York Theatre Company Will Present The World Premiere Of CHEEK TO CHEEK: IRVING BERLIN IN HOLLYWOOD

The York Theatre Company will present the Off-Broadway premiere of Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood, a song and dance celebration featuring the music and lyrics of the legendary Irving Berlin, with book by Barry Kleinbort (13 Things About Ed Carpolotti) and music direction by David Hancock Turner (York's Desperate Measures), directed and choreographed by four-time Tony Award nominee Randy Skinner (42nd Street, Dames at Sea, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, and Ain't Broadway Grand). Performances begin Friday, April 17, 2020 for a limited engagement through Sunday afternoon, May 17, 2020 at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). Opening Night is set for Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 6:45 p.m. Cast and creative team will be announced shortly.

Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood is an all-singing, all-dancing celebration of the most famous songs that Irving Berlin composed for the silver screen. Mr. Berlin understood the impact dance had on the public and his melodies, rhythms, and lyrics reflected his love of that art form. Six spectacular performers will perform these magnificent songs and will also tell the stories behind the man who made the music that made the movies dance. Four-time Tony nominee Randy Skinner directs and choreographs an evening featuring an array of classic Berlin tunes from such classic films as Top Hat, Alexander's Ragtime Band, Holiday Inn, Easter Parade, White Christmas, and many more!

"When Riki Kane Larimer brought me the idea of doing this show, I was delighted," said James Morgan, York's Producing Artistic Director. "Irving Berlin is one of everybody's favorite composers-a true icon of the Golden Age. And Randy Skinner is an amazingly talented gentleman of the theater. To have him creating a show for The York's stage is another highlight of our 50th Anniversary Season; it's a perfect match!"

Randy Skinner's Broadway shows include 42nd Street (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Astaire nominations), Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Tony, Drama Desk nominations), Dames At Sea (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Astaire nominations), Ain't Broadway Grand (Tony, Outer Critics nominations), State Fair (Outer Critics nomination), and After the Night and the Music. For City Center Encores!, Mr. Skinner choreographed Do Re Mi, Of Thee I Sing, Face the Music, No, No, Nanette, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Lady, Be Good; he played the role of Pa Dolan in their production of On Your Toes. Off-Broadway, he choreographed Lone Star Love (Lucille Lortel nomination). Other shows include the Kennedy Center's Broadway: Three Generations. West End shows: Lend Me a Tenor: The Musical, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, 42nd Street (Olivier nomination). For Lincoln Center/PBS, he choreographed Show Boat with the NY Philharmonic Orchestra. In Los Angeles: Stormy Weather (with Leslie Uggams at The Pasadena Playhouse), Garry Marshall's Happy Days, Hello, Dolly! (with Nell Carter), Pal Joey (with Dixie Carter and Elaine Stritch), and Strike Up the Band (with Tom Bosley). For Goodspeed Musicals: Babes in Arms, George M!, and Lucky in the Rain. Mr. Skinner's tapping can be heard on the recordings of Sondheim at the Movies, 110 in the Shade, Strike Up the Band, and Lucky in the Rain. He has received the LA Drama Critics, LA Drama-logue, Bay Area Theatre Critics, Connecticut Critics Circle, and Cleveland Times Theatre Awards. Mr. Skinner is a Columbus, Ohio native and graduate of the Ohio State University.

