Mary Testa, Betsy Wolfe, Curt Hansen, Lilli Cooper and More Will Sing Music of Henry Krieger at Merkin Concert Hall

By Michael Gioia
18 Oct 2012

Mary Testa
Mary Testa
Photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

The music of Henry Krieger, the two-time Tony-nominated composer of Dreamgirls and Side Show, will be featured in the Kaufman Center's Broadway Close Up series Oct. 22 at Merkin Concert Hall.

At the 7:30 PM concert, hosted by Sean Hartley, Krieger will share anecdotes about working with director Michael Bennett and writing material for Tony-winning performers like Jennifer Holiday and Alice Ripley.

Audiences will also get a first look at Krieger's new show, which is being written for one of Broadway's legendary leading ladies.

The evening will feature performances from Jill Abramovitz (9 to 5), Moya Angela (Ghost), Lilli Cooper (Spring Awakening), Erin Davie (A Little Night Music), Trevon Davis (Porgy and Bess), Brandon Victor Dixon (The Color Purple), Jeremiah James, Jared Joseph, Curt Hansen (Next to Normal), Emily Jenda, Jarran Muse (Irving Berlin's White Christmas), Mary Testa (Guys and Dolls), Ben Thompson (American Idiot), Betsy Wolfe (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) and composer-lyricist David Yazbek. Andy Einhorn is the event's music director.

Audiences can expect to hear "Love You I Do" (lyrics by Siedah Garrett); "I Wonder What They're Up To Now?" (lyrics by Bill Russell); a medley from Dreamgirls (lyrics by Tom Eyen); "Here Is The Heart" (lyrics by Eyen); "Make It Work For You" (lyrics by Eyen); "Escape" (lyrics by Russell); "
Kept" (lyrics by Russell); "Average, Simple, Mega Superstar" (lyrics by Russell); a medley from Side Show (lyrics by Russell); "Listen" (lyrics by Scott Cutler and Anne Preven); "Beauty" (lyrics by John Patrick Shanley); "There's A Light in the Sky" (lyrics by David Yazbek); and "And I Am Telling You" (lyrics by Eyen).

Merkin Concert Hall is located at 129 W. 67th Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue). For more information and tickets, call (212) 501-3330 or visit Kaufman-Center.org/MCH.