Thursday, May 13, 2010

Sara Louise Lazarus to Direct the One Night Only Performance: “They Changed Broadway”

“They Changed Broadway” producer Neve Shalom announces today that award-winning theatre and cabaret director Sara Louise Lazarus has joined the one-night only production.

This week, Sara Louise Lazarus, well-known director on and off-Broadway and in New Jersey theatre circles enthusiastically agreed to direct the “They Changed Broadway” June 13 benefit production.

“I’m delighted to be working again with Michael Colby and Michael Lavine. The last time the three of us worked together was on ‘Ludlow Ladd’, featuring Kristen Chenoweth. I am looking forward to working with this all-star cast of actors,” says Ms. Lazarus.

Ms. Lazarus adds, “A benefit revue featuring the Jewish Contribution to the American Musical is a wonderful idea made even more special as it is produced, written, directed and performed all by people who identify themselves as Jewish. The audience will have a great time.”

Sara may best be known to local New Jersey audiences for producing and directing “Stars Over Millburn,” a benefit for Paper Mill Playhouse, and is on the staff of Paper Mill's Summer Conservatory, where she teaches and has co-directed the New Voices concerts, “Paper Mill Goes Platinum,” and “Thoroughly Modern Musicals.”

“We are thrilled to have someone of Ms. Lazarus' experience and stature to direct the production; and blessed that Ms. Lazarus’ schedule allows her to jump right in to direct the benefit,” says Hope Serratelli, Neve Shalom Board of Director and Fundraising VP.

The Jewish contribution to the musical goes beyond Jewish themes. “They Changed Broadway” features hand-picked songs from Broadway’s iconic musicals woven into a two-hour, one-night program featuring well-known performers.

Proceeds from the show will benefit Youth and Elderly educational, social and summer programs; Meals on Wheels, and the Edison-Metuchen-Colonia-Woodbridge and surrounding Middlesex County, NJ community at large.

“They Changed Broadway” will be on stage 4:00 P.M. in Metuchen, New Jersey on June 13th, 2010 at the Forum Theatre. Tickets are on sale now with discount for advance purchases. Call (732) 548-2238 or visit the ticket page on http://www.theychangedbroadway.blogspot.com/.

About Sara Louise Lazarus
Sara Louise Lazarus is an award winning theatre and cabaret director. In New York, she directed Tovah Feldshuh's one-woman Off-Broadway show, “Tovah Out Of Her Mind,” the revival of “Babes In Arms” at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, the world premiere of Terrence McNally's “Plaisir D'Amour,” and “Ludlow Ladd” starring Kristen Chenoweth.

At the 92nd Street Y, Sara co-wrote and directed “The 1959 Broadway Songbook” for their Lyrics and Lyricists series. She staged two Harvard Hasty Pudding Shows, and “She Loves Me” at Yale.

Ms. Lazarus is currently on the faculty of Circle In The Square Theatre School, and holds her own private classes for Broadway actors in New York City. Sara has taught workshops for Yale, the University of New Hampshire, and Penn State.

About Michael Colby
Michael Colby (http://www.michaelcolby.com/) is the librettist/lyricist of such musicals as “Charlotte Sweet” (Drama Desk Award nomination), “Tales Of Tinseltown, North Atlantic” (Show Business Award), “Slay It With Music”, “Mrs. McThing”, “They Chose Me!”, and “Ludlow Ladd”. He was chief writer for the Drama Desk Award-winning New Amsterdam Theatre Company, and has been a frequent writer for The NY Festival of Song as well as the Theatre By the Blind. Michael’s “Meester Amerika” was acclaimed as “Best Score [of the New Jersey theatre season]” and “A superb celebration of Yiddish Theatre… Show music of the highest order,” by Peter Filichia, The Star-Ledger.

About Michael Lavine
Michael Lavine (http://www.michaellavine.net/) has musically directed the Outer Critic's Circle Awards, Broadway Cares Teddy Bear Auction (as he's done the past 13 years) and the Astaire Awards earlier this year. He co-produced the American premiere recording of “Honk!” which he has musically directed twice. Michael musically directed the Comden and Green musical “Billion Dollar Baby” at the York Theatre in New York City starring Kristin Chenoweth, Marc Kudisch and Debbie Gravitte (cd available) and the Burton Lane/Alan Jay Lerner musical “Carmelina”, also at the York with Debbie Gravitte. He shared the stage with Mimi Hines and Peter Howard (his mentor) at the Kennedy Center in a Rodgers and Hart revue, “This Funny World”.

About The Forum
The Forum Theatre Arts Center (http://www.forumtheatrearts.com/) is a nonprofit performing arts organization and has been the Cultural Arts Center of central New Jersey since 1928, when it was built as a theatre and vaudeville tryout house, then soon after as a neighborhood movie house. The Forum Theatre has presented hundreds of American and World Premieres with an emphasis on musical theatre, as well as numerous A-list concerts.

The Forum Theatre is located at 314 Main Street, Metuchen, NJ 08840. Phone: (732) 548- 5600

About Congregation Neve Shalom
For 75 years, Congregation Neve Shalom (http://www.neveshalom.net/) has been providing religious services and Jewish Education for its Conservative Egalitarian members. Neve Shalom maintains a vibrantly active and welcoming community with educational programs, religious services and lay leadership. Neve Shalom's annual Suzy Schwartz Concert, and Book and Author Events are well-known to surrounding residents for their ability to draw well-known and famous performers, authors, and lecturers.

Congregation Neve Shalom is located at 250 Grove Ave, Metuchen, NJ 08840. Phone: (732) 548- 2238

For More information about “They Changed Broadway” call (732) 548-2238 EXT. 24 or visit http://www.theychangedbroadway.blogspot.com/.

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