Barry Kleinbort (Book) has earned the prestigious Edward Kleban Foundation Award for Lyric Writing, two Gilman-Gonzalez Musical Theatre Awards, the Second Stage Musical Writers Award, the Jamie deRoy/ASCAP award, two BackStage Bistro awards and ten Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC) awards for his directorial and songwriting efforts. He wrote the book and lyrics for the musical Was (music by Joseph Thalken, based on the novel by Geoff Ryman), which was the inaugural production of the American Musical Theater Project in Chicago. He co-wrote with David Levy Perfect Harmony, a musical play about the lives of the Barry Sisters, which ran for six months in South Florida. As a composer/lyricist, he wrote music and lyrics for Metropolita(i)n, a bi-lingual musical revue, which has successfully played in Paris and New York. He provided scripts for eight PBS TV specials and was an artistic consultant for "Cathouse: The Musical" for HBO. His newest musical, 13 Things about Ed Carpolotti, had a successful Off-Broadway run at 59E59 starring Penny Fuller and made its regional theater debut in 2014 at the Merrimack Rep in Lowell, Massachusetts, again with Ms. Fuller, and under Mr. Kleinbort's direction. He has directed and/or written material for Brent Barrett, Petula Clark, Marvin Hamlisch, Kaye Ballard, Regis Philbin, John Barrowman, Tony Roberts, Anita Gillette, Karen Mason, Sylvia McNair, Harolyn Blackwell, Heather MacRae, and many, many others. He has also directed topical revues and intimate theater productions, including Rita Gardner's Try to Remember: A Look at Off-Broadway and Kaye Ballard's Off-Broadway revue Working 42nd Street at Last! He adapted and directed the New York premiere of Bob Merrill's musical The Prince of Grand Street for the Jewish Rep and John Epperson's autobiographical one-man outing Show Trash at both the Studio Theater in Washington, D.C and Off-Broadway as part of the acclaimed Lypsinka trilogy at the Connelly Theater. A well-received revue of his theater songs, Big City Rhythm, is available on Harbinger Records.

Riki Kane Larimer (Associate Producer) hails from the world of housewares where her company, Metrokane, created and marketed the famous Rabbit Corkscrew. After selling Metrokane in 2014, she embarked upon a career in theater where she co-produced the London production of Memphis followed by On the Town and Gigi on Broadway, the Off-Broadway productions of Georgie, Bright Colors-Bold Patterns, and York Theatre's productions of Cagney and Enter Laughing. Riki's major theatrical accomplishment is the widely acclaimed production of Cagney starring Robert Creighton, which started at The York, followed by a run at the Westside Theater, a stunning 15-month success, and is now in an expanded developmental production at The Pioneer Theatre (Salt Lake City, UT). She looks forward to bringing Cagney to The Great White Way. Riki is the Vice President of the Board of Directors at The York Theatre, and is a trustee on the Board of Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor on Long Island.

Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood will play the following performance schedule: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., Thursday at 2:30 p.m., Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. & 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Please note: There are no Thursday evening performances.

York Member tickets for Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood are now available. Tickets will be available to the General Public beginning February 12 and will be priced at $67.50 - $72.50. Tickets may be purchased by calling (212) 935-5820, online at www.yorktheatre.org, or in person at the box office at the York Theatre at Saint Peter's (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue), Monday through Friday (12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.). Senior Rush tickets are available in-person beginning one hour prior to performances for $20 cash only. Student tickets can be purchased anytime in advance at the box office during regular box office business hours. Limit one ticket per valid student ID and tickets are subject to availability. Student Rush tickets are $20.00 cash or credit. The York Theatre also offers $25 tickets for guests aged 35 years and under. Groups of 10 or more, contact Great White Way at 212-757-9117, or GreatWhiteWay.com. (*York Members receive Priority Seating and Discounted Tickets.)

The York Theatre Company offers the York! Membership Program, an exclusive membership package for as low as $75.00-with elite benefits that include up to 35% off tickets to York Theatre Productions, exclusive Member pre-sale opportunities, 50% off on all lobby concessions, 20% off on all lobby merchandise, discounts at local restaurants and parking garages, in addition to special Member-only receptions. The York also offers a York Plus! Membership Program with additional perks, including complimentary tickets to Mainstage productions and invites to several VIP-only presentations throughout the season.

York Memberships can be purchased online at www.yorktheatre.org/membership, or by visiting The York Theatre Company Box Office (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue), or by calling the Box Office at (212) 935-5820 during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.).

York Theatre Company Gift Cards are available for any production during the 2019-2020 season by visiting the box office or calling (212) 935-5820, or online at www.yorktheatre.org

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