Bobby the Middle-Aged Celebrity Opens at the JewelBox Theater, 3/18

Bobby the Middle-Aged Celebrity-- the nvr 2 L8 2 b famous musical opens March 18 at WorkShop Theater Company's JewelBox Theater.  Directed by Natalie Mosco, this show is a hilariously funny, basically one-person musical extravaganza, written & composed by & superstarring Bobby, aka Robert I. Rubinsky.  With musical direction and sarcasm by Larry Spivack, BOBBY will begin a series of special Friday late-night shows on March 18 through May 27 at the WorkShop Theater Company's (co-producer) Jewel Box Theater, 312 West 36 Street, 4th floor. Showtime is 10:45-ish PM.

"BOBBY is the almost true story of how I - a Jewish, gay man with Tourette Syndrome - became the hottest young talent in America - NO, MAKE THAT THE WORLD!!! Along with my almost true story are 14 original songs that I wrote," notes Mr. Rubinsky.

This is Bobby's journey to become famous, a brand, a household name. He has had many incarnations in this quest, almost getting to the top, then falling flat on his face. As the years fly by, the show touches on his upward and downward climbs, and with his inspiring self-help tapes, culminates with superstardom and his entree into the political arena.

Robert I. Rubinsky aka Robert I. has been involved in performance for over four decades. He started writing songs at 14 so he could become a teen idol, then auditioning for The TEd Mack Amateur hour on national television. But at 19 he somehow found himself in the original cast of HAIR on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre. Still trying to become a teen idol, he toured the world with HAIR - ultimately playing the Holiday Inn in Africa. After the obligatory dry spell in show biz, he made his first comeback as Herod in Jesus Christ, Superstar. During the next dry spell he started writing the ill-fated Broadway-bound Dementos with Marc Shaiman (of Hairspray and every other fame). Time to reinvent himself again, so he became a poetry/monologue performance artist really before there was the term performance artist, culminating with his show My Life In Bed at LaMama. Dry spell, dry spell, dry spell and he became a screenwriter signed to and dropped by almost every top Hollywood agent. 'I Hate You Simon Cowell' from his London 'Instant Celebrity...just add water' is on itunes.

Natalie Mosco (Director) has been a performer, writer, choreographer, director, and teacher on three continents. Like "Bobby", she hopes to be relevant some day. Her performing includes leading roles on Broadway (The Magic Show), London's West End (Grand Hotel), Paris' Boulevard (Hair), and throughout Australia and New Zealand (originating roles in TV, film and stage.) A member of the Original Broadway Cast of Hair - just like "Bobby"! --she toured the world choreographing its productions in Toronto, Boston, Paris, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland. Performing highlights: partnering with Donald Saddler in Paper Mill Playhouse's revival of Follies; the title role in her original play, A Brush with Georgia O'Keeffe here in New York and at The Smithsonian Institute in DC; and originating the role of "Sophie" for NJ Rep's production The Housewives of Mannheim (at 59E59Street, NJ Rep and in Santa Barbara.) She is a Doctor of Creative Arts through the University of Sydney.

Larry Spivack aka Mr. Spooch has composed scores for theatre, ballet and film and has performed as a percussionist with the Metropolitan Opera and 41 Broadway shows. He is also a co-inventor of "Cymbal Guy," a patented device that lets you play a loud crash from a pair of cymbals using a foot pedal.

WorkShop Theater Company's mission is to provide a creative home for our diverse group of playwrights, directors and actors, to hone their talents and cultivate projects, from inspiration through finished production, while encouraging our audience to partner with us in developing new works.

Tickets are $12 at the door; $20 at the door includes two drinks. To order tickets go to www.workshoptheater.org or call 866-811-4111.

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