Deborah Grace Winer Named 92Y Lyrics & Lyricists Artistic Director

The 92nd Street Y has named Deborah Grace Winer, journalist, playwright and author of several books on the topic of American song, Series Artistic Director of the Y's long-running American Songbook series Lyrics & Lyricists.  The series will continue to feature five shows developed by five different guest artistic directors each season.  In her role as artistic director of the series, Winer will select the individual directors of each show in collaboration with Hanna Arie-Gaifman, director of the 92nd Street Y Tisch Center for the Arts, which produces Lyrics & Lyricists.  Winer will work collaboratively with each show's artistic director, shaping the series as a whole and continuing to create shows in the L&L tradition of providing information and entertainment with a particular focus on lyrics. 

Winer steps into the role currently held by Kristin Lancino, who has decided to step down at the end of the 2008 season in order to pursue her new professional responsibilities as Vice President of G. Schirmer, Inc. 

The next show in this season of Lyrics and Lyricists is this weekend, February 23-25.  Rob Fisher presents his tribute to Fred Ebb, with host David Garrison and vocalists Tyne Daly, Brent Barrett, Judy Blazer and Diana Canova.  Deborah Grace Winer's show in this season of L&L – I've Got Your Number: Romance, The Rat Pack and Carolyn Leigh – runs March 29-31.  John Oddo is music director; the cast features vocalists Debby Boone, Loston Harris, James Naughton and Karen Ziemba. For more information, please visit www.92Y.org/lyrics.