On Feb. 26 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, the classic story of the O.K. Corral will be presented "in humorous period style" by a cast of Broadway and film stars including Tony and Drama Desk winner and three-time Oscar nominee Joan Allen (The Heidi Chronicles, Burn This); four-time Tony nominee Gregg Edelman (Wonderful Town, City of Angels); Drama Desk nominee Kerry O'Malley (Into the Woods); three-time Tony nominee and Drama Desk winner Brian Murray (The Crucible); Drama Desk winner Michael Cullen (Bug); Audelco Award winner Helmar Augustus Cooper; Sam Cohen of TheatreSports; David Lutken (Ring of Fire); Guy Paul (Twelve Angry Men, Stuff Happens); Charlie Pollock (Urinetown); Ric Stoneback (1776, Tom Sawyer); Clarke Thorell (Hairspray, Lone Star Love); and Debra Walton (The Pajama Game, Cookin' at the Cookery) with Fred Newman ("A Prairie Home Companion") providing live sound effects.
Wayne Barker provides music direction and Nick Corley (Tall Grass, Flight) directs.
Greg Carter and Suzanne Hevner are singers in the 7:30 PM performance.
The gala benefit celebrates the tenth anniversary of the not-for-profit troupe that "creates, develops and produces New York premieres of plays and musicals that explore the themes, people, and events that shape the unique American experience."
In past seasons, MPTC's benefit gala featured the Lux Radio Theatre adaptations of "It's a Wonderful Life" and "All About Eve." The 1947 Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of "My Darling Clementine" is based on the film written by Samuel G. Engel, Winston Miller, Sam Hellman and Stuart N. Lake and directed by John Ford.
Melting Pot Theatre Company opened its first production, The Portable Pioneer and Prairie Show, at the Theatre at Riverside Church in February 1997. There have been dozens of productions, concerts, workshops, readings and educational programs since then.
Founding artistic director Larry Hirschhorn said in a statement, "It's hard to believe that it's been ten years! We've had an amazing time thus far, and I am so grateful to all of the artists, technicians, and funders that have helped us reach this wonderful milestone. To last ten years in this town is something of a miracle, so I'm extremely proud."
The Lucille Lortel Theatre is located at 121 Christopher St., between Bleecker and Hudson streets in the West Village.
The post-show reception will take place at 9:30 PM at Agave, 140 Seventh Ave. South at West Tenth Street.
Tickets are $600 and $300 each, with rows of 10 available for $6,000 and $3,000. A limited number of show-only tickets are available for $100. A sizable portion of each ticket is a tax-deductible charitable contribution. Tickets may be purchased directly from the Melting Pot at (212) 330-7211 (phone), (212) 874-6054 (fax), or [email protected].
MPTC has produced 15 Off-Broadway productions, including four world premieres and nine New York premieres. Cobb, by Lee Blessing, received the 2001 Drama Desk Award for Best Ensemble Performance and, with the support of co-producers Kevin Spacey and Elizabeth McCann, transferred to the Lucille Lortel Theatre for an extended run. Woody Guthrie's American Song was nominated for two Drama Desk Awards, including Best New Musical Revue, and the Outer Critics' Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical. Miss Evers' Boys, by David Feldshuh, received four Audelco Award nominations.
In spring 2005, MPTC produced the world premiere of Garth Wingfield's Flight: The Rise & Fall of Charles Lindbergh, starring Gregg Edelman, Kerry O'Malley, and Brian D'Arcy James, at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.
For more information, visit www.MeltingPotTheatre.com.
