The Midtown March Medley will feature a comedy musical act, a two-hander, a caper and a family drama. According to writers Rudetsky and Wesley, "There's plenty of classical music, comedy, incest, strokes and murder… Something for everyone!"
Midtown March Medley, which will run March 6-31, will be presented at The Bridge Theater at Shetler Studios.
The Daring Duo, written by and starring Rudetsky, will also feature David Turner (On a Clear Day…, The Ritz) and John Bolton (Curtains, A Christmas Story). The work "centers around about-to-be-married couple, Jake (Rudetsky) and Jonathan (Turner), both touring classical musicians, who agree to perform at the luxurious apartment of notorious gangster, Bruno Sterling (Bolton). After some Chopin, Bizet and Gershwin, their gig turns into a terrifying but hilarious caper where they’re both on the run from the police and a murderer! Filled with live classical music performances and fascinating, little-known music history facts (AKA, upon his death, Chopin had his heart removed and buried in Poland!), The Daring Duo, directed by Paul Castree (9 to 5, Saturday Night Fever) is described as a comedic version of The Da Vinci Code with a classical music twist!" There will be 16 performances of The Daring Duo.
Rudetsky and longtime comedy collaborator Kristine Zbornik (Into the Woods, A Catered Affair) will reunite in Seth and Kristine: Together Again! According to press notes, "The two musical comedians spent many years performing together/arguing on stage at clubs all over New York and they've decided to resurrect (AKA rehash) their funniest material. The evening will offer such tidbits as their classic requests-from-the-audience segment plus Zbornik's washed-up Anita Lomax character ('This business is sexist! A man who's graying at the temples is called sexy, right? I drink a case of vodka, I'm an alcoholic...') Each performance promises to be (a little bit) different!" There will be six performances of Seth and Kristine. Unbroken Circle written by Wesley, will star Suzanna Hay (Dance of Death), Eve Plumb (Love, Loss and What I Wore, Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating), Anika Larsen (Xanadu, Avenue Q), Lori Hammel (Forbidden Broadway, Mamma Mia!), Stacey Bone-Gleason (recent NYU graduate), Wesley and Juli Wesley (Rudetsky and Wesley's 12-year-old daughter). Here's how the work is described: "Set in 1970 Galveston, Texas, a family is brought together for the first time in years on the day of its patriarch’s funeral. As the day turns into night, the man's impact on his family unfolds in unexpected and surprising ways. Directed by Jason St. Little, Unbroken Circle is at turns hilarious and disturbing and explores how abuse and family secrets affect every person in each generation differently." There will be 16 performances of Unbroken Circle.
Art and Science, written by Wesley and directed by Antoinette DePietropolo, will star Tony nominees John Tartaglia (Avenue Q, Shrek) and Tony Sheldon (Priscilla Queen of the Desert). In Art and Science, "An estranged student, Adam (Tartaglia), visits his former voice teacher, Robert (Sheldon), to find he's had a stroke and is partially paralyzed. In spite of Adam's urging, Robert refuses to go to the hospital and seek medical attention because he's a Christian Scientist. Reluctantly, Adam feels he has no choice but to stay and help Robert. As the play unfolds, they both discover and address their long-held resentments towards each other and struggle to find acceptance. At times quite funny and ultimately moving, Art and Science is based on a real-life event that happened between the playwright and his elderly voice teacher." There will be 16 performances of Art and Science.
The Equity-approved showcases will be stage managed by Samuel-Moses Jones, Karen Evanouskas, Christopher Munnell and Michael Friedlander.
The Bridge Theater at Shetler Studios is located at 244 W. 54th, 12th floor. For tickets, priced $18, visit BrownPaperTickets.com. For more information, visit Facebook.com/MidtownMarchMedley or email [email protected].
