Photo Flash: Ensler & More Celebrate Music-Theatre Group's 40th Anniversary

In celebration of the company's 40th Anniversary, The Music-Theatre Group (Diane Wondisford, Producing Director) presented "Music-Theatre Jam," a one-time-only happening featuring a treasure-trove of material from their past productions on April 9th in DUMBO.

"Music-Theatre Jam" featured scenes from Richard Foreman and Stanley Silverman's Dr. Selavy's Magic Theatre and Africanis Instructus, Hotel for Criminals, Harry Kondoleon and Gary Fagin's Disrobing the Bride, Virgil Thomson and Gertrude Stein's The Mother of Us All, Diedre Murray and Cornelius Eady's Fangs, George W.S. Trow's The Tennis Game and Prison-Made Tuxedos, Susie Ibarra and Yusef Komunyakaa's Saturnalia, Julie Taymor and Elliot Goldenthal's Juan Darien, The Songs of Mary Rodgers (with lyrics by Marshall Barer and John Forrester), Derek Bermel and Wendy S. Walters' Golden Motors, and Poppie Nongena by Elsa Joubert (adapted by Hillary Blecher with music by Sophie Mgcina).

Performances included the theatrical talents of Brenda Currin, John DiPinto (Music Director), Rinde Eckert (Pulitzer Prize Finalist, Obie Award Winner), Gary Fagin, Laura Innes ("The Event"), Alan Johnson (Music Director), Gabriel Kahane, Yusef Komunyakaa, Teresa McCarthy, Tshidi Manye (The Lion King), Kenita Miller, Milton Craig Nealy (The Full Monty, Caroline or Change), Reg Rogers (Free Man of Color), Henry Stram (Spring Awakening, Titanic) and Alton Fitzgerald White (The Lion King).

The Music-Theatre Group has held a singular place in the lives of culture-driven New Yorkers for 40 years. Founded by Lyn Austin and currently led by Producing Director Diane Wondisford, M-TG blurs the lines between music, theatre and opera. Internationally renowned for its commitment to the creation of work that embraces new art forms, M-TG has produced a stunning roster of seminal works including Dr. Selavy's Magic Theatre (1972) by Stanley Silverman and Richard Foreman; The Mother of Us All by Virgil Thomson and Gertrude Stein, directed by Roland Gagnon (1972) and Stanley Silverman (1983); Nightclub Cantata (1977) by Elizabeth Swados; The Garden of Earthly Delights (1984) by Martha Clarke and Richard Peaslee; The Making of Americans (1985) by Al Carmines and Gertrude Stein, directed by Anne Bogart; Vienna: Lusthaus (1986) by Martha Clarke, Richard Peaslee, and Charles Mee; Juan Darien (1988) by Julie Taymor and Elliot Goldenthal; Cinderella/Cendrillon (1988) by Jules Massenet, with additional lyrics by Eve Ensler, directed by Anne Bogart; Extraordinary Measures (1995) by Eve Ensler and William Harper, with James Lecesne; Marco Polo (1996) by Tan Dun and Paul Griffiths, directed by Martha Clarke; Running Man (1999) by Diedre Murray and Cornelius Eady, directed by Diane Paulus; and Arjuna's Dilemma (2008) by Douglas J. Cuomo, directed by Robin Guarino. For more information, visit www.musictheatregroup.org.

One Arm Red began in D.U.M.B.O Brooklyn, in 1999. One Arm Red's Founder and Artistic Director Adam Adams' mission is to develop interdisciplinary collaboration in the performing arts. One Arm Red's three multi-purpose spaces on the 9th floor at 10 Jay Street offer a home for artists and producing companies (among them Music-Theatre Group) to develop & present new works for the theatre. For more information, visit www.onearmred.com. 

Photo Credit: Music-Theatre Group

Diane Wondisford (MT-G Producing Director), Eve Ensler, Michelle Steckler

Eve Ensler

James Lescene

Kenita Miller and Milton Craig Nealy

Brenda Currin

Reg Rogers

Laura Innes

James Lescene and Diane Wondisford

Alton Fitzgerald White and Tshidi Manye

Kenita Miller

Alton Fitzgerald White, Kenita Miller, Milton Craig Nealy

Gabriel Kahane, Henry Stram, Theresa McCarthy, Lily Green

Music-Theatre Group Board