'New Voices,' with Strober, Reid & Heitzman, Plays 7/23

On July 23rd, the acclaimed series, 'Monday Nights, New Voices,' will help celebrate and honor five new talented performers in New York City. 

Produced by composer Scott Alan, the 7pm show will be hosted by 'New Voices' alumni, Les Miserables' Rena Strober, and will feature special guest composer/lyricist team Ilene Reid and Michael Heitzman (Bingo, Swing!), who will accompany the 'New Voices' on selections from their songbook. The New Voices include Doug Thompson, Katie Erin Tomlinson, Skie Ocasio, Morgan Paige Fluss and Emily Shoolin.  The evening will be musically directed by Barbara Anselmi.  Strober will also perform a duet with Shoolin.

Strober's Broadway credits include: Les Miserables (Cosette).  Off-Broadway, she has been seen in My Life with Albertine at Playwrights Horizons), Theda Bara... (York Theatre), and her one-woman show "Spaghetti & Matzo Balls!"  Strober recently originated the role of Tonya in Zhivago at the La Jolla Playhouse (directed by Des McAnuff).  Other roles include Billie Smith in Babes in Arms (Goodspeed Opera House)Shelley in Bat Boy, and Jenny Lind in Barnum (with Peter Scolari).  She is an original LA cast member of Reefer Madness (and is also on the cast album).  TV credits include: "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and HBO's "House Arrest."  She has also sung onstage at Lincoln Center, Town Hall and the Westbury Music Faire. 

Heitzman and Reid have been long-time collaborators. They earned a Grammy nomination for their song "Throw That Girl Around" from the Broadway musical Swing!.  Their first musical, Vices, received eight Joseph Jefferson Award nominations including Best New Work. Their most recent musical, Bingo, recently completed a successful run Off-Broadway and currently has two productions running in Florida with others opening in Chicago and Korea after the New Year.  In addition to having several TV and film scripts in development, they wrote for the NBC series "Just Deal."  Their sitcom "Scott Free", developed with Barbra Streisand's production company, Barwood Films, and Kelsey Grammer's production company, Gramnet, was optioned by Paramount Pictures in 2001. The team was also commissioned to the opening number specialty material for the 2006 Lucille Lortel Awards in New York City.  Other songwriting credits include "Dinosaur Swing" which can be heard on the children's recording "Sing Me a Story," by Bob McGrath of "Sesame Street," and "Whadify," featured in the "Promicide" episode of "Dawson's Creek" on the WB network. They are members of BMI, The Writers' Guild of America, East, and The Dramatist Guild.

Admission is $12, with a two drink minimum. To make online reservations, visit www.theduplex.com or call 212.255.5438.  Visit www.renastrober.com for more on Strober.

Photo of Rena Strober by Craig Brockman