ENCORES!

That crazy cacophony of choreographic chaos that careens across the City Center stage shortly after the commencement of Act II is the main reason for Encores! to bring back the smash hit 1947 musical comedy High Button Shoes.

This week, New York City Center presents the final Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season, High Button Shoes. The production will feature Aidan Alberto (Stevie), Jennifer Allen (Shirley Simpkins), Kevin Chamberlin (Mr. Pontdue), Carla Duren (Fran), Chester Gregory (Papa Longstreet), Mylinda Hull (Nancy), Marc Koeck (Oggle), Matt Loehr (Uncle Willy), Wayne Pretlow (Elmer Simpkins), Michael Urie (Harrison Floy), and Betsy Wolfe (Sara Longstreet).

Next week, New York City Center will present the final Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season, High Button Shoes. The production will feature Aidan Alberto (Stevie), Jennifer Allen (Shirley Simpkins), Kevin Chamberlin (Mr. Pontdue), Carla Duren (Fran), Chester Gregory (Papa Longstreet), Mylinda Hull (Nancy), Marc Koeck (Oggle), Matt Loehr (Uncle Willy), Wayne Pretlow (Elmer Simpkins), Michael Urie (Harrison Floy), and Betsy Wolfe (Sara Longstreet).

New York City Center will soon present the final Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season, High Button Shoes. The production will feature Aidan Alberto (Stevie), Jennifer Allen (Shirley Simpkins), Kevin Chamberlin (Mr. Pontdue), Carla Duren (Fran), Chester Gregory (Papa Longstreet), Mylinda Hull (Nancy), Marc Koeck (Oggle), Matt Loehr (Uncle Willy), Wayne Pretlow (Elmer Simpkins), Michael Urie (Harrison Floy), and Betsy Wolfe (Sara Longstreet).

New York City Center today announced casting for High Button Shoes, the final Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season. The production will feature Aidan Alberto (Stevie), Jennifer Allen (Shirley Simpkins), Kevin Chamberlin (Mr. Pontdue), Carla Duren (Fran), Chester Gregory (Papa Longstreet), Mylinda Hull (Nancy), Marc Koeck (Oggle), Matt Loehr (Uncle Willy), Wayne Pretlow (Elmer Simpkins),Michael Urie (Harrison Floy), and Betsy Wolfe (Sara Longstreet).

One of the quirky charms of the musicals that packed Broadway houses during early decades of the 20th Century, was the practice of allowing a stray remark that has nothing to do with anything that's going on to serve as the cue for a novelty song that has nothing to do with anything that's going on.

New York City Center's I Married an Angel officially opened last night, March 21. The show is the second Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season. Let's see what the critics are saying...

Things are just heavenly this week at New York City Center. That's because tonight through Sunday, March 24, Encores! continues with Rodgers and Hart's I Married an Angel.

Next up at New York City Center is I Married an Angel, the second Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season. In addition to Sara Mearns as the Angel of the title, the production will feature Phillip Attmore (Peter Mueller), Max Baker (General Lucash), Mark Evans (Count Willy Palaffi), Ann Harada (Duchess of Holstein-Kuloff), Nikki M. James (Countess Peggy Palaffi), Hayley Podschun (Anna Murphy), and Tom Robbins (Harry Mischka Szigetti).

Next up at New York City Center is I Married an Angel, the second Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season. In addition to Sara Mearns as the Angel of the title, the production will feature Phillip Attmore (Peter Mueller), Max Baker (General Lucash), Mark Evans (Count Willy Palaffi), Ann Harada (Duchess of Holstein-Kuloff), Nikki M. James (Countess Peggy Palaffi), Hayley Podschun (Anna Murphy), and Tom Robbins (Harry Mischka Szigetti).

The brevity of political satire's shelf life tends to rival that of a tray of supermarket eggs, but it seems one of the quips penned by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse for the book of their smash hit 1950 musical Call Me Madam is breathing in new life in the 21st Century.

For the second time in Encores! history-and to honor City Center's 75th Anniversary Season-the series is reviving one of its own revivals. A highlight of the second season of Encores! (1995) and featuring a memorable score by Irving Berlin and book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, Call Me Madam centers around a brassy ambassador to the fictional European nation of Lichtenberg. The show pokes fun at a far more polite and benign political world and includes standards such as 'It's a Lovely Day Today' and 'Something to Dance About,' along with Berlin's most famous counterpoint duet, 'You're Just in Love.' Directed by Casey Hushion with music direction by Encores! Music Director Rob Berman and choreography by Denis Jones, Call Me Madam will run for seven performances only February 6 through 10 at New York City Center.

