Friday, April 08, 2011

ROBIN'S SHOW REVIEW: TOMORROW MORNING - Discount Offer


Making its NYC debut at the York Theatre Company, this new Off-Broadway musical follows a couple as they face the uncertainty of what tomorrow morning holds on the eve of two life changing events.

A young, giddily smitten couple is looking forward to spending the rest of their lives together as they prepare for their wedding with excitement and lust, while, ten years later, their older selves are drafting divorce papers and looking back on a marriage gone wrong.

TOMORROW MORNING is both a humorous and moving story of the complexity of contemporary relationships and speaks to anyone who has felt the joy and pain of love.  Nothing comes with a guarantee, even if you enter into a relationship with the best of intentions and a full heart, and that is evidenced here.

The show received previous productions in both London and Chicago and, in 2009, won Chicago's Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Musical.  It is performed without intermission for 75 minutes.

The cast of four features D.B. Bonds, Autumn Hurlbert, Matthew Hydzik and Mary Mossberg.  A standout  was Mossberg as Catherine.  Her performance was both strong and moving.  And, Bonds as John nearly brought me to tears when he sang a particularly poignant duet (with Hydzik) entitled Look What We Made, about his nine year old son Jack.  The mom in me could fully relate to this father's love as he shared wonderment and joy, tinged with underlying sadness, knowing that they would no longer be parenting under the same roof....yet they were responsible for bringing this promising, innocent boy into the world.

The show had a welcome light-hearted moment with The Game Show song, and it was clever at the end when Jack's vows were shared in writing with the audience.

Compared to the flash and glamour of so many Broadway musicals these days, TOMORROW MORNING makes it's heartfelt point with a more-subdued, yet well-staged production, and there is soemthing to be said for that.

LAURENCE MARK WYTHE (Book, Music and Lyrics) is one of the UK's leading emerging creators of new musical theatre. Tomorrow Morning was first produced in London in 2006, and then in Chicago in 2008 where it won the Jeff Award for Best Midsize Musical. This was followed by a production in Melbourne and a further production in the UK in 2010 starring Julie Atherton and Jon Lee. His musical Through the Door (book by Judy Freed) was seen in the West End in 2009, also starring Julie Atherton. His other work includes the festive family musical The Lost Chrismas which was recently produced in the UK, and he is currently writing Girlfriends for Korean producers OD Musical. He composed the score for Joe DiPietro's play F---ing Men in Chicago (directed by Tom Mullen), and recently wrote the theme for a new TV project with a BAFTA award winning production company. He lives in London with his wife and two daughters. www.laurencemarkwythe.com

TOM MULLEN (Director) Recently directed Joe DiPietro's F---ing Men, Stages 773, US Premiere; Departure Lounge, Royal George Theatre; Tomorrow Morning, Victory Gardens Greenhouse Theater, (Joseph Jefferson Award Winner - Best Musical Midsize); Love/Perfect Now Change, Noble Fool Theatricals; JOE, Chicago Dramatist; Urinetown, Mercury Theatre, seven Jeff nominations including Best Director and Best Musical. World premiere, What a Glorious Feeling, NYMF Festival; Full Gallop, with Emmy winner Jill Larson; the world premiere of Wicked City; Associate Director of Broadway revival, Company (Roundabout Theatre) and The Rhythm Club (Signature Theatre, Washington D.C.); National tour: The World Goes 'Round for Columbia Artists; adapted Augusten Burroughs novel Sellevision, Ohio Theatre, NYC; Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus; Second City Comedy Theatre. Concerts: Oleta Adams, Sutton Foster and Bea Arthur. Regional credits include: Forever Plaid, A Chorus Line, Betty's Summer Vacation, Nine, Closer than Ever and The 1940's Radio Hour.


DISCOUNT TICKET OFFER:
The York Theatre Company ∙ 619 Lexington Avenue (Corner of 54th St.) ∙ New York, NY 10022
http://www.yorktheatre.org/
Use codeTCMORN45 for $45 tickets!
Box Office: (212) 935-5820 ∙ Box Office Hours: Monday-Friday 12-6pm


*Offer expires 4/23/11. Valid for all performances through 4/23/11. Blackout dates may apply. Offer subject to availability and prior sale. All sales are final; no refunds or exchanges. Schedule and casting subject to change. Offer may be modified or revoked at any time.

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Thursday, August 13, 2009

Robin's Show Recommendation -- SESSIONS


I had the opportunity to see the Off-Bway musical SESSIONS last night in NYC, and really enjoyed it.

It now features "Guiding Light” Star and Daytime Emmy Nominee Robert Newman (no relation to me).

SESSIONS, directed by Thomas Coté, is playing at the Algonquin Theater (123 East 24th Street). Albert M. Tapper (From Where I Stand, Broadway: The Golden Age) wrote this candid, poignant and witty musical about the everyday life of a New York therapist and his patients.

In SESSIONS, the New York therapist is challenged to balance his patients’ needs with his own- all while fending off advances from one very enticing female subject. His experiences remind us that even those we look to for guidance can be as vulnerable as we are.

Dr. Peter Peterson listens, advises and tests his patients. His therapy support group includes: a bickering marriage just won’t go away, a rich kid who found his voice in Bob Dylan, a reluctant man who has longed for the same woman for 15 years, a young woman who has spent so much time in therapy she might get out, a billionaire who finds no solace in his money, a strong willed woman with a dark secret, and a provocative siren in high heels...

Newman joins stars Bertilla Baker (Titanic, Bernarda Alba), Al Bundonis (Whistle Down The
Wind, Ragtime), Scott Richard Foster (Brooklyn the Musical), Drama Desk and Theatre World
award winner Ken Jennings (Sweeney Todd, Urinetown), Tony nominee Liz Larsen (The Most
Happy Fella, The Rocky Horror Show), Kelli Maguire (Swingtime Canteen, A Wonderful Life)
Rachelle Rak (Fosse, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and Sky Seals (Much Ado About Nothing,
Medea).


* * *
SESSIONS plays Wednesday-Saturday at 8pm as well at playing 3pm matinees on Wednesday,
Saturday and Sunday. Due to the “Guiding Light” shooting schedule, the role of Dr. Peterson will
be played by Dennis Holland on Wednesday matinees. All seats are $50 and are available by
visiting http://www.smarttix.com/ or by calling 212-868-4444. Senior and student discount tickets are available for $20.

http://www.sessionsthemusical.com/

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