & Company, Pacific Overtures and Sweeney Todd, have moved to commercial productions on Broadway and Off-. Musicals in Mufti series presents notable musicals from the past in simply-staged concert format. The York's Developmental Reading Series, which presents nearly 40 free readings of new musicals every year, was the incubator for the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit Avenue Q, among many other significant shows.

To post a comment, you must register and login.