Richard Maltby Jr. To Direct Acclaimed Jazz Vocalist Stevie Holland In LOVE, LINDA

Tony Award-winning director Richard Maltby, Jr. will be directing a limited engagement run of LOVE, LINDA, the stunning, one-woman tour de force musical and theatrical adventure starring acclaimed vocalist and musical theater actress Stevie Holland October 17th - November 10th at the Triad Theater, 158 West 72nd Street. The production features a book by Stevie Holland with Gary William Friedman and music and lyrics by Cole Porter. www.lovelindathemusical.com

LOVE, LINDA tells the story of Linda Lee Thomas, the Southern beauty who was the driving force behind legendary songwriter Cole Porter at the dawn of the roaring twenties. Though Porter was gay, their companionship and love lasted through 35 years of marriage and together they lived a spectacular, glamour-filled life. With innovative arrangements by award-winning composer Gary William Friedman, Porter's timeless songs weave through the compelling narrative, celebrating the deep love that Linda and Cole shared, while examining the darker sides of their glamorous lives.

The score for LOVE, LINDA includes such beloved Porter songs as "Night and Day", "I Love Paris," "In the Still of the Night" and "Love for Sale."

LOVE, LINDA enjoyed 2 sold-out runs at the Triad Theater in 2009 and 2010. It was subsequently presented in theaters such as the John Drew Theater in East Hampton, NY and The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, CT. The production was expanded and developed and moved on to a critically-acclaimed Off-Broadway premiere at the York Theatre with direction by Richard Maltby, Jr., who returns for this run.

"The contemporary world has led us to expand our definition of a love story," says Director Richard Maltby Jr. " There are so many different kind of loves, and the love story of Linda and Cole Porter is one of the unusual ones -- unlikely, unconventional, perhaps even unexplainable, but a real love story in every sense of the word. And it is linked to the creation of some of the most glorious love songs ever written. Stevie Holland has given us a gift by bringing Linda Porter vividly to life in her one-woman musical play that will take you into the heart of a complex, gracious and passionate human being."

Stevie Holland (Book) is an internationally acclaimed vocalist, performer, songwriter and recording artist. Her CD Before Love Has Gone was chosen by USA TODAY as a Top CD of the year. Since its release, the recording has continued to chart among iTunes' top 100 Jazz CDs of all time. Her other CDs include Life Goes On and More Than Words Can Say, which also charted with jazz, smooth jazz and traditional pop radio stations across the country. Ms. Holland has headlined nationally and at New York City concert halls and venues, including Dizzy's Club Coca Cola/Jazz at Lincoln Center. Her dynamic performances have led to invitations to perform for the King and Queen of Norway, and have crossed over to the cabaret world, earning her the BACK STAGE Bistro Award for "Outstanding Vocalist of the Year." As book writer and additional lyricist, Holland's current musical theater projects in development include MERTON OF THE MOVIES, and a new adaptation of the musical PLATINUM.

Gary William Friedman (Book/Arrangements/Additional Music) is the composer of the Tony Award nominated, OBIE Award winning musical THE ME NOBODY KNOWS. Other musical theater credits include the Outer Critic's Circle Award-winning TAKING MY TURN (presented on PBS Television's Great Performance Series) and PLATINUM, which starred Alexis Smith on Broadway. His orchestral, operatic and dance works have been commissioned and performed at venues such as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Lancaster Music Festival, the Columbus Symphony, and Encompass New Opera Theatre. A selection of his symphonic works has been recorded and released on the CD Colloquy. Mr. Friedman's music also spans the genres of film, for which he has scored several features, and television, where he served as Music Director for T.V.'s "The Electric Company", for which he wrote many songs including the popular "Spider Man Theme Song". He and Holland are songwriting collaborators, and Friedman has been the arranger and orchestrator for her recordings.

Richard Maltby, Jr. (Director) conceived and directed the only two musical revues to win the Tony Award for Best Musical: AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' (1978: Tony, N.Y. Drama Critics, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards, also Tony Award for Best Director) and FOSSE (1999: Tony, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards). With David Shire he wrote the Broadway musicals BABY and BIG, and the off-Broadway hits STARTING HERE, STARTING NOW and CLOSER THAN EVER. He was director/co-lyricist for the American version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's SONG AND DANCE, (1986) starring Bernadette Peters. He was co-lyricist for MISS SAIGON (Evening Standard Award 1990; Tony nomination: Best Score, 1991). He is co-bookwriter/lyricist for THE PIRATE QUEEN (2007). He conceived and directed RING OF FIRE, a musical about Johnny Cash, which ran on Broadway in 2006 and most recently directed the new, original musical THE STORY OF MY LIFE.

The upcoming Triad Theater engagement is presented by Lyle Saunders.

Performances of LOVE, LINDA are Wednesdays at 8PM, Fridays at 7PM and Saturdays at 9:30PM from October 17 through November 10.

Tickets are $35-$45 (+ 2 beverage minimum.)

The Triad Theater is located at 158 West 72nd St. Via subway: 1,2,3, B & C to the 72nd Street station. There are parking garages on 72nd St between Columbus & Central Park West and on 71st and Broadway.

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