Karen Ziemba, Stephen Bogardus, Christine Pedi and More Honor Jerry Herman in Dec. 5 Broadway Close Up

By Michael Gioia
05 Dec 2011

Karen Ziemba
Karen Ziemba

Broadway Close Up: Jerry Herman, the final concert in Merkin Concert Hall's 2011 Broadway Close Up series, celebrates the life and career of Tony Award-winning composer-lyricist Jerry Herman Dec. 5 at the Kaufman Center.

The 7:30 PM concert, featuring musical direction by Richard Danley, includes performances from Lee Roy Reams (42nd Street), Karen Ziemba (Contact), Donna English (Lend Me a Tenor), Stephen Bogardus (Man of La Mancha), Nora Mae Lyng, Jonah Kernis, Jason Graae, Christine Pedi (Forbidden Broadway) and cabaret artists Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano.

The evening, which honors Herman's 80th birthday and 50-year career, includes a duet he wrote for the musical Ben Franklin In Paris and  celebrates three of his lesser-known shows: Mack and Mabel, The Grand Tour and Dear World.

Herman won Tony Awards for his work on Hello, Dolly! and La Cage aux Folles. In 1999 he was also awarded a special Tony for Lifetime Achievement.

The Kaufman Center is located at 129 West 67th Street. For more information and tickets, visit kaufman-center.org.