Always, Patsy Cline
By: Ted Swindley

Nyack, NY (January 8, 2004) -- More than just a tribute to a legendary singer, Always, Patsy Cline is filled with down home country humor, true emotion and lots of audience participation to go along with 27 of Cline’s most unforgettable hits! It is a song-filled evening of breathtakingly beautiful ballads and yet some honky-tonk tunes including “Crazy”, “Walkin’ After Midnight” and “I Fall to Pieces”. Sally Struthers as Louise Seger and Christa Jackson as Patsy Cline star in this wonderful musical comedy as they captivate and entertain you with the touching, true story of their friendship. The Helen Hayes Theatre Company proudly presents Always, Patsy Cline From March 18th to 28th, 2004.

When four-year-old Virginia Patterson Hensely won a talent contest by singing ‘On the Good Ship Lollipop’, no one but her mother took her aspirations to stardom seriously. For the next twenty-six years, ‘Ginny’ Hensely would chase her dream, despite daunting hardships and frequent setbacks. In the end, Ginny became one of America’s first female country music stars, blazing a trail for an entire generation of female country musicians. She broke new ground as a cross over artist by simultaneously charting hits on Billboard magazine’s country and pop charts. Virginia Hensely would come to be known as a brash, outspoken woman of legendary temper and generosity. She would create a vocal sound and style unlike anything else found in country music during the late 1950s and early 1960s, making recordings that would continue to sell more than thirty years after her death. Her turbulent life story would eventually be told in film, books and a stage production. The world would come to know Virginia Hensely by the name Patsy Cline.

The 1995 movie, Sweet Dreams, with Jessica Lange, told the story of the singer's tangled love life and blazing career, which rekindled interest in Patsy Cline as today she has more fans than ever and led to the staged show Always, Patsy Cline. After its Off-Broadway opening in New York in June of 1997 this show has really brought in huge numbers of fans. Everyone wants to be a part of something Patsy Cline and keep her legend alive. Traveling to Europe and Australia, the show has finally returned home to the states. Recently produced at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Ogunquit, Maine the show proves to be a success! If only Patsy knew how much of an impact she would really make when as a teenager she said, “One day - you see I'm gonna sell a million records.”

Always, Patsy Cline was inspired by the real life friendship between Patsy Cline and Louise Seger that had its seeds on a balmy night in Texas in 1961 when Louise, a Cline fanatic since seeing her sing Walkin' After Midnight on Arthur Godfrey's national TV program in 1957, cajoled some friends into attending a Cline performance at a Houston night spot. At the time, despite the success of Walkin' After Midnight, Patsy was doing it tough. After Louise insisting on showing up early, she met Patsy doing a check of the room, and the two hit it off at once. Thus begins the journey of Always, Patsy Cline and the wonderful friendship the two women had through the happy and the rough times.

Always, Patsy Cline plays the HHTC March 13th through 28th 2004. Tickets range from $30 to $45 and can be purchased by calling the HHTC Box Office at 845-358-6333. Discount group prices available.

Always, Patsy Cline is sponsored by Provident Bank.

MESHUGGAH-Nuns!
Book, Music & Lyrics by Dan Goggin

Nyack, NY (December 29, 2003) -- What do you get when you put four nuns and a Jewish actor together on a cruise ship to entertain a boat full of passengers? Complete and utter craziness and laughter until you cry! With songs like “Say it in Yiddish”, “My Fat is My Fortune”, “ If I Were a Catholic” and an elaborate production number as a spoof of ship disasters in cinema named Das Boat, The Helen Hayes Theatre Company proudly presents Meshuggah-Nuns! runs from January 31st to February 15th 2004. Meshuggah-Nuns is sponsored by The Journal News.

The zany Sisters of Hoboken are knee-deep in shtick once again in this all-new Nunsense adventure. This time there’s a Yiddish twist on the shenanigans. The Sisters take an all expense paid trip on the “Faith of All Nations” cruise. But when the ship’s entertainment, the cast of Fiddler on the Roof gets sick after a long storm at sea, the Captain recruits the Sisters to entertain the passengers – you, the audience. Hilarity ensues when the lone remaining healthy actor, Howard, joins the sisters to put on this original Fiddler revue. The result is Meshuggah-Nuns! a combination of Jewish inflections and Catholic confessions, a musical madcap sprinkled with saintly gags and uproarious jokes.

Starring Rachel Cohen as Sister Robert Anne, Carolyn Droscoski as Sister Hubert, Bonnie Lee as the Reverend Mother, Jeanne Tinker as Sister Amnesia and Micheal J. Farina as Howard and whoever could forget the famous “Nunsense” puppet, Sister Mary Annette!

You quite possibly may have to have a Yiddish and Catholic dictionary on your side, as Dan Goggin’s fifth musical is full of cultural humor. Dan Goggin is the man behind Nunsense and its empire, playing the roles of both Writer and Director. In 1986 Goggin received the Outer Critics Circle Awards given to Nunsense for Best Musical, Best Book and Best Music. It’s hard to believe but “Dan Goggin has created stage plays that have sold more in tickets than the gross national product of some small African countries” (Dominic P. Papatola, Theater Critic). The Nunsense empire includes Nunsense, Nunsense 2: The Second Coming, Nunsense 3: The Jamboree, Nunsense A-men!! Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical and of course the fabulous musical Meshuggah-Nuns! Goggin’s shows have had such a huge following that they have toured all over the US, as well as in London and Australia. There have also been made for TV productions of the tours and cast recordings of the shows on CD’s and tapes.

Meshuggah-Nuns! Is quite the hot show to produce right now as it is premiering all over the country including in Minneapolis, Michigan, Boston and of course at our very own Helen Hayes Theatre Company in Nyack.

