HarryCarter Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 Lucie and Robert Klein will be reprising their roles in They're Playing Our Song on Broadway on February 11 - the 40th anniversary of the show! 40TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION CONCERT OF THE SMASH HIT MUSICAL "THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG" WILL BENEFIT THE ACTORS FUND BY THREE-TIME TONY AWARD® WINNER NEIL SIMON AND A SCORE BY ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER MARVIN HAMLISCH AND ACADEMY AWARD WINNER CAROLE BAYER SAGER STARRING THE BROADWAY ORIGINALS LUCIE ARNAZ AND ROBERT KLEIN MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2019 AT 7:30 PM AT BROADWAY'S MUSIC BOX THEATRE New York, NY (September 24, 2018) - The Actors Fund announced today a 40th Anniversary reunion benefit concert of the 1979 hit Broadway production of They're Playing Our Song. The concert will be held on Monday, February 11th at 7:30 pm at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th St.) and will star the Broadway cast members Lucie Arnaz as "Sonia Walsk" and Robert Klein as "Vernon Gersch". Featuring a book by three-time Tony Award winner Neil Simon and a score by Academy Award winners Marvin Hamlisch and Academy Award winner Carole Bayer Sager, They're Playing Our Song was one of the biggest hit musicals, playing for over 1000 performances on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre before touring the country and the rest of the world. The concert will take place 40 years to the day of the original Broadway opening. The concert-directed by veteran award-winning director/choreographer Chet Walker and featuring a full orchestra under the musical direction of Larry Blank-will be a benefit for The Actors Fund. "To be asked to revisit one of the best theatrical memories of my career, and get a chance to have those Neil Simon words come out of my mouth again and bring Marvin and Carole's unforgettable music back to the stage was just too good an invitation to turn down," said Lucie Arnaz. "The original cast forty years after its Broadway opening? Truly rare. Maybe even historic. Best of all we will be packing the house to benefit The Actors Fund, especially Song's original 'keyboard fingers' Fran Liebergal. Robert Klein and I do laugh, though, that instead of the love story of Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager, we're now playing Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields. Ha! And I can't wait." "I'm thrilled to be reuniting with Lucie to step back into this show which has meant so much to us, especially for such a great cause, The Actors Fund," said Robert Klein. "To sing the wonderful songs of Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager and to say the great lines of Neil Simon is a thrill. Still fresh after 40 years." The concert will be produced in association with Robert Greenblatt, who is currently Chairman of NBC Entertainment and a force behind all of the network's live musicals; he is also a Tony-winning producer with credits that include Tootsie (opening in 2019), The Inheritance, Mean Girls, Dear Evan Hansen, Something Rotten!, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and 9 to 5 The Musical. Neil Simon wrote They're Playing Our Song based on the real-life relationship between his collaborators Hamlisch and Sager. Vernon Gersh is a successful wisecracking composer who teams up with quirky Lyricist Sonia Walsk. This mismatched pair go through a variety of hurdles, personal and professional, before falling in love. "This will be a legendary night of world-class talent," said Actors Fund Chairman Brian Stokes Mitchell. "I'm both honored and humbled that the producers, creative team and original cast are coming together to help those in need in our community." They're Playing Our Song was originally produced on Broadway by Emanuel Azenberg. Tickets will go on sale soon. For updates, visit www.actorsfund.org/PlayingOurSong . For Sponsorship opportunities, contact Douglas Ramirez at 917.281.5921 or dramirez@actorsfund.org . The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency, and provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan. Through offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, The Fund serves everyone in film, theater, television, music, opera, radio and dance with programs including social services and emergency financial assistance, health care and insurance counseling, housing, and secondary employment and training services. Visit www.actorsfund.org . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 Well this is something. Wonder if they can get Donna Murphy in on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 Very exciting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryCarter Posted September 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 3 hours ago, Luvsbway said: Well this is something. Wonder if they can get Donna Murphy in on this. According to Lucie, Donna Murphy and, fellow original cast member, Tony winner Debbie Shapiro Graviette will play two of Sonia's "voices." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 1 hour ago, HarryCarter said: According to Lucie, Donna Murphy and, fellow original cast member, Tony winner Debbie Shapiro Graviette will play two of Sonia's "voices." Did any of the male voices go on to Broadway stardom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryCarter Posted September 25, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2018 12 hours ago, Luvsbway said: Did any of the male voices go on to Broadway stardom? I don't think so. Original swing Hal Shane will be playing one of the Vernon voices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryCarter Posted February 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2019 Last night was truly a magical evening! Lucie was absolutely incredible. It was like time stood still in 1979. She looked and sounded just as she did 40 years ago. Actually, she was even better! She stopped the show with “I Still Believe in Love.” Robert Klein really impressed me. He sounded great. Lots of Lucy/Lucie fans were present, along with Tommy Tune, Tony Danza, Elaine Joyce, Anita Gillette, and much of the Luckinbill family. The audience was clearly having the best time! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryCarter Posted February 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2019 Some photos from this unforgettable night! https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumnpics.cfm?colid=1918713 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 I heard this was filmed. Is that a standard thing for these Actor's Fund benefits or are there plans for something? I was reading some of the Bway boards today and many echoed what you wrote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 Highlights video. https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/VIDEO-Lucie-Arnaz-and-Robert-Klein-Reunite-for-THEYRE-PLAYING-OUR-SONG-Concert-Watch-Highlights-20190213 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryCarter Posted February 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 I’m glad that some excerpts have been released! I assume that the full recording will be going to the Lincoln Center Library. They said that Carole Bayer Sager couldn’t attend at the last moment and they were sending her a copy of the tape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 On 2/12/2019 at 5:06 PM, HarryCarter said: Last night was truly a magical evening! Lucie was absolutely incredible. It was like time stood still in 1979. She looked and sounded just as she did 40 years ago. Actually, she was even better! She stopped the show with “I Still Believe in Love.” Robert Klein really impressed me. He sounded great. Lots of Lucy/Lucie fans were present, along with Tommy Tune, Tony Danza, Elaine Joyce, Anita Gillette, and much of the Luckinbill family. The audience was clearly having the best time! I can't remember the last time I experienced that kind of electricity in the air for the entire show, including intermission. It was electricity, it was joy, and it was reverence. As has been said, a truly unforgettable evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryJaneFan Posted April 17, 2019 Report Share Posted April 17, 2019 On 2/19/2019 at 6:12 PM, Brock said: I can't remember the last time I experienced that kind of electricity in the air for the entire show, including intermission. It was electricity, it was joy, and it was reverence. As has been said, a truly unforgettable evening. Perfectly stated, Brock. The entire evening was impeccable...and the Daveed Diggs sighting the following day was neat too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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