The upcoming season will kick off Jan. 6-8, 2007, with Deborah Grace Winer's The Last Girl Singer: Rosemary Clooney . . . and Her Way With Words. "There hasn't been an opportunity to gather and celebrate Rosemary in New York, in a focused way, since her death in 2002," artistic director Winer said in a statement. The concerts, featuring direction by Marc Waldrop and musical direction by John Oddo, will boast the talents of Ann Hampton Callaway, James Naughton, Karen Ziemba and John Pizzarelli. Debby Boone, Clooney's daughter-in-law, will also be part of the celebration of the late singer.
Rob Fisher's program, Harnick: Collector's Items (Other People's Lyrics) Part 2, will explore the lyrics that inspired Sheldon Harnick to become a songwriter. Harnick, whose Broadway musicals include Fiorello!, She Loves Me and Fiddler on the Roof, will host the Feb. 10-12 evenings, which will feature Fisher at the piano. Vocalists will be announced at a later date.
Say it With Music: The Songs of Irving Berlin will follow, playing March 17-19. Artistic director Robert Kimball's program will explore "how Berlin's work over the course of 80 years reflected the evolving cultural landscape of America." Hosted by Charles Osgood, the concerts will feature Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks and such Berlin tunes as "White Christmas," "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and "Anything You Can Do." Sam Davis will accompany a mix of singers, who will be announced closer to the performances.
Fans of the Great American Songbook may not know the name Leo Robin, but they certainly know his lyrics: "Thanks for the Memory," "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" and "Beyond the Blue Horizon," to name but a few. In Andrea Marcovicci's Thanks for the Memories: The Lyrics of Leo Robin, a host of singers — including Gregory Harrison and Jennifer Sheehan — will pay tribute to the late lyricist, whose Broadway credits include Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and The Girl in Pink Tights. Performance dates are May 5-7.
The 2007 season will conclude with Steve Ross' Noel Coward and His Ladies. The June 2-4 concerts will feature a script by Barry Day and piano and vocals by Ross. The concerts will pay tribute to songwriter Coward "through the work of the talented and glamorous female stars who inspired and performed so many of his elegant and sophisticated songs." Those women include Elaine Stritch, Mary Martin, Gertrude Lawrence, Yvonne Printemps and Florence Henderson. The 92nd Street Y is located in Manhattan at 1395 Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street. Subscriptions to the Lyrics & Lyricists season are priced at $250 or $220; single tickets cost $45 or $55. Call (212) 415-5500 for more information or visit www.92Y.org.