Meshuggah-Nuns! plays the HHTC January, 31st through February 15th 2004. Tickets range from $32.50 to $45 and can be purchased by calling the HHTC Box Office at 845-358-6333 or by visiting the web site at www.hhtco.org.

Meshuggah-Nuns! is sponsored by The Journal News and is a co-production with Queens Theatre in the Park and has been made possible with special funding from the David Schwartz Foundation.

NEWLY REVISED EVITA
TO DEBUT AT HELEN HAYES THEATRE COMPANY

Nyack, NY— Evita, the dynamic musical masterpiece by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, finally takes center stage at the Helen Hayes Theatre Company with brand new modifications and additional material as approved by the show’s authors. Directed by Gordon Greenberg (HHTC’s Jesus Christ Superstar and Goodspeed’s The Baker’s Wife) and starring Broadway veterans Felicia Finley (Aida, The Life), David Brummel (Sweet Smell of Success) and Frank Baiocchi (Miss Saigon, I Love You, You’re Perfect…), the popular musical plays the Helen Hayes Theatre Company from October 18th through November 2nd.

Evita tells the extraordinary story of Eva Peron, the controversial woman who ascended from poor country girl to become the most powerful woman in Argentina. Told through a score that fuses haunting chorales with exuberant Latin, pop and jazz influences, Evita creates an arresting theatrical portrait as complex as the woman herself. The production at the HHTC will include material never before used on the London or Broadway stage. With special permission, certain verses of “The Lady’s Got Potential”, from the original concert album and 1996 film, will be included as well as additional verses of “Another Suitcase In Another Hall” for Eva.These changes to the libretto have been made with the goal of further mining Eva's inner doubts and obstacles, which ultimately thickened her skin and fueled her fierce ambition and passion for the plight of the country’s huge underclass.

Felicia Finley, who played the role of Amneris in Broadway’s Aida, will play the title role in Evita. With featured roles in the Broadway productions Smokey Joe’s Café and The Life, Ms. Finley has garnered great popular and critical praise for her mesmerizing performances. Joining Ms. Finley in this production will be David Brummel (Chicago, Fosse) as Juan Peron and Frank Baiocchi (Miss Siagon, I Love You, Your Perfect…) as Che.

Director Gordon Greenberg returns to the HHTC, where he directed the critically acclaimed production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which The New York Times praised as “a new, thrilling Jesus Christ Superstar!” and In Theater Magazine called “consistently intelligent, unforced, a triumph.” Greenberg’s other directing credits include The Bakers Wife and O Henry’s Lovers for Goodspeed, the National Tour of Peter Pan, Floyd Collins at Signature, and the worldwide concerts of The Broadway Divas.

The Evita creative team includes:

• R. Kim Jordan as choreographer
• Richard Ellis as set designer
• Maura Suter as costume designer
• Asa Wember as sound designer and
• Richard Latta as lighting designer.

Evita plays the HHTC October 18th though the November 2nd. Tickets range from $32.50 to $47.50 and can be purchased by calling the HHTC Box Office at 845-358-6333.

Evita is sponsored by LeCroy Corporation.

JACKIE MASON RETURNS TO HHTC IN THE ALL-NEW, BROADWAY–BOUND JACKIE MASON LAUGHING ROOM ONLY

Sexy, Bawdy "Comedy With Music" is Mason's First-Ever Show with a Powerhouse Cast, an uproarious Book and catchy, hilarious Music!

Nyack, NY– Jackie Mason returns to the HHTC in the all-new, Broadway-bound Jackie Mason Laughing Room Only, a show sure to set the standard for burlesque in the 21st century. Together with a powerhouse cast of five talented singer/dancers, Jackie's show opens the Helen Hayes' Fall 2003 Season. With lots of singing and dancing, Jackie Mason Laughing Room Only is Jackie's first-ever show with a book, supporting cast and live music. Jackie Mason Laughing Room Only takes the comedian's insights into modern life, politics and group dynamics and translates them into sexy and hilarious adult sketches, witty songs and uproarious production numbers. Performances begin in Nyack at the Helen Hayes Theatre Company on September 19th and run through October 5th.

Having enjoyed tremendous success at the HHTC as a solo performer, Jackie takes that wonderful experience and gives audiences even more. "I haven't been this excited about anything since "The World According to Me," said Mason, whose six one-man shows on Broadway have earned him a Tony, an Outer Critics Circle Award, an Ace Award, an Emmy Award and a Grammy nomination. "The new show is sexy, naughty and dirty, but don't worry, it's funny, clean dirt," he says.

In Jackie Mason Laughing Room Only, Mason plays himself. Inspired to produce a Broadway musical, he is daunted by the $10 million price tag of a conventional production. He sets off to do it by himself on a budget of $19.95! After a production number that has him cast and prepare the show, the audience is then treated to the show itself.

Produced by Jyll Rosenfeld and Jon Stoll (the team responsible for Mason's recent Broadway hits, Prune Danish and Much Ado About Everything) and James Scibelli in association with Sidney Kimmel and John Morgan, Jackie Mason Laughing Room Only is directed by Robert Johanson, who was artistic director of Paper Mill, the State Theatre of New Jersey for 20 years, where he directed over 50 productions. It is based on a concept by veteran film and television writer Digby Wolfe and is written by Dennis Blair a comedian, scriptwriter and award-winning songwriter, musician and comic actor best known for his caustic musical satires, collaborations with George Carlin, and writing credits for the Rodney Dangerfield films, Easy Money and Oh Brother.

