Single tickets have gone on sale for the 48th season of Lyrics & Lyricists' series of tribute revues at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. The 2018 season will salute the work of songsmiths Irving Berlin, Lynn Ahrens, Frank Loesser, Bobby Darin, and “Lenny”s Lyricists”—collaborators with Leonard Bernstein including Stephen Sondheim—and the wordsmith team of Betty Comden and Adolph Green.
Jonathan Groff is among performers who will appear during the season; the Hamilton and Spring Awakening Tony nominee will headline The Bobby Darin Story in January. Additional artists will be announced in the coming months. The series was organized by producer Ted Chapin. Each concert boasts its own director, including Noah Racey, Rob Fisher, Jason Danieley, and Amanda Green.
Read: JONATHAN GROFF COMES TO 92ND STREET Y FOR 5 PERFORMANCES
Individual tickets, which start at $65, went on sale September 1. Subscriptions to the five-concert series, which run from January to June, are also available for $125–$350 at 92Y.org/Lyrics.
Here is the season at a glance. Please note that the previously announced March dates for the Berlin and Ahrens concerts have have switched:
January 20, 21, 22
The Bobby Darin Story
Featuring Jonathan Groff
Two-time Tony Award nominee Jonathan Groff (Hamilton, Spring Awakening) will sing a program of songs associated with pop vocalist Bobby Darin, who recorded a hit jazz arrangement of “Mack the Knife” from The Threepenny Opera. In addition to being major interpreter of the American Songbook, Darin was an Academy Award-nominated actor who wrote more than 200 songs.
February 24, 25, 26
Lenny’s Lyricists
Co-directed by Rob Fisher and Amanda Green
Fisher, a Lyrics & Lyricists veteran, and Amanda Green, daughter of lyricist Adolph Green (who worked with writing partner Betty Comden) examine the lyrics that went with Bernstein’s music, from the early years of his Broadway career with On the Town, through Candide and West Side Story. Celebrating Bernstein’s centennial year, the concert will feature the lyrics of Comden and Green, Stephen Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz, Alan Jay Lerner, Mark Blitzstein, John Latouche, Dorothy Parker, and Richard Wilbur.
March 24, 25, 26
Irving Berlin: American
Directed by Noah Racey
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the writing of “God Bless America,” this concert will examine “the man whose life represented the quintessential immigrant story, and see how his story resonates today. Berlin was born in Russia, arrived in Ellis Island at age five, and became one of the most eloquent spokesmen for the country that allowed him to flourish.”
May 5, 6, 7
Lynn Ahrens: A Lyric Life
Directed by Jason Danieley
Ahrens has created lyrics for award-winning songs for Broadway, Hollywood and television, including Ragtime, Once on This Island, A Man of No Importance, My Favorite Year, Schoolhouse Rock, and the current hit Anastasia. Along the way she earned Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards, in addition to Academy Award, Grammy Award and Golden Globe nominations. Ahrens will be on hand to discuss her career with songs performed by guest singers to be announced.
June 2, 3, 4
Frank Loesser: Lyricist
Directed by David Loud
Before he made his mark on Broadway writing music and lyrics to Guys and Dolls, The Most Happy Fella, and How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Loesser spent time in Hollywood contributing lyrics to music by many of the era’s great composers—Jule Styne, Burton Lane, Hoagy Carmichael, and others.
Jason Danieley has been a special guest performer on Playbill’s Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Cabins are available for Broadway on the Danube River with Michael Feinstein for November 3-13, 2017, also featuring Rachel Bay Jones, Julia Murney, Christopher Fitzgerald, Marc Kudisch, Christopher Sieber, Brandon Uranowitz, and Seth Rudetsky, as well as other exciting talent to be announced.
Tickets are also now on sale for Playbill’s Broadway on the High Seas July 2018 cruise to Iceland, accompanied by Judy Kuhn, Christine Ebersole, Rob McClure, Jarrod Spector, Carmen Cusack, and Sierra Boggess. Visit PlaybillTravel.com for booking and information.
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