Monday, December 19, 2011

The People in the Picture Broadway cast album to be released

Kritzerland is proud to announce the release of the Original Broadway Cast Album of The People in the Picture, starring Tony Award winning actress Donna Murphy. The new CD features Book & Lyrics by Iris Rainer Dart, with Music by Mike Stoller & Artie Butler and is now available for purchase at www.kritzerland.com.

The original cast recording of The People In The Picture is produced by Steve Epstein. The packaging includes a full color 24-page booklet, designed by Doug Haverty. The CD is priced at $19.98 plus shipping. To place an order, see the cover, or hear audio samples, please visit www.kritzerland.com.

The People In The Picture, which debuted on Broadway at Studio 54 on April 28, 2011 was presented by the Roundabout Theatre, Todd Haimes, Artistic Director, in association with producers Tracy Aron, Al Parinello and Stefany Bergson. The production was the recipient of seven award nominations, including: Donna Murphy, Tony Award Nomination, Best Performance of an Actress in a Performance of an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical; Donna Murphy, Drama Desk Nomination, Outstanding Actress in a Musical; Mike Stoller and Artie Butler, Drama Desk Nomination, Outstanding Music; Iris Rainer Dart, Drama Desk Nomination, Outstanding Book of a Musical; Donna Murphy, Outer Critics Circle Nomination, Outstanding Actress in a Musical; The People in the Picture, Drama League Nomination, Distinguished Production of a Musical and Donna Murphy, Drama League Nomination, Distinguished Performance Award.

Donna Murphy leads the cast in the dual roles of Raisel Rabinowitz/Bubbie. The three-generation spanning story about a former star of the Yiddish theatre was directed by Leonard Foglia, with Musical Direction by Paul Gemignani, Orchestrations by Michael Starobin and Musical Staging by Andy Blankenbuehler.

Once the darling of the Yiddish Theatre in pre-war Poland, now a grandmother in New York City, Bubbie has had quite a life. But what will it all mean if she can’t pass on her stories to the next generation? Though her granddaughter is enchanted by her tales, her daughter Red will do anything to keep from looking back. A fiercely funny and deeply moving new musical that spans three generations, The People in the Picture celebrates the importance of learning from our past, and the power of laughter.

The “bubbie” of the 1970s and the diva of the 1930s are played by one woman — Donna Murphy, the star of Broadway's Passion (Tony Award, New York Drama Desk Award), The King and I (Tony Award), Wonderful Town (New York Drama Desk Award) and LoveMusik (New York Drama Desk Award), received a 2011 Tony Award Nomination for Best Performance of an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, for her work in The People in the Picture.

The musical also stars Alexander Gemignani, Christopher Innvar, Nicole Parker, Rachel Resheff, Hal Robinson, Lewis J. Stadlen, Joyce Van Patten, Chip Zien, Brad Bradley, Rachel Bress, Jeremy Davis, Emilee Dupre, Maya Goldman, Louis Hobson, Shannon Lewis, Jessica Lea Patty, Andie Mechanic, Megan Reinking, Jeffrey Schecter and Paul Anthony Stewart.

Produced by Roundabout Theatre Company, in association with Tracy Aron (Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life, Spring Awakening), Al Parinello and Stefany Bergson, The People In The Picture was directed by Leonard Foglia (Master Class, Thurgood, On Golden Pond), with musical direction by Tony Award winner Paul Gemignani (2001 Lifetime Achievement in Theatre), orchestrations by Tony Award winner Michael Starobin (Assassins, Next To Normal) and musical staging by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler (In the Heights).

The People In The Picture has a book and lyrics by Iris Rainer Dart, the acclaimed novelist, television writer and playwright. Dart’s most well known book, Beaches, was turned into a hit movie starring Bette Midler. The music is by Mike Stoller and Artie Butler. Stoller, who as half of Leiber and Stoller, has written many of rock-and-roll’s most iconic songs, including “Hound Dog,” “Kansas City,” “Yakety Yak,” “Stand By Me,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Love Potion #9” and hundreds of others, including Peggy Lee’s brilliant “Is That All There Is?” The smash hit jukebox musical, Smokey Joe’s CafĂ©, was based on the Leiber and Stoller catalog.

Artie Butler is an immensely talented and successful composer, arranger, producer and musician. His song “Here’s To Life” has become a standard, thanks to recordings by Shirley Horn and Barbra Streisand. Butler has worked with an incredible number of legendary singers, including Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Peggy Lee, Barry Manilow, Liza Minnelli, Bette Midler, Sammy Davis Jr., Neil Diamond, Joe Cocker, Neil Sedaka, Natalie Cole, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as well as composing scores for film and television.

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