The music is written by Doug Katsaros whose composing credits include the Fox television series "The Tick," the opening theme and special material for the 2001-2002 Tony Awards, and work on CDs with a Who's Who of vocalists and groups including Cher, Bon Jovi, Sinead O'Connor, Frank Sinatra, Gloria Estefan and Aerosmith. Joseph Baker is the musical director.

Joining Jackie in the show are five highly talented and versatile performers:

• Darrin Baker has appeared on Broadway in Sunset Boulevard, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Footloose, in the original Canadian cast of Les Miserable, and numerous other Off-Broadway productions.
• Canadian Robert Creighton comes to Broadway for the first time after numerous credits in national musical touring companies and playing four different roles in The Lion King in Toronto and Los Angeles.
• Barry Finkel's Broadway credits include Side Show and High Society. He has appeared Off-Broadway in Pageant and in Lust, for which he created the musical staging. He has directed or choreographed for a number of regional theater companies.
• Ruth Gottschall has appeared in nine Broadway shows including: The Music Man, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Goodbye Girl, Cabaret, and the NYC Opera production of The Desert Song.
• Cheryl Stern was featured in the recent Broadway revival of The Women, and has performed and/or written in a number of Off-Broadway productions including I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, Game Show, and That's Life, for which she received an Outer Critics nomination for writing. She has toured with numerous national companies of major Broadway musicals.
  
  The creative team also includes: Michael Lichtefeld as choreographer, Michael Anania as set designer, Thom Heyer as costume designer and Paul D. Miller as lighting designer.

Jackie Mason Laughing Room Only is part of the Fall 2003 Season, which also includes The Mancini Project and The Music Man. Subscriptions for all three shows range from $74.25 to $117. Single tickets to Jackie Mason Laughing Room Only go on sale on August 1st and range from $32.50 to $47.50. Tickets can be purchased by calling the HHTC Box Office at 845-358-6333 or by visiting the web site at www.hhtco.org.

Contact: Oscar Sales, Jr.
845/358-2847 ext. 21 (ph) 845/358-6846 (fax) email: oscar@hhtco.org

REGIS PHILBIN AT THE HHTC!

Nyack, NY (January 20, 2003) Regis Philbin comes to Rockland! Prior to his engagement in Las Vegas, daytime’s entertainment “King” comes to the Helen Hayes Theatre Company in Nyack for one night only to premiere his new show. This spectacular event showcases the charm, wit and talents of America’s best-known television personality and includes a 22-piece orchestra! Regis performs on Wednesday, February 12th at 7:30pm.

Since Regis first stepped in front of the camera 40 years ago, he has tackled talk shows, games shows, the literary world, and even the fashion world. The energetic host of the morning talker “LIVE with Regis and Kelly” took an already extraordinary career to new heights in 1999 when he carried his daytime success to primetime as host of the very popular “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” The winner of two Emmy Awards in 2001, Regis also received the 2001 TV Guide Award for Personality of the Year and Broadcasting & Cable’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also presented with a Crystal Apple Award for his contributions to the New York television industry from former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

Regis has branched into areas other than broadcasting: he has written three bestsellers including a memoir “I’m Only One Man.” His second memoir, “Who Wants To Be Me?” hit bookstores in the fall of 2000. He also launched a line of shirts and ties, “The Regis Collection” by Phillips-Van Heusen, inspired by his sartorial look on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.”

His new show will have a little singing, a little music, and a whole lot of comedy and fun!

See Regis before his show takes Vegas by storm at the Helen Hayes Theatre Company on Wednesday, February 12th at 7:30pm. Tickets are $40 and $35 with a few Gold Circle seats at $60. Call the Box Office at (845) 358-6333 or (201) 358-6065. Visit our web site at www.hhtco.org

Maria Callas lives on in MASTER CLASS

Nyack, NY (January 20, 2003) The Helen Hayes Theatre Company presents Terrence McNally’s Tony Award-winning play, MASTER CLASS, starring Lorraine Serabain as the demanding and temperamental Maria Callas. Inspired by a series of master classes conducted at Juilliard in 1971, MASTER CLASS is a powerful and penetrating look at the legendary opera Diva. MASTER CLASS is sponsored by The Journal News and performs at the Helen Hayes Theatre Company from February 22nd through March 9th.

Three aspiring voice students meet head on with the celebrated Callas, now past her prime, as she coaxes, prods and inspires them while revealing pieces of her life, her loves, and her passion. The results are often hilarious, frequently moving, and ultimately riveting theatre from beginning to end.

Written by one of America’s greatest playwrights, MASTER CLASS explores the heart of the world’s greatest artists. In addressing his fascination for his favorite singer, Maria Callas, McNally explores the triumphs and pitfalls of building an artistic career as the sole focus of one’s existence. In his own words, “Callas sees and hears what other singers are deaf and blind to: the poetry of the music…Callas sings meaning…the intensity of the feelings and the flashes of genius that still astonish but can never be duplicated.”

Lorraine Serabian has had a long and varied career as a performer on Broadway and Off-Broadway. She created the role, received a Tony nomination, and won a Critic’s Outer Circle Award for her portrayal of The Leader in Hal Prince’s Zorba! She has also appeared on Broadway in Carmelina and The Flowering Peach with Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson and Off-Broadway in Ruthless, The Life of Walter Mitty, Electra, and The Trojan Women.

The cast also includes: Theodora Middleton (MASTER CLASS on Broadway with Patti Lupone and Dixie Carter and the national tour starring Faye Dunaway), Sherry Boone (Marie Christine, Jelly’s Last Jam), and Alberto Sanchez (MASTER CLASS national tour starring Faye Dunaway).

