Charles Strouse Continues 80th Birthday Celebration in UK; Schedule of Events Announced

This week, Charles Strouse's year-long 80th birthday celebration continues in the United Kingdom.  Following tributes at venues ranging from New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Paley Center for Media, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, Chicago's Theatre Building and Washington DC's The Library of Congress and The Kennedy Center, Strouse will cross the Atlantic where he will celebrate his 80th birthday, his 50 years of composing for the theatre, film and television and the release of his new book, Put On a Happy Face – A Broadway Memoir.

Highlights of Strouse's visit to the UK will include:

 

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Charles Strouse reads selections from "Put On a Happy Face" at London, Dress Circle Showbiz Shop

Dress Circle, 57-59 Monmouth Street, London, UK

Strouse makes an appearance at London's favorite showbiz memorabilia shop where he will read selection from his new book. For more information, visit www.dresscircle.co.uk.

 

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Charles Strouse at Mercury Musical Developments (private event)

Strouse will address the UK's musical theatre writers of tomorrow at MMD, the home of new musical theatre writing in the UK.  MMD was established in 1992 to nurture and encourage writers and composers of musical theatre and to initiate and develop new work for the UK and international stage.  For more information, visit www.mercurymusicals.com.

 

Friday, September 19, 2008

BBC Concert: Charles Strouse's UK Birthday Celebration

The Mermaid Theatre, Puddle Dock, Blackfriars, London, EC4V 3DB UK

This live concert featuring Paul Nicholas (Barnum, Charlie Girl), Bonnie Langford (Chicago, Sweet Charity), Rosemary Ashe (Mary Poppins, Phantom of the Opera) and Jacinta Whyte (Annie, Les Miserables, My Left Foot) with Martin Yates conducting the BBC Concert Orchestra, celebrates the music of Charles Strouse. This event will be aired live on  BBC Radio 2 on their popular "Friday Night is Music Night" program in the UK. After airing, highlights of this broadcast will stream online on the press kit page at  www.CharlesStrouse.com.

 

Saturday, September 20, 2008, 1:00PM

Meet Charles Strouse at London, Dress Circle Showbiz Shop

Dress Circle, 57-59 Monmouth Street, London, UK

Strouse makes an appearance at London's favorite Showbiz memorabilia shop where he will meet and greet fans and sign copies his new book.  For more information, visit www.dresscircle.co.uk.

 

Monday, September 22, 2008 7:45PM curtain

Charles Strouse visits the UK Annie tour

The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, UK

Charles Strouse visits with the UK touring production of one of his most Popular Productions.  Before and after the performance, Strouse will visit Ruth Madoc (Miss Hannigan) and the company as well as members of the British press. BBC Radio Gloucester will be on hand to capture the occasion. Visit the presskit page at  www.CharlesStrouse.com later in the month to hear this broadcast.

 

Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 at 3:00PM

Elaine Paige's "Spotlight On..." Charles Strouse

Shaw Theatre, 100-110 Euston Rd, London, NW1 2AJ, UK

The spotlight falls on Strouse who will be interviewed by guest host, Edward Seckerson, Chief Music Critic of The Independent and presenter of BBC Radio 3's recent "Stage and Screen" program, in celebration of Strouse's 80th birthday and the publication of his memoir.  For tickets contact the box office at 0871 594 3123 or visit the website, www.theshawtheatre.com. Visit the presskit page at  www.CharlesStrouse.com later in the month to hear this broadcast.

 

There may be no other living composer from America's popular songbook whose work is as integrated into the popular culture as that of Charles Strouse.  His music has attracted top recording artists from the last half-century with covers of his songs recorded by such diverse pop artists as Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin, Harry Connick, Jr., Bobby Rydell, Jay Z, Vic Damone, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, Grace Jones and Duke Ellington and his Orchestra.  Strouse has written the score to over 30 stage musicals, 14 scores for Broadway, four Hollywood films, two orchestral works and an opera.  He has been inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Theatre Hall of Fame.  He is a three-time Tony Award winner, a two-time Emmy Award winner, and his cast recordings have earned him two Grammy Awards.  His song "Those Were The Days" launched over 200 episodes of the "All in the Family" and continues to reach new generations of television audiences in syndication.  With hundreds of productions licensed annually, his musicals Annie and Bye Bye Birdie are among the most popular musicals of all time produced by regional, amateur and school groups all over the world.

In July 2007, Strouse's new book, Put on a Happy Face – A Broadway Memoir (Union Square Press, ISBN#: 1-4027-5889-8), the man behind the hit shows pulls back the curtain for a behind-the-scenes tour of his remarkable life and achievements.  Step inside the steam room of the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas with a towel-clad Charles as he meets with Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Cahn to audition material for Golden Boy.  Pull a chair up to the lunch counter as Charles and Lauren Bacall discuss their new venture, Applause, over tuna salad sandwiches.  Join Charles in the recording studio as he and Warren Beatty almost come to blows over the music elements for the Beatty-produced film Bonnie and Clyde.  Charles Grants readers a backstage pass as he tells stories about the extraordinary range of boldface names in his life, including Ann-Margret, Butterfly McQueen, Carol Burnett, Dick Van Dyke, Edward Albee, Gower Champion, Hal Prince, Janet Leigh, Jason Alexander, John C. Reilly, Aaron Copland, Mel Brooks, Mike Nichols, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

The critics have been unanimous in their praise of Strouse's memoir with Publisher's Weekly praising "Strouse's superb backstage memoir deserves a standing ovation."   Howard Kissel of The Daily News says "the book, beautifully written, funny and touching, is a wonderful evocation of a great career. The memoir is full of funny anecdotes, juicy gossip and a lot of valuable background."  David PatRick Stearns of The Philadelphia Inquier describes the book as "a bouncy, candid memoir about creating shows that have become a part of the nation's theatre landscape" while NPR's Leonard Lopate calls it "a wonderful memoir by one of the most successful composers in Broadway history."

For more information about Charles Strouse, his career, the UK events detailed above, or any upcoming Charles Strouse events, visit www.CharlesStrouse.com.

Photo Credit Peter James Zielinski

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