Orfeh to Join MusicTalks' THE BROADWAY CLASSICS: FROM RHAPSODY IN BLUE TO BROADWAY

MusicTalks will present The Broadway Classics: From Rhapsody in Blue to Broadway on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at 7:30PM at The Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan.

Curated by Artistic Director Elad Kabilio, the concert pays tribute to George Gershwin, one of the most beloved composers of the 20th century. Gershwin's writing blends vastly different musical styles, drawing from jazz, blues, and classical music. This program explores the range of Gershwin's writing through MusicTalks' unique presentation format, which includes spoken dialogue in between musical movements. Throughout the evening, eleven-time Emmy winner and host of NY1's "On Stage" Frank DiLella will share anecdotes and stories about the music, breaking down the fourth wall and inviting the audience to participate more actively in the performance. The program centers around a new arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue for string quintet and solo piano by Nathalie Tenenbaum, and special guest star, Tony-nominated Broadway icon Orfeh.com/">Orfeh, will round out the performance with new renditions of works from The Great American Songbook.

"Gershwin broke down barriers between different musical styles, and by presenting Rhapsody in Blue alongside Gershwin's Broadway hits, we're highlighting the range of his compositional output," remarks Frank DiLella. "Rhapsody in Blue seamlessly blends elements of classical with jazz to present a vivid musical portrait of America in the 1920 and his popular songs laid the groundwork for musical theater's evolution in the 20th century. We're especially excited to be inviting audiences to experience his music in this intimate setting in the 125th anniversary year of his birth, and to be featuring Broadway star Orfeh."

"Gershwin's music has played an enormously important role in my theatrical career," said Orfeh. "As a recording artist from the pop world I segued into musical theater, singing many contemporary Pop songs, but my second show on Broadway, Fascinating Rhythm, was a revue of Gershwin's most popular songs. Over the years I always come back to his music, and I'm looking forward to singing brand new arrangements of his songs on this program."

Immediately after the performance, audiences will have the opportunity to meet Frank DiLella, Orfeh, and Nathalie Tenenbaum at a ticketed reception.

Event Information:

The Broadway Classics: From Rhapsody in Blue to Broadway
Wednesday, November 29, 2023, at 7:30PM
The Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan
334 Amsterdam Ave at, W 76th St, New York, NY 10023
Link: https://bit.ly/3Sgnu5J

Program:
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and selected songs

Ticket Information:
Tickets are available at eventbrite.com. General Admission - $30; Prime Seating - $50; Prime Seating and VIP Reception and Artist Meet and Greet - $120

About MusicTalks

MusicTalks offers uniquely personal and informal concerts featuring a wide range of musical styles performed by the finest artists in New York. MusicTalks aims to break down the barriers between musicians and audiences by infusing engaging and interactive conversation into the concert experience. Audiences will form new connections to the music and have an experience that truly makes Music Talk.

About Orfeh

Tony and Grammy Award nominee Orfeh most recently starred as Kit De Luca in Pretty Woman the Musical on Broadway (Broadway.com audience choice awards).

Other favorite Broadway credits include Paulette in Legally Blonde: The Musical (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, Broadway.com Audience Award), Saturday Night Fever, Fascinating Rhythm, Footloose. Off-Broadway: Love, Loss, and What I Wore, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Love, Janis. She also had a memorable cameo in the 50th anniversary concert of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Lincoln Center.

TV/Film: Netflix's The Good Cop, Sleeping with the Fishes (with Gina Rodgriguez), Across the Universe, Film U, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: SVU, Sex and the City, Chappelle's Show.

She has performed at Lincoln Center with her husband, Olivier Award winner and three-time Tony nominee Andy Karl, and at Carnegie Hall with Tituss Burgess.

Her extensive recording career includes leading the '90s pop group Or-N-More and she has performed with many music legends from the O'Jays to Chaka Kahn. Her solo CD, "What Do You Want From Me," live album "Orfeh & Andy Karl: Legally Bound - Live at Feinstein's/54 Below" and new single of "Yesterday / Time After Time / Shallow" (with Andrew Logan and Andy Karl) are available on iTunes.

About Frank DiLella

Frank DiLella is the eleven-time Emmy Award winning host of "On Stage" on Spectrum News NY1 in New York City, the news channel's weekly half-hour entertainment program.

DiLella's celebrity interviews, along with his in-depth reporting of the theatrical scene, have helped make him a trusted friend and confidant within the theater and entertainment communities in New York City and around the globe.

Over the years, DiLella has acted as a contributing correspondent for the Tony Awards, the Olivier Awards at London's Royal Albert Hall, Playbill, MANHATTAN Magazine and Broadway Direct. He has appeared as an entertainment correspondent for "Morning Joe", BBC, The Tamron Hall Show, Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live", AOL BUILD Series, Sirius XM, CBS, NBC, CTV, and Al Jazeera TV.

In January of 2022, Frank executive produced and hosted the documentary - "Reopening: The Broadway Revival" for Great Performances on PBS.

He's made multiple big and small screen appearances as "himself" including - Ryan Murphy's "The Prom" - opposite Meryl Streep (NETFLIX), "Smash" (NBC), "The Little Voice" (APPLE TV+), "Gossip Girl" (HBO MAX) and "The Forty-Year-Old Version" (SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL / NETFLIX).

A strong advocate of arts education, DiLella currently serves on the board of The Roger Rees Awards and is a part of the selection committee for the annual Clive Barnes Award and Foundation - which honors talented young professionals in the artistic fields of dance and theater.

DiLella received a degree from Fordham University at Lincoln Center and has since returned to his alma mater as an adjunct professor teaching entertainment journalism.

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