Two Musicals Announce Return to Mama Foundation for the Arts

The Mama Foundation for the Arts proudly announces the return productions of two acclaimed musicals: ALIVE! 55+ and Kickin' and Let the Music Play... Gospel! From the creators of Mama, I Want to Sing - the worldwide musical sensation - the two hit shows, back by popular demand, will run for six weeks only; performances begin on October 13, 2018 at The Dempsey Theater in Harlem.

Conceived and written by Vy Higginsen and Ken Wydro, and directed by Mr. Wydro, ALIVE! features "real people, telling real stories." The cast of ALIVE! is comprised of everyday, ordinary citizens from all walks of life; people with amazing talent who never realized their desire to perform live. Each cast member now taking center stage proves that it's never too late to live a dream. ALIVE! features a unique blend of gospel, jazz, R&B and pop music - songs that served as a soundtrack for this generation. Through the music and authentic stories and testimonies, the ALIVE! cast tells how it used to be, and how life could be going forward... at any age. They are ALIVE!... and kickin'. The show has music direction by Greg Kelly and is choreographed by Kadeem Alston- Roman, with additional choreography by Ryan Baker. A two-disc CD live cast recording is currently available. Photos and more are online at www.Alive55TheMusical.com.

Let the Music Play... Gospel! is a musical celebration of a generation, featuring an intergenerational company of performers comprised of both younger and older adults. After a long running hit engagement in 1988 and a celebrated revival in May 2018, the joyous concert musical hits the stage for six more weeks. Conceived and written by Vy Higginsen and Ken Wydro, this energized remounting features a new and fresh showcasing of a classic musical genre.

Both productions will perform Saturday afternoons at The Dempsey Theater from October 13th through to November 17th, with ALIVE! performing at 1:00 p.m. and Let the Music Play... Gospel! performing at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are available by calling The Mama Foundation for the Arts at (212) 280-1045 or through OvationTix at Mamafoundation.org. Special rates for seniors age 62 or over, and groups of 10 or more are also available when calling the box office. For more information, please visit www.mamafoundation.org.

Proceeds from the production benefit The Mama Foundation for the Arts, a cultural space in Harlem with a mission to present, preserve and promote the history and fundamentals of gospel, jazz, and rhythm and blues music for current and future generations, as well as to provide quality training and employment in the performing arts to both youths and adults. A non-profit 501(c)3, The Mama Foundation for the Arts was founded in 1998 by Vy Higginsen, inspired by her musical Mama, I Want to Sing!

Through the Foundation's School of Gospel, Jazz and R&B and its Gospel for Teens program, instruction in these musical art forms has been offered to young people between the ages of 11 and 19 at no cost since 2006. The Gospel for Teens program has serviced hundreds of students in the past seven years, providing desperately needed support to musically gifted children and replacing arts programs taken out of many inner city schools.

Directions to the Dempsey Theater via Public Transit: Subway: Number 2 or 3 express trains to 125th Street and Lenox Ave; walk two blocks north, turn left on 127th Street. Bus: M2, M3, M7 Buses to 127th Street.

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