Broadway Stars to Perform Outdoor Concert at Tudor City Greens 10/22

A new outdoor concert series will be presented at the Tudor City Greens in New York City on Wednesday, October 22nd starting at 12 noon. The hour-long program of music and comedy - themed "Witchcraft" - will feature performers from Broadway and the New York City cabaret scene. The concert will be hosted by Tudor City resident, Broadway and cabaret performer Raissa Katona Bennett (Phantom of the Opera, Chess) and feature performances by Scot Albertson (2007 & 2008 MAC Award Nominee for Male Jazz Vocalist) Scott Barbarino and the Bev- Naps (2-time MAC Award winners), Mary Foster Conklin (MAC, Bistro Award winner), Eric Michael Gillett (Broadway: Sweet Smell of Success, The Frogs, New York City Opera; MAC-Award winner), Sarah Rice (picutred; Broadway's original Johanna in Sweeney Todd, The Fantasticks), Roger Mapes (GLBT Hall of Fame: Singer/Songwriter), Julie Reyburn (MAC, Bistro and Nightlife Award winner), Lennie Watts (MAC, Bistro Award winner) and cabaret newcomer Sierra Rein. The musical director is David Caldwell (Forbidden Broadway).

The event will take place in the South Park of Tudor City Greens Park. Enter at Tudor City Place between East 42nd and 43rd Streets, between 1st and 2nd avenues in New York City.

A post-event reception with the performers will take place at Cibo (767 Second Avenue between East 41st and 42nd Streets).

The rain date for this event is Thursday, October 23rd at 12 noon. The cast is subject to change.

Future concerts will resume in April 2009 throughout the spring, summer and fall.

Fred French called it a "city within a city," the Tudor City apartment complex he built in the late 20's between 40th and 43d Streets on a bluff just west of First Avenue. As a centerpiece he created two small parks, a sparkling pair of green patches in crowded midtown. In the late 1970s, when Harry Helmsley owned the complex, he was determined to construct two high rise buildings on the land where the North and South parks are. However, the residents of Tudor City were equally as determined that he would not! One long holiday weekend Sunday, bulldozers suddenly appeared and began hauling down the then wooden fencing. John McCain, (of The Manor), ran out into the street with a bullhorn shouting; "Come out. Come out. Residents of Tudor City, come out and save our parks!" Sure enough, as the story goes, little old ladies rushed out and threw themselves in front of the bulldozers, stopping all activity. This gave the Tudor City Association time to organize legal measures which effectively stopped any further movement on Helmsley's part and saved the parks. Now, the parks have been renovated by Tudor City Greens, the non-profit tenants' group that owns and maintains the gardens that are open to the public.

The October concert is being produced in association with the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), an organization dedicated to the support and promotion of the art of live entertainment in NYC (www.MACNYC.com).

Photo credit: Mark Rupp

 

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