For the second time in Encores! history-and to honor City Center's 75th Anniversary Season-the series is reviving one of its own revivals. A highlight of the second season of Encores! (1995) and featuring a memorable score by Irving Berlin and book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, Call Me Madam centers around a brassy ambassador to the fictional European nation of Lichtenberg. The show pokes fun at a far more polite and benign political world and includes standards such as 'It's a Lovely Day Today' and 'Something to Dance About,' along with Berlin's most famous counterpoint duet, 'You're Just in Love.' Directed by Casey Hushion with music direction by Encores! Music Director Rob Berman and choreography by Denis Jones, Call Me Madam will run for seven performances only February 6 through 10 at New York City Center. 

Final casting for the Encores! production of Call Me Madam as part of City Center's 75th Anniversary Season has been announced. Jason Gotay (Kenneth Gibson), Darrell Hammond (Grand Duke Otto), and Randy Rainbow(Sebastian Sebastian), join the previously announced cast featuring Carmen Cusack, Ben Davis, Adam Heller, Carol Kane, Stanley Wayne Mathis, Brad Oscar, Michael Benjamin Washington, and Lauren Worsham.

Encores! today announced that Lear deBessonet would join the artistic team at City Center as the first-ever Encores! Resident Director.

Encores! Off-Center today announced programming for the 2019 season of New York City Center's popular summer musical theater series which concludes the landmark 75th Anniversary Season.

New York City Center President & CEO Arlene Shuler today announced Anne Kauffman as Artistic Director of Encores! Off-Center for the 2019 season. Founding Artistic Director Jeanine Tesori will maintain her relationship with the popular summer series as Creative Advisor - working with Kauffman to curate programming which will conclude City Center's 75th Anniversary Season. Kauffman and Tesori served as Co-Artistic Directors for the 2018 series which included Jason Robert Brown's Songs for A New World, Michael Friedman's Gone Missing, and Micki Grant's Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope.

Coming in at the heels of landmark musicals like AIN'T SUPPOSED TO DIE A NATURAL DEATH and INNER CITY, composer/lyricist Micki Grant's DON'T BOTHER ME, I CAN'T COPE was an important part of the early 1970s surge of Broadway musicals that were not only about African-American experiences but were written and directed by African-Americans as well.

Encores! Off-Center will close out its 2018 season this week (July 25 - 28) at New York City Center with Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, starring Rheaume Crenshaw, Dayna Dantzler, Aisha de Haas, James T. Lane, and Wayne Pretlow. The ensemble includes Alexandria Bradley, Marshall L. Davis Jr., CK Edwards, Jeffry Foote, Shonica Gooden, Nina Hudson, Marla McReynolds, and Amber Barbee Pickens.

Encores! Off-Center will close out its 2018 season at New York City Center with Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, starring Rheaume Crenshaw, Dayna Dantzler, Aisha de Haas, James T. Lane, and Wayne Pretlow. The ensemble includes Alexandria Bradley, Marshall L. Davis Jr., CK Edwards, Jeffry Foote, Shonica Gooden, Nina Hudson, Marla McReynolds, and Amber Barbee Pickens.

Encores! Off-Center Co-Artistic Directors Anne Kauffman and Jeanine Tesori today announced final casting for Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, the third production of the Encores! Off-Center season at New York City Center. Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope will star Rheaume Crenshaw, Dayna Dantzler, Aisha de Haas, James T. Lane, and Wayne Pretlow.

The person seated in the back of the orchestra section on opening night of the Encores! Off-Center concert mounting of GONE MISSING, who was loudly sobbing during the closing song, was by no means causing a disturbance. In fact, the choked-up moans of heartbreak being emitted throughout New York City Center's auditorium many times during the performance were simply bringing to the surface the sadness that served as the evening's subtext, even for those who did not know the clever and touching revue's late composer/lyricist personally.

Encores! Off-Center, New York City Center's popular summer musical theater series, continues tonight with Gone Missing. John Behlmann, Susan Blackwell, Aysan Celik, Deborah S. Craig, Taylor Mac, and David Ryan Smithwill star in the special two-night-only engagement, presented in honor of composer and 2017 Encores! Artistic Director Michael Friedman.

Encores! Off-Center, New York City Center's popular summer musical theater series, continues tonight with Gone Missing. John Behlmann, Susan Blackwell, Aysan Celik, Deborah S. Craig, Taylor Mac, and David Ryan Smith will star in the special two-night-only engagement, presented in honor of composer and 2017 Encores! Artistic Director Michael Friedman.