MASTER CLASS is sponsored by The Journal News and performs February 22nd through March 9th. Times vary. Prices are $32.50 - $47.50 Premium seating also available. For tickets and performance times, call the HHTC box office at (845) 358-6333 or (201) 358-6065 or visit our web site at www.hhtco.org

“No knowledge or appreciation of opera? Don't Worry. It's not necessary. Maria Callas will infuse you with the beauty, the wonder and the love of an art form of which she was the world's greatest practitioner.” – Terrence McNally

Tango and West Coast Swing merge into an exciting new dance form SWANGO, The Fusion!

Nyack, NY (January 15, 2003) Take the passion of Tango, the sensuality of West Coast Swing, add a heartbreaking love story and the breathtaking choreography of Robert Royston and Mariela Franganillo and you have the thrilling theatrical event that is SWANGO, The Fusion. SWANGO, The Fusion will perform at the Helen Hayes Theatre Company on February 7th, 8th, and 9th.

The erotically charged Tango is Latin Americanís dance of passion. From its beginnings in turn-of-the-century Buenos Aires bordellos to its acceptance into high society, this sensuous and sophisticated dance inhabits a world where everything can be said with the flick of a leg, the tug of a hand, the tap of a foot, and the arch of an eyebrow.

Originating in the Blues clubs of California, West Coast Swing shares the sensuality and expressiveness of the Tango, but also incorporates an intricate and intimate relationship between the dance partners and the music. West Coast Swing allows the female the freedom to stylize her movements within the framework of the male lead.

Told through the heartbreaking love story of two dancers from different worlds, SWANGO, The Fusion exposes the odds each must face. Robert Royston and Mariela Franganillo portray the young lovers whose mutual attraction emboldens them to defy their worlds and create a new and thrilling dance form fusing Argentine Tango and West Coast Swing.

SWANGO, The Fusion will be presented at Helen Hayes Theatre Company on February 7th and 8th at 8PM and February 9th at 2PM. Tickets are $20-$40. Call the Box Office at 201-358-6065 or 845-358-6333.

BIOS:

Mariela Franganillo (Producer/Choreographer) was born in Buenos Aires. One of the premiere Argentine Tango dancers in America, she has performed her own choreography in the smash hit FOREVER TANGO on Broadway; LOS TANGUEROS with Fernando Otero and the X-Tango Group at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. She is a guest instructor at the renowned Dance Manhattan and travels the world teaching special tango workshops.

Robert Royston (Producer/Choreographer) is a four time US Open Swing Dance and Country Dance Champion. He began choreographing and performing in music videos where his work came to the attention of producers of the hit Broadway Show SWING! For the next year, he performed his own choreography in SWING!, becoming the asst. choreographer for the National Tour. His work has been featured with Broadway Cares/EFA in GYPSY OF THE YEAR and DESTINATION GROOVE and a NY workshop production of URBAN COWBOY in which he also performed. TV credits include:"The Today Show,""The Rosie OíDonnell Show,""The View" and The Macy's Parade. He is an internationally recognized judge and instructor, making his home base at Dance Manhattan Studios in NYC.

Contact: Oscar Sales, Jr.
845/358-2847 ext. 21 (ph) 845/358-6846 (fax)
oscar@hhtco.org

Broadway’s Creative Artists Bring The Mother Goose Musical to Nyack!

December 23, 2002 (Nyack, NY) – The artists behind the theatrical hit The Prince and the Pauper create the next new family musical – Fiona, The Mother Goose Musical. Presented by the Helen Hayes Youth Theatre on January 11th & 12th and again on January 25th & 26th, Fiona, The Mother Goose Musical, will incorporate 70 children in three casts from Bergen, Rockland and Westchester counties.

In a land filled with colorful characters with interesting stories, Fiona begins the search for her place in the world. As she begins her journey, she meets up with the Itsy Bitsy Spider, who tired of his role in life, wishes to become a computer programmer. As they travel the Land of Nursery Rhymes seeking the help of the wise old king, they meet many of the outlandish inhabitants of the kingdom – Jack Sprat, Bo Peep, Little Boy Blue, Wee Willie Winkie, Humpty Dumpty, Miss Muffet, the Three Blind Mice, and many more. Fascinated by their tales, Fiona starts chronicling their stories and discovers her true calling. With music and lyrics by Neil Berg and lyrics and book by John Patrick Schutz, Fiona, The Mother Goose Musical, is a show kids will love and adults will find extremely entertaining.

With his collaborator, John Patrick Schutz, and fresh from his great success Off-Broadway with The Prince and the Pauper, Nyack resident Neil Berg, has gathered a creative team from some of New York’s hottest shows – Bat Boy: The Musical, The Phantom of the Opera, A Christmas Carol, Beauty and the Beast, and others.

“I love stories about self-discovery,” says Neil. “I enjoy when people and characters discover things about themselves. I’ve written Broadway shows and family musicals, but I’ve never written a children’s show, a show that might help kids find their place in the world. As an artist, my life does not have the regular 9 to 5 structure. It is rather unconventional and it took me time to find my own voice. I want children to know that it’s ok to be different and it’s ok to look for a new story every day.”

Joining Neil and John in this endeavor is an incredible Broadway team including:

• Set Designer Dana Kenn (Miss Saigon, Sunset Boulevard, Beauty and the Beast, A Christmas Carol)
• Costume Designer Sam Fleming (The Phantom of the Opera, The Prince and the Pauper)
• Director Chris Gattelli (Bat Boy: The Musical, tick, tick…BOOM!)
• Director Jim Fyfe (Biloxi Blues, Legs Diamond, Artist Descending a Staircase, A Thousand Clowns)
• Musical Director Helen Lindsey
• Musical Director Fiona Santos (The Water Coolers )
• Keyboardist Jordan Rudess (Dream Theatre),
• Choreographer Greg Bacarini (42nd Street and Me and My Girl national tours), and
• Lighting Designer Paul Carbone.

