Urban Stages Presents

WINTER RHYTHMS 2016
Cabaret, Musical Theatre, Jazz and more to benefit Arts and Education

December 1 – 11, 2016

Urban Stages
259 West 30th Street (between Seventh & Eighth Avenues)
www.urbanstages.org or (866) 811 -4444

Sound Designer: DOUGLAS MILLS
Lighting Designer: DEBORAH CONSTANTINE
Production Manager: KRYSTLE HENNINGER
Press Representatives: JOE TRENTACOSTA/JT PUBLIC RELATIONS
Cover Art/Program Design: ADAM B. SHAPIRO
House Managers: MYAN DISNIE SEBASTIEN & ASTRID PERKINS
Theater Maintenance: IRA JASINOVER

The mission of WINTER RHYTHMS is to bring the talents of known and unknown singers, musicians, lyricists and composers to the attention of the New York theater community while performing at Urban Stages Theater. This year there are 23 shows (check out www.urbanstages.org for the full schedule), and each one will benefit Urban Stages’ acclaimed Outreach Program, which brings over 200 free “arts in education” presentations to libraries and schools throughout the five boroughs.

One of the 23 offerings is THE ARRANGEMENT EXPERIENCE: THE CORNER OF ROCK AND BROADWAY, where Musical Directors Michael Holland and Andrew David Sotomayer, along with Director Lennie Watts, offer up a cabaret soup in one of the most innovative shows I’ve ever seen. Blending classis rock and musical theater, songs from Rodgers & Hammerstein and Sondheim to Pink Floyd and Guns N’ Roses create an element of surprise and delight. The familiar opening chords of a song blend with the lyrics of a same-themed song, interchanging and weaving throughout the rendition in aural enchantment. In addition to accompaniment by only a piano and guitar, a dozen-plus singers provide background in the form of scat, clapping, acapella, and simplistic instruments when not performing their solos. Most of the voices are impressive; some are hit and miss. The two constants with each song are innovation and collaboration, and the enjoyable result is pioneering cabaret.

- Laurie Lawson -