PIECE OF MY HEART: THE BERT BERNS STORY Begins Performances Tomorrow at Signature Center

Produced by Merged Work Productions (lead producers) and Jack Thomas (Executive Producer), Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story, a new musical based on the life and songs of legendary songwriter Bert Berns, begins performances tomorrow night, Wednesday, June 25, with an official opening night set for July 21, 2014. With a book by Daniel Goldfarb, direction and choreography by Denis Jones, and featuring the stirring songbook of songwriter/producer Bert Berns, Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story, plays at The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd St).

Bert Berns, whose life is also the subject of the just-released book Here Comes the Night, was born in New York in 1929 and died tragically of a heart attack at just 38 years of age. But in his short career, Berns left an indelible mark on popular music; he made fifty-one pop chart singles in seven years and became one of the most successful songwriters of the 1960s. Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story tells his remarkable story, once dubbed by Rolling Stone "one of the great untold stories of rock and roll," through his hit songs, which include "Twist and Shout," "Tell Him," "I Want Candy," "Hang On Sloopy," "Cry Baby," "Piece of My Heart," and many more.

The full cast of Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story includes Zak Resnick as Bert Berns, Drama Desk Award nominee Leslie Kritzer as Jessie, Theatre World Award-winner Linda Hart as Ilene, Joseph Siravo as Wazzel, Tony Award nominee de'Adre Aziza as Candace, Derrick Baskin as Hoagy, Bryan Fenkart as Young Wazzel, and Teal Wicks as Young Ilene, with an ensemble that includes Carleigh Bettiol, Teresa Gattison, Shonica Gooden, Sydney James Harcourt, Jessica McRoberts, Ralph Meitzler, Harris Milgrim, Michael Millan, Heather Parcells, Gabrielle Ruiz, Amos Wolff, and Mark Zeisler.

The creative team for Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story also includes Alexander Dodge (Scenic Design), David C. Woolard (Costume Design), Ben Stanton (Lighting Design), Carl Casella (Sound Design), Charles G. LaPointe (Hair and Wig Design), Garry Sherman (Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements), Lon Hoyt (Music Direction and Additional Vocal Arrangements) and Telsey + Co. (Casting).

The performance schedule for Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story is as follows: Tuesday - Friday at 7:30 PM, Wednesday at 2:00 PM, Saturday at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM, and Sunday at 2:00 PM. Tickets range from $31.50 - $99.50, and are available online at www.ticketcentral.com, by phone at (212) 279-4200, or in person at the Ticket Central Box Office (416 West 42nd Street; Monday through Sunday, 12 PM to 8 PM). Student tickets priced at $26.50 are available for advance purchase at the box office.

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