AND THE WORLD GOES ‘ROUND: THE SONGS OF KANDER & EBB CLOSES ST. BART’S 79TH SEASON -- APRIL 19 - 29

[do_re_milla]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 3:19pm

WHAT: AND THE WORLD GOES ‘ROUND: The Songs of Kander & Ebb

Music by John Kander & Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Conceived by Scott Ellis, Susan Stroman & David Thompson

WHO: Steven Smeltzer -- Director/Choreographer
Robert Webb -- Musical Director

Featuring

Michael Blake Jill Conklin Hector Coris Shana Costa

Elizabeth Gravitt Dan Grinko Scott Kerstetter Hope Landry

Joe Nielson Marc Strauss Tammy Williams Vikki Willoughby

WHEN: Evenings Thurs., Fri., Sat., April 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 8:00 p.m.
Saturday Matinees April 21 & 28 2:00 p.m.
Sunday Matinees April 22 & 29 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: St. Bart’s Playhouse -- Park Avenue and 50th Street, Manhattan

TRANSIT: #6 to 51st Street & Lexington Ave.; E or V to 53rd Street & Lexington Ave.

TICKETS: St. Bart’s Central, Church Lobby, Open Daily 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. [phone] & 378-0222
$25 – Regular $23 -- Students/Seniors
Group rates: $2 off per ticket for groups of 10 – 19; $3 off per ticket for groups of 20 or more.

Winner of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical Revue And the World Goes ‘Round: The Songs of Kander & Ebb opened at the Westside Theatre in 1991. The off Broadway hit was one of Scott Ellis’ first directorial successes; he is the director of the Kander and Ebb murder mystery musical Curtains, which just opened on Broadway.

The vast range of human emotion is explored in song after impeccable song by one of Broadway’s most daring and successful teams. This glittering show features unforgettable gems from the duos incredible career in theatre, film and television. The celebration of life and love spotlights showstoppers from Cabaret; Chicago; New York, New York; Woman of the Year, Funny Lady, Kiss of the Spider Woman and more! “How Lucky Can You Get?” Visit our website at: http://members.aol.com/bartswebhttp://members.aol.com/bartswebhttp://members.aol.com/bartswebhttp://members.aol.com/bartsweb

The St. Bart’s Players 79th Season included A Little Night Music, It’s A wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play fundraiser and Moon Over Buffalo, and will conclude with Gurney’s Love Letters as a fund raiser on May 11 & 12.

Founded in 1927, The St. Bart’s Players alumni include the late Buddy Ebsen, who as an aspiring medical student, worked out at the gym, caught the acting bug and began performing at St. Bart’s. Before you knew it Buddy was in Eddie Cantor’s latest Broadway musical. Then he was ‘discovered’ and off to Hollywood he went. Broadway chorus boy, Jimmy Cagney, had pals at the club in the 20s and helped out at Saturday afternoon dance rehearsals.

As Elvis Presley swiveled onto the scene in 1955, The Fantastick’s librettist-lyricist Tom Jones was named St. Bart’s drama director; rumor has it that several songs from the memorable score were first tried out in this humble little auditorium. Longtime player John High was directed by Jones at St. Bart’s and went on to play the heroine’s father in The Fantastick’s off Broadway. Oscar® winner Linda Hunt left her mark at St. Bart’s in the late 60s; directing Spoon River Anthology, Fiorello, and Hay Fever. Neighboring WNBC-TV, a couple of blocks away, dubbed St. Bart’s the “Best Little Playhouse in Manhattan” in a Live at 5:00 feature.

Betty Buckley and Carol Hall (Best Little Whore House in Texas) were artists-in-residence in the 80s and Hall’s To Whom It May Concern, her Musical Celebration of the Episcopal Mass, was presented in St. Bartholomew’s Church in 1997. During the 74 season in 2001, St. Bart’s presented Stephen Schwartz’s Godspell, the musical of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, in the church shortly after September 11. Many people sought solace at St. Bartholomew’s in the aftermath of the tragedy, and the presentation of this poignant and uplifting musical helped in the healing process. Other shows presented in the sanctuary include: Man of La Mancha, The Crucible, Becket, A Man for All Seasons, Our Town, and Under Milkwood.

In recent years St. Bart’s has successfully combined classics with contemporary works such as: Noises Off, Company, I Hate Hamlet, Baby, Crimes of the Heart, Jake’s Women, The Foreigner, Into the Woods, The Dining Room, Nude with Violin, Look Homeward Angel and Lend Me a Tenor.

Artistically, the St. Bart’s Players has always flourished; even when financial struggles seemed insurmountable! “The Show Must Go On” attitude was alive and well during The Great Depression, World War II, the Turbulent Sixties and Swinging Seventies. In 1994 the position of Artistic Director was eliminated. Always up to facing a challenge, the Players became Producers. Fortunately the membership is composed of actors who toil at very real 9 - 5 occupations in law, advertising, accounting, government, publishing, pr, teaching, graphics, marketing, and sales. All these skills have contributed to the Players successfully managing the theatre on their own.

St. Bart’s Players Almost 80 and Still Kicking! More information on St. Bart’s Players 79th Season is available in brochures that can be requested by calling St. Bart’s Central -- [phone]. The 79th season subscriptions are $58 and $49 for students and seniors. Individual show tickets are also available as follows: - $25 Regular and $23 Student/Senior. Group rates are also available; $2 off per ticket for groups of 10 – 19 and $3 off per ticket for groups of 20 or more. Ticket and subscription sales only cover part of the operating budget; the remainder comes from fundraising special events, such as the Spring Fund Raiser Love Letters by A.R. Gurney to be held May 11 & 12, 2007, raffles and private donations to the St. Bart’s Players Guild. Donations are tax deductible. Visit our website at: http://members.aol.com/bartswebhttp://members.aol.com/bartswebhttp://members.aol.com/bartswebhttp://members.aol.com/bartsweb

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04/07
Updated On: 4/23/07 at 03:19 PM