“I am absolutely thrilled with this star-studded production team,” says Danielle Rudess, Youth Theatre Director/Producer. “I told the children in the cast how fortunate we are to have Broadway designers making our costumes, designing our set and directing the show. But, the kids don’t see any difference between the Helen Hayes Youth Theatre and Broadway, so in their eyes these bigwigs from Broadway are working right where they should be… at the Helen Hayes studios in Nyack, NY!”

Fiona, The Mother Goose Musical will perform Saturday & Sunday January 11th and 12th at 2pm and 7pm, and on Saturday and Sunday, January 25th and 26th at 3pm. Tickets are $10 and can be obtained by calling the HHTC box office at (845) 358-6333 or (201) 358-6065 or by visiting our web site at www.hhtco.org

Contact: Oscar Sales, Jr.
845/358-2847 ext. 21 (ph) 845/358-6846 (fax) email: oscar@hhtco.org

The Hills of Nyack Sing Out as
The Sound of Music comes to town!
Sponsored by Union State Bank

November 11, 2002 (Nyack, NY) – The hills of Nyack will ring with the tuneful sounds of one the most beloved musicals ever written. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music is a heartwarming, inspirational story based on the lives of the Trapp Family Singers. The Sound of Music comes to the Helen Hayes Theatre Company from November 30th through December 29th and is sponsored by Union State Bank.

Set in 1938, The Sound of Music tells the story of Maria Rainer, a free-spirited young Austrian woman studying to take her religious vows. Recognizing that Maria is not cut out to be a nun, the Mother Superior sends her to be the latest in a long line of governesses at the home of autocratic widower, Captain Von Trapp. Bringing warmth and music to the strict household, Maria soon wins over the children and finally the Captain as well. This gorgeously rendered romance features Richard Rodgers' most soaring melodies and Oscar Hammerstein's most joyful, inspirational lyrics in such songs as "Climb Every Mountain," "My Favorite Things," "Edelweiss," “Do-Re-Mi,” and many more.

Sarah Uriarte Berry and Martin Vidnovic star as the sweet young postulant and grieving naval captain. Richard Sabellico will choreograph and direct.

Ms. Berry recently returned from the Kennedy Center in Washington where she played Anne in A Little Night Music. She has appeared on Broadway in Beauty and the Beast (Belle) and Les Misérables (Eponine) as well as in the City Center Encores! productions of The Boys From Syracuse and Tenderloin. She received a Dramalogue Award and an L.A. Ovation nomination for her role in the touring company of Carousel. Ms. Berry's other theatrical credits include Sunset Boulevard with Petula Clark and she created the role of Miss Dorothy in the world premiere of Thoroughly Modern Millie at La Jolla Playhouse.

Mr. Vidnovic just completed a run in Showtune, The Jerry Herman Songbook at the HHTC as well as playing Daddy Warbucks in Annie two seasons ago. He received a Tony nomination for his performance as Tommy in Brigadoon, a Drama Desk Award for Baby and an LA Drama Critics Award in the 1980 revival of Oklahoma! Other Broadway credits include: Yul Brenner’s The King and I, Guys and Dolls, Home Sweet Homer and Disney’s King David.

The company also includes Rebecca Spencer (Mother Abbess), Megan Nicole Arnoldy (Liesel), Richard Bell (Admiral von Schreiber), Kim Blair (Ursula), Ray DeMattis (Max Detweiler), Allie Denburg (Marta), Roger DeWitt (Franz), Diane Findlay (Sister Berte), Leslie Gamache (Frau Schmidt), T.J. Larke (Kurt), Regina LoBiondo (Gretl), Robin Manning (Sister Sophia), Mark Morrison (Baron Eberfeld), Elizabeth O’Connor (Louisa), Kimberly Parente (Brigetta), Lyn Philistine (Sister Margaretta), John Sechrist (Rolf Gruber), Scott Sinclair (Fredrick), Kate Suber (Elsa Schraeder) and James A. Walsh (Herr Zeller).

Mr. Sabellico has a long list of Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional credits including Wonderful Town (Broadway), The Cocoanuts (Off-Broadway), Majority of One (Off-Broadway - Drama Desk Nomination), I Can Get It For You Wholesale (Off-Broadway - Drama Desk Award), Milk and Honey (Off-Broadway - Outer Critics Circle Nomination), Rags (Off-Broadway - Outer Critics Circle Nomination) and the American Premiere of Blood Brothers. Mr. Sabellico has also directed the national tours of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s State Fair starring John Davidson and the 35th Anniversary tour of Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man. He is currently at work on a new musical entitled I Loved Lucy.

The production team includes: Richard Ellis (Set Design), James E. Crochet (Costume Design), Tom Sturge (Lighting Design), Peter Fitzgerald (Sound Design) Lynne Shankel (Musical Director) and Robert Levinstein (Production Stage Manager).

