Maureen McGovern to Play George Street Playhouse, 9/16

By: Aug. 04, 2015
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George Street Playhouse announced today that award-winning vocalist MAUREEN McGOVERN will make a special appearance at the New Brunswick theatre on Wednesday, September 16 at 8pm. Joined on stage by her music director JEFF HARRIS, Ms. McGovern will offer selections from her newest show and upcoming CD, Sing, My Sisters, Sing!

Ms. McGovern's powerful new show (and upcoming CD), pays tribute to the iconic women singer/songwriters who changed the texture of American Popular Music. The special show features the deeply personal and timeless songs of Annie Lennox, Janis Ian, Carole King, Phoebe Snow, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, Laura Nyro, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Amanda McBroom, Melissa Manchester and others.

Maureen also pays tribute to her "early singing sisters:" Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Annie Ross, who paved the way by writing their own signature songs. The performance includes: "Heart Like A Wheel," "Natural Woman," "I Feel The Earth Move," "Poetry Man," "Help Me," "At Seventeen," "Come In From The Rain," "A Tisket, A Tasket," "God Bless The Child," and more.

Tickets for this special appearance by this iconic vocalist are priced at $50, $75 and $100. The $100 ticket includes an exclusive post-performance reception with the artists. For tickets and information, contact the George Street Playhouse Box Office, 732-246-7717, or visit www.GSPonline.org. George Street Playhouse is located at 9 Livingston Avenue in the heart of New Brunswick's vibrant downtown Arts and Entertainment District, steps away from plentiful parking and dining options for every palate and pocketbook. Visit GSPonline.org when planning your trip for helpful parking and dining recommendations.

MAUREEN McGOVERN, celebrated as "The Stradivarius Voice," marked the 43rd anniversary of the release of her #1 Oscar-winning International Gold Record, "The Morning After" from The Poseidon Adventure, which garnered her a Grammy Nomination in 1973 for Best New Artist. Maureen received her second Grammy Nomination in 1998 for Best Traditional Pop Vocal for her solo piano/voice album, The Pleasure of His Company, with Emmy-winning, Grammy-nominated jazz pianist, Mike Renzi. She was also a featured guest artist on the Grammy Award-winning Songs from the Neighborhood: The Music of Mister Rogers. Other hits include, "Can You Read My Mind" from Superman, the Oscar-winning "We May Never Love Like This Again" from The Towering Inferno and "Different Worlds" from the TV series Angie. Her many critically acclaimed recordings include tributes to George Gershwin, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Harold Arlen and Richard Rodgers. Her current PS Classics CD, A Long and Winding Road has been praised by The New York Times as "A captivating musical scrapbook from the 1960's to the early 70's. Ms. McGovern's vocal technique is second to none."

In 2005, Ms. McGovern was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her role as Marmee in Little Women, The Musical on Broadway. In 1981, she made her Broadway debut as Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, then went on to star as Luisa in Nine with Raul Julia and as Polly Peachum in 3 Penny Opera with Sting. Maureen reprised her role as Marmee in the 1st National Tour of Little Women, The Musical and starred as Mrs. Anna in the Broadway revival National Tour of The King and I. Regionally, she has starred in Elegies, Dear World, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Lion in Winter, Letters from 'Nam and Of Thee I Sing-Let 'Em Eat Cake, among others. She is currently performing her IRNE Award-winning Best Solo Performance one-woman musical memoir Carry It On (co-written and created with director, Philip Himberg). Her feature films include the role of 'Sr. Angelina' the guitar-strumming nun in the classic comedy Airplane and Airplane II, The Sequel. Maureen also played the nightclub singer in The Towering Inferno and the role of Rachel in Dreamworks' animated video/DVD Joseph: King of Dreams with Ben Affleck.

For 34 years, Ms. McGovern has served the Muscular Dystrophy Association as volunteer, performer, Board Member, Vice President, Chairperson of the record breaking Shamrocks Against Dystrophy Campaign and NYC Telethon Co-Host for 6 years. Maureen supports music therapy and has been an Artist Spokesperson for the American Music Therapy? Association since 2001.

JEFF HARRIS is a musician who is comfortable in many kinds of music: pop, jazz, classical, and musical theatre. He is equally at home as a pianist, composer, arranger, conductor, and lyricist. He has worked with such diverse singers as Maureen McGovern, Chaka Khan, Barbara Cook, Jane Krakowski, Jack Jones, Audra McDonald, Cleo Laine, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christine Andreas, Liz Callaway, and Karen Akers. His longest association has been with Maureen McGovern, playing on and arranging six of her CDs, writing many songs for her (she has recorded sixteen) and appearing with her frequently on television and in concerts.

Mr. Harris has worked extensively on Broadway as both a pianist and conductor, recently as Associate Musical Director for Gypsy (starring Patti LuPone; directed by Arthur Laurents). Other Broadway credits include On The Town (directed by George C. Wolfe), Fosse, Chicago, Beauty and the Beast, Crazy for You, and in many of the Encores! Series Shows at City Center including Tenderloin (cast album), Babes in Arms (cast album), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Apple Tree, and On A Clear Day You Can See Forever. Regionally, he was Musical Director for the U.S. premiere of End of the Rainbow (Guthrie Theater); also Musical Director for Carry It On (Two River Theatre), and A Long and Winding Road (Arena Stage, Huntington Theatre, Geva). Jeff Harris is a frequent guest as a pianist and conductor with many of the leading orchestras including the Boston, St. Louis, Dallas, Detroit, and National symphony orchestras, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and as a regular member of the New York Pops. He was featured on the PBS Television Special, Richard Rodgers: The Sweetest Sounds, playing piano and speaking about the music of Richard Rodgers.

As a composer for the theater, he most recently composed Pinocchio: An Adoption Musical (book and lyrics by Susan Dilallo), which has been produced at South Coast Repertory Theater, and at Omaha Theater Company. Born in California to a musical family, Jeff Harris attended the University of Southern California on a full scholarship receiving his Bachelors of Music in Composition. He now makes his home in the New York City area.

In the 42 years since its founding, George Street Playhouse has become a nationally recognized theatre, presenting an acclaimed mainstage season while providing an artistic home for established and emerging theatre artists. Its leadership consists of Artistic Director David Saint, Resident Artistic Director Michael Mastro and Managing Director Kelly Ryman. Founded in 1974, the Playhouse has been well represented by numerous productions both on and off-Broadway - recent productions include the Outer Critics' Circle Best Musical Award-winner The Toxic Avenger; the Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Drama League nominated production of The Spitfire Grill; and the recent Broadway hit and Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning play Proof by David Auburn, which was developed at GSP during the 1999 Next Stage Series of new plays. In 2015, George Street Playhouse will be represented by two productions in New York: the current Broadway production of It Shoulda Been You, and Joe DiPietro's Clever Little Lies, opening off-Broadway this fall. Both shows received their premieres at the Playhouse. In addition to its mainstage season, GSP's Touring Educational Theatre features three issue-oriented productions that are seen by more than 40,000 students annually. George Street Playhouse programming is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.



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