Vineyard Theatre Will Host a Music & Lyric Brunch Celebrating Its Musical Theatre History

Vineyard Theatre Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern have announced Music & Lyrics, a benefit brunch celebrating 40 years of The Vineyard's Musical Past, Present and Future at West Bank Cafe (407 W 42nd St) on Sunday, May 7th, from 12:15 - 2:30pm. Attendees will enjoy the stories behind the songs from 40 years of Vineyard musical theatre history, with a special nod to the late Fred Ebb (lyricist of The Vineyard's The Scottsboro Boys). Following brunch and mimosas will be the 3:00pm matinee of White Girl In Danger at the Tony Kiser Theatre (305 W 43rd St). White Girl in Danger was recently nominated for three Drama League Awards including Outstanding Performance, Outstanding Direction of a Musical and Outstanding Production of a Musical.

Special guests will include Michael R. Jackson (Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for A Strange Loop, White Girl in Danger), Michael Mayer (Tony Award for Spring Awakening), Polly Pen (Vineyard Theatre's Bed and Sofa), Rona Siddiqui (A Strange Loop, One Good Day), Chris Miller (Tuck Everlasting), Judy Kuhn (Fun Home, Vineyard Theatre's Eli's Comin'), Raja Feather Kelly (White Girl in Danger), Debra Monk (Steel Pier, Redwood Curtain, "Grey's Anatomy") and more to be announced.

This event is sponsored by the Fred Ebb Foundation. Established in 2005, the foundation bestows an annual award to an aspiring musical theatre songwriter or songwriting team and makes an annual contribution to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Since its first contribution in 2005, the Ebb Foundation has donated over 18 million dollars to Broadway Cares.

Tickets are $375 which includes brunch, open bar, and a premium house seat ticket for the 3:00pm performance of White Girl In Danger or $250 for brunch only tickets. Proceeds from the Music & Lyrics event support the future of musical theatre development at The Vineyard, and their 40th season. ABOUT Vineyard Theatre

Under the artistic leadership of Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern, Vineyard Theatre develops and produces new plays and musicals that push the boundaries of what theatre can be and do. For nearly 40 years, The Vineyard has nurtured a community of fearless theatre makers whose work has expanded the form, the field, and the larger culture. Vineyard Theatre has transferred eleven shows to Broadway, seven directly after their acclaimed Vineyard premieres: Lucas Hnath's Dana H. and Tina Satter's Is This A Room (both New York Times Best Theatre of 2021); Paula Vogel's Indecent; Nicky Silver's The Lyons; Kander, Ebb and Thompson's The Scottsboro Boys; Bell and Bowen's [title of show]; and Avenue Q by Marx, Lopez and Whitty (Tony Award, Best Musical). In recent years, four additional shows launched at The Vineyard have been revived in their first Broadway productions: Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning How I Learned to Drive; Lanie Robertson's Lady Day At Emerson's Bar And Grill; Becky Mode's Fully Committed; and Edward Albee's Pulitzer Prize-winning Three Tall Women.

From our home in NYC's Union Square, The Vineyard develops and premieres new plays and musicals which go on to be seen around the country and the world. Recently, Jeremy O. Harris' play "Daddy" (2019) received its London premiere at the Almeida; Ngozi Anyanwu's Good Grief (2018) and David Cale's Harry Clarke (2017) were recorded by Audible; Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Gloria (2014), a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, transferred to Chicago's Goodman Theatre; Paula Vogel's Tony Award-winning Indecent (2016) aired on PBS's "Great Performances" and was one of the most-produced plays nationwide in 2019; and Colman Domingo's Dot (2016) is being adapted into an AMC series. The Vineyard's first major digital work, Lessons in Survival, was named one of the top theatrical experiences of 2020 by the New York Times and has been viewed by audiences in more than 40 countries.

The Vineyard's Paula Vogel Playwriting Award, Susan Stroman Directing Award, and Colman Domingo Award provide residencies to early-career artists and our education programs serve over 700 New York City public high school students annually, culminating in Developing Artists' REBEL VERSES Youth Arts Festival. The Roth-Vogel New Play Commission is awarded annually to a mid- to late-career playwright to create and develop a new play with The Vineyard. Our work and artists have been honored with numerous awards including Pulitzer Prizes and Tony Awards, and the company is proud to be the recipient of special Drama Desk, Obie, and Lucille Lortel Awards for artistic excellence and support of artists.

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