SONGBIRD Set for 59E59 Theaters' 5A Season

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) is thrilled to welcome SONGBIRD, written by Michael Kimmel, with music & lyrics by Lauren Pritchard, and directed by JV Mercanti. Produced by Allison Bressi and Diana Buckhantz by special association with Less Than Rent Theatre for the 5A Season, SONGBIRD begins performances on Tuesday, October 20 for a limited engagement through Sunday, November 29. Opening Night is Wednesday, October 28 at 7 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7 PM; Friday at 8 PM; Saturday at 2 PM & 8 PM; and Sunday at 3 PM. Please note: there is an added performance on Sunday, October 25 at 7 PM; there is no performance on Thursday, November 26 in observance of Thanksgiving. Tickets are $70 ($49 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or visit www.59e59.org.

Dreams, ambition, love, and heartbreak. SONGBIRD is a striking new show about a fading country star coming home to Nashville. After many years away, Tammy returns to the Honky Tonk that launched her music career to help the son she abandoned launch his own. But with jealousy and self-destruction (along with copious amounts of whiskey) fueling this homecoming, will Tammy's arrival do more harm than good?

SONGBIRD by Michael Kimmel (The Last Goodbye) is based on Anton Chekov's The Seagull, and features a sultry soundtrack filled with heartbreaking ballads and soaring anthems that pay homage to music writer/lyricist Lauren Pritchard's (Spring Awakening) Tennessee roots.

The cast features Ephie Aardema (Parade at Lincoln Center In Concert); Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin (Big Fish, Finian's Rainbow), Adam Cochran (The Last Goodbye at The Old Globe), Tony Award nominee Erin Dilly (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, A Christmas Story, The Musical), Don Guillory (Stickfly), Drew McVety (The Last Ship, Sunday in the Park with George), Eric William Morris (Coram Boy, Mamma Mia!), Kacie Sheik (Hair); Tony Award nominee Bob Stillman (Dirty Blond, Grey Gardens), and Andy Taylor (Once, On The Twentieth Century).

The design team includes Jason Sherwood (scenic design); Aaron Porter (lighting design); Mark Koss (costume design); and Justin Stasiw (sound design). The production stage manager is Rose Riccardi.

Michael Kimmel (author) is the creator and adaptor of The Last Goodbye, a musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet with music and lyrics by famed singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley. TLG had its world premiere at The Williamstown Theater Festival where it went on to break box office records for WTF's Nikos Stage. Recently TLG had an acclaimed production at The Old Globe Theater, San Diego, CA, helmed by two-time Tony-nominee Alex Timbers. Other projects include #untitledpopmusical with Drew Gasparini (LPR, 2013) and a musical adaptation of Henry James' Turn of The Screw (Concert at Lincoln Center, 2012) also with Gasparini. Forthcoming: Wildwood, a new musical created by Kimmel, and Todd and Mitzy, a new play, both debuting in 2015.

Lauren Pritchard (music and lyrics) was born and raised in the small town of Jackson, Tennessee, which most people know only as a Johnny Cash lyric. It's also the home of Carl Perkins and is 120 miles from Nashville, where Songbird takes place. She originated the role of Ilse in the Off Broadway and Broadway productions of Spring Awakening. She is a songwriter happily published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing. In 2010 she released her debut album titled "Wasted In Jackson" on Island Records to critical acclaim. Lauren has lived in 31 apartments, 2 countries and 4 major cities since leaving her down-home roots 12 years ago. When Lauren is performing on stage she takes on the name LOLO. You can hear her singing on the radio with bands like Fall Out Boy, Panic At The Disco and artists like Matt Nathanson. Her new EP titled Comeback Queen is currently out on iTunes. She is signed to DCD2 Records and spends her time touring and performing live with her band.

JV Mercanti (director) is currently the Head of Acting for the Musical Theater program at Pace University's School of the Arts. He served as the Casting and Associate Director on the recent Broadway revival of Romeo & Juliet with Orlando Bloom. He also cast the Kevin Kline revival of Cyrano de Bergerac co-starring Jennifer Garner. Prior to that he spent many years as a casting associate for Roundabout Theatre Company working on numerous Broadway, Off Broadway and West End productions. Most recently, he directed the premier of World Famous at Theater for a New City. Numerous regional and university credits including The Pajama Game, Floyd Collins, Odile's Ordeal, Icarus and The True History of the Tragic Life and Triumphant Death of Julia Pastrana, The Ugliest Woman in the World, a play that took place almost entirely in the dark. His MFA is from Rutgers University, BA from NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Studies. JV spent two years teaching Acting and Directing at the University of Miami. His monologue book series, In Performance, is published by Applause Books.

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