The Sound of Music is sponsored by Union State Bank and performs November 30th through December 29th. Times vary. Prices are $35 - $49.50 with childrens prices from $25 - $30. Premium seating also available. For tickets, performance times and discounts call the HHTC box office at (845) 358-6333 or (201) 358-6065 or visit our web site at www.hhtco.org

THE SOUND OF MUSIC by Rogers & Hammerstein
November 30, 2002 – December 22, 2002

The world’s most beloved musical is a joyous tuneful odyssey for the entire family. Based on the true story of the Von Trapp family, THE SOUND OF MUSIC is full of memorable and moving songs that evoke the beauty and joy of life – “Do-Re-Mi”, “Climb Every Mountain”, “Edelweiss” and many more.
Tickets: $35.00-$49.50

Sponsored by USB Bank

MASTER CLASS by Terrence McNally
February 22-March 9, 2003

Inspired by a series of classes given by the legendary opera diva, Maria Callas, near the end of her illustrious career, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Terrence McNally has written a sparkling and rich play. An illuminating portrait of genius and artistic temperament, MASTER CLASS follows Callas as she puts two promising students through her demanding and exacting regimen and recounts her days at La Scala, her tortuous marriage, and her greatest love - Aristotle Onassis.
Tickets: $32.50-$47.50
Sponsored by The Journal News

Remember WENN – The Musical by Rupert Holmes
March 22-April 6, 2003

From the man who brought us the fun of this season’s record-breaking mystery comedy THUMBS, comes the world premiere of the music, the laughter and the open-hearted nostalgia of Remember WENN – The Musical. Multiple Tony Award-winning author-composer-lyricist Rupert Holmes will debut his first original musical since the Broadway smash hit THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (which also won the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Musical). Based on the memorable characters Holmes created for his Emmy Award-winning TV series, Remember WENN – The Musical will catapult you back to that golden time in America just before World War II, where the crew of a struggling Pittsburgh radio station tries to stay afloat on the airwaves even as life creates tidal waves around them.
Tickets: $32.50-$47.50
Sponsored by Provident Bank

DAMES AT SEA
April 19-May 4, 2003

A musical gem, DAMES AT SEA is thoroughly wrapped in the era of the ‘30’s and Busby Berkeley musicals - full of wonderful comedy, sultry torch songs and show-stopping tap dancing. This is the story of Ruby, a country girl from Utah, who arrives in New York to get a job as a chorus girl and ends up the star of the show! But when the theater is demolished, they vow “the show must go on” and it does, on the deck of a battleship!
Tickets: $32.50-$47.50

EVITA by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice
June 7-22, 2003

The 2003 season finale will be the landmark musical about Eva Peron, the legendary first lady of Argentina. A charismatic leader, EVITA was beloved by the masses. Her brilliance at manipulating the press made them think of her as a saint although one with style and sex appeal. The Pop/Rock/Latin score by the creators of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR make EVITA a musical theater masterpiece.
Tickets: $37.50-$49.50
Sponsored by Butler International

AND ANNOUNCING…2 INCREDIBLE SEPTEMBER SPECIAL EVENTS!

Jackie Mason in PRUNE DANISH
September 9-14 & 24-29

America’s greatest social philosopher is back at it again with a new show! With his famous rapid fire, wink-at-the audience style, Jackie exposes the idiosyncrasies of us all and somehow makes them laughable.
Tickets: $42.50-$50

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Pat Carroll in old friends.com
September 20, 21 and 22

What happens when two elderly friends on two different continents discover email? Their friendship intensifies and grows as they easily share the challenges and triumphs life has to offer.
Tickets: $37.50-$42.50

Nyack, NY (July 8, 2002) - The Helen Hayes Youth Theatre presents a summer full of musical theater classics to delight audiences of all ages. In association with Music Theater International, the Helen Hayes Youth Theatre will present newly reworked presentations of Meredith Willsonís The Music Man and Frank Loesser and Abe Burrows' Guys & Dolls. Full of all the humor, music and magic of their Broadway counterparts, these one-hour programs are performed by the talented young Youth Theatre members from Bergen, Rockland and Westchester Counties.

The Music Man, Meredith Willson's charming musical about growing up in a small Iowa town, is full of unforgettable melodies and show stopping songs -- "Goodnight My Someone," "Ya Got Trouble," "Seventy-Six Trombones". The plot revolves around "Professor" Harold Hill, a con-man who --in order to sell band instruments--convinces the citizens of River City, Iowa that he can teach their children to play in a magnificent marching band. But Hill doesn't count on falling in love with the town librarian, and instead of skipping town before the instruments arrive, he is convinced to stay.

Performances of The Music Man Jr. are July 26-27 and August 2-3. All performances are at 7pm.

Loesser and Burrows' Guys & Dolls is based on Damon Runyon's short story "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown." Desperate to find money to pay for his floating crap game, Nathan Detroit bets Sky Masterson a thousand dollars that Sky will not be able to take a local Salvation Army girl, Sarah Brown, to Cuba. Sky eventually is able to convince Sarah to join him. To Sky's shock, he ends up falling in love with Sarah. When he returns back to New York, he bets all the members of the floating crap game that if he wins his roll of the dice, they will all have to go to the mission. If he loses, he will give them each a thousand dollars. He ends up winning and all the gamblers end up visiting the mission and repenting their sins. Full of musical classics -- "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat," "Luck Be A Lady" "Take Back Your Mink," 'the Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game." Guys & Dolls is one of the longest running shows in Broadway history.

Performances of Guys & Dolls are August 9-10, 16-17, & 23-24. All performances are at 7pm.

All tickets for these performances are $10 and can be purchase by call the Box Office at 845-358-6333 or in NJ 201-358-6065. The Helen Hayes Theatre Company is located at 123 Main Street, Nyack, NY 10960.

Life is a journey. What are your…Expectations

A new and unexpected comedy by Susan Barsky


Nyack, NY (March 25, 2002) –- The Helen Hayes Theatre Company is proud to present a new and unexpected comedy by Susan Barsky. As part of the 2001-2002 Season, EXPECTATIONS stars veteran actresses Mary Fogarty and Lynne Lipton and performs at the Helen Hayes Theatre from April 13th through 28th. EXPECTATIONS is sponsored by The Journal News.

