By Kenneth Jones
24 Oct 2009

Howard McGillin

The latest history-related cabaret featuring Broadway stars at the Museum of the City of New York is called New York at 400: The Broadway View, to feature Nancy Anderson, Joy Lynn Matthews, Phantom of the Opera veteran Howard McGillin and Jim Stanek, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

The shows, tied into current exhibits at the museum on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, are at 3 PM.

According to production notes, "Broadway stars present an affectionate, sometimes satirical, celebration of the city's 400th birthday with dazzling songs by some of Broadway's best composers and songwriters, including Victor Herbert, Kurt Weill, the Gershwins, Charles Strouse, and Rodgers and Hart."

Written and directed by Michael Montel, with Greg Pliska as musical director, New York at 400: The Broadway View is the 12th production of the museum's popular Perform series and is inspired by the Museum's newest publication "New York 400: A Visual History of America's Greatest City" (Perseus-Running Press, 2009).

Montel told Playbill.com that the program will include songs from Golden Boy, Street Scene, a surprise from a Cotton Club revue by Arlen & Koehler, and classics such as "Dancing in the Dark," "Ten Cents a Dance," as well as perhaps less familiar (and now nostalgic) views of city life such as "Take Me Down To Coney Island" (from 1893's The Belle of New York), "At the Roxy Music Hall" (from Make Mine Manhattan).

Tickets are $15 (museum members, seniors, and students) and $20 (general public). Order tickets online at www.mcny.org or call (212) 534-1672, ext. 3395.

Museum of the City New York
is at 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street.