Poppy Seed Players Perform SUNSHINE At at Merkin Concert Hall 3/21

Join the Poppy Seed Players at Merkin Concert Hall for a rousing performance of the family musical Sunshine based on the book by Madeline author Ludwig Bemelmans. With book, music and lyrics by Jennifer Draganski, Sean Hartley and John O'Neill, Sunshine tells the story of a spirited music teacher and resourceful students who save their school when it is threatened by a villainous landlord.

The grumpy landlord, Mr. Sunshine, wants nothing but peace and quiet in his brownstone in Gramercy Park, New York. When he meets Miss Moore, a sweet and slightly daffy older woman, he thinks he has found a perfect tenant and immediately signs her to a five-year lease. The next day, Mr. Sunshine discovers that Miss Moore intends to run a music school in her apartment. Enraged, he tries to evict her, but the imperturbable Miss Moore is so dedicated to sharing the joys of music with her students that she barely notices his displeasure and resists all attempts to be moved. However, after hearing a radio weather forecast calling for rain, Miss Moore attends a public auction where she unwittingly bids the rent money on a lot of 500 umbrellas. She is now unable to pay the rent, and Mr. Sunshine plans to evict her and the school. But the students take matters into their own hands, raising the necessary money by selling the umbrellas. Mr. Sunshine moves out of the building, defeated, but then realizes he is lonely without the children. He returns to his building and becomes a patron of the music school. The ensemble of children has several stirring musical numbers, including the contrapuntal "The Rain Song" (in which they sell the umbrellas), "The Auction" (sung with the auctioneer), "Get Out Your Parasol" (sung with Max Marvel, the weather man, in a '40s-style fantasy sequence) and Miss Moore's theme song about the joys of music, "Make a Joyful Noise."

Now celebrating their 20th season, the Poppy Seed Players perform musical plays for children about the Jewish heritage and life in New York City. The cast includes Rob Gardner, Kathryn Markey, and Jason Robinson. They'll be joined by the Kaufman Kids, a troupe of young performers from Kaufman Center's Lucy Moses School and Special Music School.

Sunday, March 21, 2010 at 11 am
For ages 4-11 and adults

Single tickets: $20

Merkin Concert Hall
129 West 67th Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam)
Tickets at 212 501 3330 or www.kaufman-center.org

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