York Theatre's 'The Day Before Spring' Begins Tomorrow

The York Theatre Company will present The Day Before Spring, with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe (My Fair Lady, Brigadoon, Camelot, Gigi). The musical is the last of the four shows in York's Summer 2007 Musicals in Mufti Series -- the York's acclaimed series of musical theatre gems in staged concert performances.  The show will play July 27, 28 and 29 at the Theatre at Saint Peters (54th Street, Just East of Lexington Ave).

The production will feature: Amanda Watkins (Urinetown, Cabaret, Beauty and the Beast), Richard Todd Adams (The Pirate Queen, The Woman in White), Ed Watts (NYCO's The Most Happy Fella, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers tour), Hunter Bell ([title of show])and Tia Speros (The Taffettas).  The show also stars David Abeles (upcoming My Fair Lady tour), Summer Broyhill (Hairspray tour), Janine DiVita, Ashlee Fife (Encore's Follies, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Robyn Kramer (Paper Mill's Pirates!), Daniel C. Levine (Rocky Horror, Jesus Christ Superstar, Chicago), Orville Mendoza (Adrift in Macao, Pacific Overtures), Lindsay Packard and Mark York (Sweet Charity, Busker Alley).  It will be directed by David Glenn Armstrong (Plain & Fancy, (mis)Understanding Mammy: The Hattie McDaniel Story, Isabelle and the Pretty-Ugly Spell).  Aaron Gandy (Busker Alley, Fine and Dandy, Jule Styne in Hollywood) is the Music Director.  Mark York is the Associate Music Director/Pianist and Daniel Haley is the Associate Director.

The Day Before Spring "is the first show that Lerner and Loewe wrote together without another collaborator.  The show opened on Broadway at The National Theatre (now the Nederlander Theatre) in 1945 where it ran for 167 performances. It was directed by Edward Padula, choreographed by Anthony Tudor and had a cast that included Lucille Benson, John Archer, Bert Freed and Irene Manning.  The show is about a married woman who, at a college reunion, meets the man with whom she almost eloped ten years before.  She becomes so touched by a novel he has written about her, she considers leaving her husband and reuniting with this former love of hers."  The show follows It's a Bird…It's a Plane…It's a Superman and I and Albert both by Charles Strouse & Lee Adams, and Bajour by Ernest Kinoy and Walter Marks. 

Beginning Friday, September 14th, The York Theatre Company will begin performances for its Fall 2007 Musicals in Mufti Series, which will be comprised of another four shows, with an off week in between each show.  The York will be soon be announcing those shows and schedule.

Tickets are $35. The show plays five performances only: Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2:30 pm & 8 pm, and Sunday at 2:30 pm & 7:30 pm. Audience discussions with the company follow the matinees.  For more information or to purchase tickets to any of the Mufti shows, visit www.yorktheatre.org or call York's Box Office at 212-935-5820.

The Saint Peter's Theatre is at 54th Street Just East of Lexington.

Photo of Hunter Bell by Ben Strothmann