New CTI Theatre Presents THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG

They're Playing Our Song, the smash Broadway and West End hit musical comedy, inaugurates Congregation Tifereth Israel's new theatrical troupe, CTI Theatre of Glen Cove. This first production of CTI Theatre opens on Thursday, October 24, continuing for three performances through Sunday, October 27.

Phil Essex of Sea Cliff, a CTI member, is the theater troupe's executive producer. A veteran of more than 100 North Shore productions, including

Company, Jesus Christ Superstar, Fiddler on the Roof and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, among others, Essex recently appeared in productions of Company and Mamma Mia with the Sid Jacobson JCC Theatre Company.

In They're Playing Our Song, Essex plays the role of Vernon Gersch which is inspired by composer Marvin Hamlisch. He partners with Michelle Herson as Sonia Walsk, the role inspired by lyricist Carol Bayer Sager. Essex and Herson will be joined by a company of six other performers.

Neil Simon, Broadway's most prolific comedy writer and a winner of Tony, Pulitzer and Golden Globe awards, conceived of They're Playing Our Song as a comic exploration of the personal and professional adventures of a couple very much like the Oscar, Tony, Grammy and Pulitzer-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch and Grammy-winning lyricist Carole Bayer Sager. The show, with a book by Simon and a score by Hamlisch and Sager, ran for 1,100 performances on Broadway and was nominated for numerous awards.

Tickets for CTI Theatre's three performances of They're Playing Our Song, October 24 at 7:30 p.m., October 26 at 8 p.m. and October 27 at 2 p.m., are $20 for adults and $16 for seniors and children. They may be purchased at tututix.com/ctitheatre; the site has a seating chart and charges a nominal ticketing fee. All proceeds benefit CTI.

Performances are held at Congregation Tifereth Israel, located in Glen Cove at 40 Hill Street, at the intersection with Landing Road. CTI is Long Island's oldest continuously operating Jewish congregation, having provided Jewish programming and education to the Long Island community since 1897.