Photo Flash: STORYVILLE Book Writer Ed Bullins Visits York Theatre Preview

The York Theatre Company is presenting the New York premiere of Storyville, a New Orleans musical, with book by Ed Bullins, music and lyrics by Mildred Kayden, direction by Bill Castellino, choreography by Mercedes Ellington and music direction by William Foster McDaniel. Performances began Monday, July 15, 2013 for a limited engagement through Saturday, August 17, 2013 at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (Entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). Opening Night is tonight, July 23, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.

The cast features two-time Tony Award nominee Ernestine Jackson, with D.C. Anderson, Cory Bretsch, Karen Burthwright, Kyle RoBert Carter, Dameka Hayes, Michael Leonard James, Leajato Robinson, Clifton Samuels, Christopher Spaulding, Carl Wallnau, Debra Walton, NaTasha Yvette Williams, and Zakiya Young.

New Orleans, 1917: Something happened that changed the American Songbook forever. The time, Mardi Gras; the place, Storyville-two blocks from the French Quarter. Saloons, gambling joints and brothels set the scene for a new kind of music. Some say it was the beginning of jazz. People fell in love, a world disappeared, and the music moved upriver.

In his program notes for the New York premiere of this new muscial, James Morgan, York Theatre Company Artistic Director, has this to share, "Storyville is not, as we have stated, a musical about the birth of jazz. It's a musical that happens to take place at the time of the creation of that truly American artform." He adds, "The musical is a romance, an adventure and a fable in which almost everything that happens is based on fact." He goes on to say, "It is a fascinating era to learn about-- which we all have been doing as we worked to bring the show to you. The demolition of the district of Storyville and how it came to happen is actually true and is credited by most historians as the impetus which sent jazz upriver and around the world - the pianists in the various sporting houses of Storyville no longer had jobs and they took the music they were creating there with them when they had to leave. We are more than delighted to share this story with you."

The Storyville creative team includes James Morgan (set), Nicole Wee (costumes), Michael Gottlieb (lights) and Janie Bullard (sound). The Production Stage Manager is Elis Arroyo.

For additional information, visit the website at www.yorktheatre.org.

Photo credit: Carol Rosegg.