RAGS THE MUSICAL IN CONCERT to Play the Lyric Theatre, April 28

Aria Entertainment and Knockhardy Productions present Rags The Musical in Concert by Joseph Stein, Charles Strouse and Stephen Schwartz for one night only on Monday 28th April, 7.30pm, at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue. All proceeds from this performance will go to Centrepoint - the UK's leading charity for homeless young people.

Produced on Broadway in 1986, Rags ran only a short while, but developed a passionate following - as well as a Tony Award Nomination for Best Musical, a cast recording, and many subsequent productions across the USA and the UK.

Charles Strouse (Annie, Bye Bye Birdie, Applause), Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell, Pippin) and Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof, Zorba, Take Me Along) present a musical where America does not live up to the dreams of the immigrants as they fight for labour equality and experience disappointment and tragedy even while finding romance.

A young Russian mother, arriving in America in 1910 with her son, is forced to work in a sweatshop while she searches for her husband. Her joy when she finds him, however, soon turns to anguish as she discovers that he has rejected much of his ethnic culture, changing his name and distancing himself from the Jewish community. Together, they must try to find a way to reconcile their differences and embrace their new life.

The score of Rags has a fascinating multicultural element with a strong jazz and ragtime style and influences from Klesmer, Irish folk, American honky-tonk, Greek and Middle Eastern music.

Cast to be announced.

Director: Bronagh Lagan
Musical Supervisor: Caroline Humphris
Choreographer: Grant Murphy
Casting Director: Benjamin Newsome

Presented by arrangement with R&H Theatricals Europe. Rags the Musical in Concert is produced by Aria Entertainment and Knockhardy Productions whose previous West End charity concerts include Children Of Eden at The Prince Of Wales and Cinderella Boom Or Bust at The Drury Lane.

Rags The Musical in concert is set for Monday 28th April 2014, 7.30pm. Tickets are available from £20. For booking, see www.ragsinconcert.com or call The Lyric Theatre on 0844 412 4661. For more about the concert, visit www.facebook.com/RagsInConcert.

To post a comment, you must register and login.