EXPECTATIONS, which made its New York area premiere at Queens Theatre in the Park, a couple of seasons back, has played New England theatres to great acclaim. “This is a feel good comedy with the potential of becoming a major Off-Broadway hit. Audiences love to root for characters who respond to life’s surprises with humor and dignity, and this play is all about that,” says Executive Producer Tony Stimac.

EXPECTATIONS follows the day-to-day lives of two elderly long-time friends, neighbors and total opposites. When they meet a young newlywed and new mother in the person of Karen, played by Nicola Royston, the expectations and realities of their lives collide with heartwarming and humorous insights into life, death, therapy, cellular phones and the supermarket express lane.

The older women are portrayed by two seasoned performers. Ms. Fogarty and Ms. Lipton have collectively performed with such prestigious theatre companies as The Royal Shakespeare Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, Hartford Stage, McCarter Theatre, LaJolla Playhouse, and Second City.  Both women have extensive television and Off-Broadway credits, including “Law and Order”, “The Cosby Show”, “Roseanne”, “Matlock” and “Guiding Light”. Mary Fogarty starred in Steel Magnolias, creating the role of Ouisu. Lynne Lipton has just finished filming and editing a short documentary about the indomitable spirit of New York City called Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue.

Prize winning playwright Susan Barsky is a member of the Dramatists Guild and The New Group’s Playwright Unit. Her EXPECTATIONS will be directed by Rod Kaats, winner if the 1997 Richard Rodgers Development Award and Assistant Director of the Broadway productions of JOE EGG and PRIVATE LIVES, as well as innumerable Off-Broadway and regional theatre productions.

When theatre reviews read as follows, you can understand the interest of transferring the show to an Off-Broadway theatre.

The Reviews:
“EXPECTATIONS is sweet, spirited and funny.” - Newsday
“EXPECTATIONS is delightful and lovable.” – The Cape Cod Chronicle
“EXPECTATIONS is a high.” – Daily Democrat
“Fresh and amusing, EXPECTATIONS delivers.” – Curtain Call

EXPECATIONS is penultimate show of the 2001-2002 Season at the HHTC. It will be followed by the international hit musical BUDDY: The Buddy Holly Story on June 1-16.

Sponsored by The Journal News, EXPECTATIONS is a production of the Helen Hayes Theatre Company.  Performances begin on April 13th and run through April 28th, 2002. April 13, 17-20 and 23-27 at 8:00pm.  April 14, 17, 21, 24 and 27 at 2:00pm.  April 16, 21 and 28 at 7:00pm.  Tickets are $32.50 - $47.50.  Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at (845) 358-6333 or in New Jersey at (201) 358-6065 or by going to our web site at www.hhtco.org.

THUMBS

With Kathie Lee Gifford and Diana Canova.
The most successful play in HHTC history!


Nyack, NY (March 26, 2002) – THUMBS, the new mystery-comedy by author-composer-lyricist Rupert Holmes and starring stage and television actresses Kathie Lee Gifford and Diana Canova, surpasses SCENT OF THE ROSES starring theatre legend Julie Harris as the most successful play in HHTC history.

Set in an isolated cabin in Vermont, THUMBS infuses an ingenious murder-mystery with an uproarious, farcical twist. Written by multiple Tony Award-winner Rupert Holmes, THUMBS is another hit for the genius behind Broadway smash hits THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, ACCOMPLICE and SOLITARY CONFINEMENT. And the talented cast had critics and audiences raving.

“Kathie Lee and Diana were made for each other. Their chemistry is instant and indelible. They achieve the stuff of legendary pairings!” – The Journal News

“Playwright Holmes sets the stage for fun, games and considerable self-parody. Holmes is crafty enough to plant a trap in virtually every device. Don’t spoil the surprises!” – The New York Times

“Holmes, who penned the Broadway smash THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, has another hit on his hands.” – The New York Post

“Kathie Lee and Diana capture the crowd in this laugh filled murder mystery. Holmes’ well-constructed plot springs unexpected surprises.” – Suburban News

Following the triumphant run of OLIVER! in December (the best selling musical in HHTC history), THUMBS has given the theatre a successful spring board for the remainder of  2002.  THUMBS performed March 9-24, 2002.

HHTC Welcomes New Board Members Joeen Moore Cianella and Mark W. Grannon

Nyack, NY– The Helen Hayes Theatre Company is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its Board of Trustees. Joining the prestigious HHTC Board are Joeen Moore Ciannella of Park Ridge, NJ, and Mark W. Grannon of Ridgewood, NJ.

"One of the main goals of the Helen Hayes Theatre Company is to be a true regional theatre for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut," says Tony Stimac, Executive Producer. "We strive to satisfy the interests of our communities and with the addition of Joeen and Mark to our board, the HHTC continues its tradition to reach out and better respect the diversity of our audiences. We are incredibly excited to have such outstanding community leaders as Joeen and Mark join our family."

Joeen Moore Ciannella is the District Director for Congresswoman Marge Roukema (5th District in New Jersey), a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1985. Ms. Ciannella is a member of numerous political organizations and has been a member of various campaign and fundraising committees since 1983. Ms. Cianella was the former Municipal Chairwoman for the NJ County Committee and has been involved with the following organizations: Park Ridge Board of Health, Rotary Club, New Jersey Network Annual Gala Committee, Junior League of Bergen County, and GROW (Greater Roles and Opportunities for Women). Currently, Ms. Cianella is the Vice President of Finance for the Bergen County Boy Scouts, Chairwoman of Marketing for the Ramapo College Foundation, Chairwoman of Special Effects for Pathmark Tennis Classic, which is a Ramapo College Fundraiser, and a charter donor for the Ramapo College Center for the Performing Arts. Ms. Cianella has been a small business owner of floral and accessories for the last 16 years.

