Herbert Keyser To Host Lectures On Broadway Composers & Lyricists At Josephine Theatre, Starting 10/5

Herbert Keyser, author of "Geniuses of the American Musical Theatre: The Composers and Lyricists," will conduct a series of lectures on famous Broadway composers and lyricists at the Josephine Theatre starting 10/5.

Despite an amateur performing career in his youth, Keyser did not turn his love for theater into professional ventures until recently, after working several decades as a obstetrician, 30 of which have been in San Antonio.  Then, just a few years ago,  he made the decision to pursue his theatrical career, presented one-man shows on cruise ships that integrated the lives of famous artists with their music in performance biographies.  

Then came the book: "The Genesis of the American Musical Theatre," released yesterday, October 1st.  The book focuses on the life and works of twenty-eight artists such as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Comden and Green, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jerry Herman. 

As Keyser tells the San Antonio Express news, "There are things about them that are absolutely amazing. I found out about Johnny Mercer that the secret love of his life was Judy Garland; they had a secret, private relationship. Frank Loesser, who wrote such great things, his mother and brother were deeply into classical music and thought (his work) was junk, worthless. He spent his entire life trying to get their love and affection."

For this lecture series, Keyser will be joined by pianist and vocalist Bett Butler, who will perform some of the most famous songs by these artists as Keyser presents some of the more unknown stories of their lives.

To read the full report on Keyser and his "Gensis" from the San Antonio Express News, click here.

The first lecture, on October 5th, will center around the famed duo George and Ira Gershwin, authors of OH, KAY!, PORGY AND BESS, and GIRL CRAZY, and Irving Berlin, best known in the theater world for his musical classics WHITE CHRISTMAS and ANNIE GET YOUR GUN.

The lecture series will be organized as follows:

November 2nd
Rodgers and Hart, Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hammerstein

December 7th
Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer

March 1st
Stephen Sondheim, Frank Loesser

April 6th
Harold Arlen, Andrew Lloyd Webber

For more information, visit the Josephine Theatre's website at www.josephinetheatre.org.

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.