Mark W. Grannon is a Vice President at Goldman Sachs & Co. He received both his Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts degrees from DePauw University in Greencastle, IN. Currently working in the Global Securities Services area of the Equities Division at Goldman Sachs & Co., Mr. Grannon has been a private consultant on fund management, Director of Operations at Sterling Grace Capital Management LP, and was associated with the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival. Mr. Grannon is on the Board of Trustees at the YMCA of Ridgewood, NJ, and is a member of the DePauw University Alumni Association Board of Directors. Mr. Grannon is the immediate past chairman of the Ramapo College Foundation Board of Governors.

HONK Returns!

HONK,
LONDON’S OLIVIER AWARD WINNING BEST MUSICAL
Returns to the HHPAC, where it made its NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT


After audience and critic raves, an Olivier Award for Best New Musical, and a smashingly successful national tour, HONK!, a sophisticated musical re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling,” comes back to the Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center – the site of it’s North American Premiere.

The Helen Hayes Youth Theater presents a one-hour musical adaptation of HONK! titled Honk, Jr. But the show is so incredible one presentation is not enough! Both the Junior Company and the Senior Company of the Youth Theater will be presenting their own versions of the show.

The Junior Company’s performances are

• Saturday, January 12th at 1 & 3:30pm and
• Sunday, January 13th at 1 & 3:30pm.

The Senior Company’s performances are

• Friday, January 25th at 7pm;
• Saturday, January 26th at 2 & 7pm; and
• Sunday, January 27th at 2pm.
  
  Tickets to all performances are $10.
  

Written by the British songwriting team of composer George Stiles and lyricist Anthony Drewe, HONK!, is a story of hope, bravery and remaining confident in the face of adversity – themes with which Stiles and Drewe are familiar. The duo has been writing together for 17 years, creating several musicals none of which reached London’s larger venues or American stages. But they have come close. Stiles and Drewe’s version of Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories was optioned by Steven Spielberg for an animated movie, Stephen Sondheim offered them creative guidance and Cameron Mackintosh wanted to produce. Sadly, deals fell through and Just So Stories successfully roamed through theaters in the English provinces. However, the team persevered and the dedication paid off. HONK!, has been the talk of London since it premiered at the Royal National Theater in December, 1999. On February 12th 2000, HONK! made its North American debut at the Helen Hayes.

HONK Jr. begins with the birth of ducklings - all of them petite, yellow and graceful. Well, almost all of them. The youngest is large, gray and awkward. Even though he earns the name of Ugly, his mother, Ida, loves him dearly and tries her hardest to protect him from his tormenting brothers and sisters and ridiculing father. When Ida’s back is turned, Ugly is lured away by a famished and foul-coveting Cat. In his attempt to escape, the young ducking becomes lost and sets on a whirlwind adventure during which he encounters a domesticated hen named Lowbutt, the “aesthetically-challanged” Bullfrog and a beautiful and generous swan named Penny who helps Ugly realize that his uniqueness is a gift to be shared with the world.

A Co-production with Music Theater International (MTI), HONK Jr. is directed by Joe Egan and Jim Fyfe.

Ugly and all of the characters of HONK Jr. waddles into the Helen Hayes this January with 9 very special and fun-filled performances.

Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased by call the Box Office at 845-358-6333.

THUMBS

by Tony-Award winning author Rupert Holmes

With the hit Broadway musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood, author Rupert Holmes became the first person in theatrical history to be the sole winner of Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score. Drood itself won the Tony Award for Best Musical and the New York Drama Desk bestowed the identical honors upon Holmes and his creation. Its run on Broadway was followed by two national and major productions at London’s Savoy Theater and The Kennedy Center Opera House. It made its Tokyo premiere (in Japanese) in the spring and was presented at Ontario’s prestigious Shaw Festival this past summer.

After a record-breaking run in Los Angeles, the Broadway production of Holmes’ comedy-thriller Accomplice starring Jason Alexander and Michael McKean won the coveted Edgar Award (the Oscar of crime literature) from The Mystery Writers of America – this being the second time Holmes has received their highest honor. A hit production starring Richard Kind (“Spin City”) and Stephanie Zimbalist (“Remington Steele”) delighted audiences in the year 2000.

Solitary Confinement, Holmes’ unique tour-de-force for actor Stacey Keach, was seen on Broadway at the Nederlander Theater after having set a Kennedy Center box office record. This technically daunting work made a rare appearance at The American Heartland Theatre this fall. Holmes also wrote and directed the lavish stage presentation of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books, whose national tour was followed by a season at England’s Winter Garden Theatre.

Holmes was creator, writer and co-producer of the critically acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning television series “Remember WENN”, guested by the likes of Jason Alexander, Betty Buckley, Philip Bosco, Greg Germann (“Ally McBeal”), Patti LuPone, John Ratzenberger, John Henson, Malcolm Gets, Julie Haggerty, and the late Roddy McDowell.

Homles’ popular songs have been recorded by many of the most famous vocalists of our time from Britney Spears to Barbra Streisand, for whom he has written, arranged, conducted and produced multi-platinum albums, including Lazy Afternoon, the finale of her For The Record collection, and his songs for the Grammy Award-winning soundtrack of the motion picture A Star is Born. Holmes’ songs have been featured in such films as Shrek, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Love Walked In, The General’s Daughter and No Small Affair (with Demi Moore and Tim Robbins) for which Holmes composed and sang the title song.

Despite all the above, Holmes is still probably best known to the general public as the singer-songwriter whose top 40 hits include the international #1 record “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)”.