No Bull With Raging Robert.

robert massimi
5 min readMar 30, 2021

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BROADWAY’S BEST COME TO THE RESCUE!

THE YORK THEATRE COMPANY
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
TOM D’ANGORA, MICHAEL D’ANGORA, AND TIM GUINEE
PRESENT AN ALL-SINGING, ALL-TALKING, ALL-VIRTUAL
PRESENTATION OF THE OFF-BROADWAY HIT,
ROCKWELL AND BOGART’S
THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS (THE MUSICAL!)
SPECIAL BENEFIT PERFORMANCE
SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2021 AT 7:00PM

SOMETIMES ONE MUSICAL STAR JUST ISN’T ENOUGH!

FEATURING APPEARANCES BY
TONY AWARD WINNERS BETTY BUCKLEY, MATTHEW BRODERICK, ANDRÉ DE SHIELDS,
JANE KRAKOWSKI, PATTI LUPONE, AUDRA MCDONALD, DONNA MURPHY, MANDY PATINKIN, CHITA RIVERA, AND LILLIAS WHITE; OSCAR AND TONY AWARD WINNER MERCEDES RUEHL; DRAMA DESK AWARD WINNERS LEWIS BLACK, RICHARD KIND, JOSE LLANA, AND ISAAC MIZRAHI; OLIVIER AWARD WINNER LESLI MARGHERITA;
EMMY AWARD WINNER DEBRA MESSING; TONY AWARD NOMINEES ANDREA MCARDLE, BRAD OSCAR, AND ETHAN SLATER; EMMY AWARD NOMINEES GIANCARLO ESPOSITO, MARTHA PLIMPTON, AND RANDY RAINBOW; AND LUCILLE LORTEL AWARD WINNER SOARA-JOYE ROSS

WITH CHRISTY ALTOMARE, COLLEEN BALLINGER, KEVIN SMITH KIRKWOOD, KELVIN MOON LOH, TELLY LEUNG, CHRISTINE PEDI, JELANI REMY, JACKIE SANDERS, MICHAEL WEST AND FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

New York, NY (March 29, 2021) — Sometimes One Musical Star Just Isn’t Enough! The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Evans Haile, Executive Director), in association with Tom D’Angora, Michael D’Angora and Tim Guinee, present an All-Singing, All-Talking, All-Virtual special benefit presentation of the Off-Broadway hit _THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS (THE MUSICAL!)._

With music by Eric Rockwell, lyrics by Joanne Bogart, and book by Joanne Bogart and Eric Rockwell, this special presentation is directed by Tom D’Angora and Michael D’Angora, with music direction and arrangements by Deniz Cordell and original director Pamela Hunt* serving as artistic supervisor. This event will raise funds to help The York recover and rebuild after devastating damage from a water main break on January 4, 2021.

This all-star event will feature appearances by Tony Award winners Betty Buckley, Matthew Broderick, André De Shields, Jane Krakowski, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Mandy Patinkin, Chita Rivera, and Lillias White; Oscar and Tony Award winner Mercedes Ruehl; Drama Desk Award winners Lewis Black, Richard Kind, Jose Llana, and Isaac Mizrahi; Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita; Emmy Award winner Debra Messing; Tony Award nominees Andrea McArdle, Brad Oscar, and Ethan Slater; Emmy Award nominees Giancarlo Esposito, Martha Plimpton, and Randy Rainbow; and Lucille Lortel Award winner Soara-Joye Ross. Also featured are Christy Altomare, Colleen Ballinger, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Kelvin Moon Loh, Telly Leung, Christine Pedi, Jelani Remy, Jackie Sanders, Michael West, and Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

After a Lexington Avenue water main break in early January caused a massive flood in their space, The York Theatre Company has been forced to temporarily relocate for the first time in nearly 30 years while their home undergoes major remediation. The York is spread among various storage facilities across the tri-state area, and their plight caught the attention of producing trio Tom D’Angora, Michael D’Angora, and Tim Guinee, who had recently stepped in to raise funds to save the West Bank Cafe and Birdland Jazz Club. The trio wanted to help and, donating their time, have taken on The York as their next project.

Rockwell and Bogart’s The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) was chosen by Tom and Michael as the perfect show for this event. A loving parody and homage to Broadway’s Golden Age, it is made up of five hilarious mini-musicals telling the same story in the style of legendary musical theatre writers: Rodgers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Kander & Ebb. The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), which The York helped develop and create, received its Off-Broadway premiere there in 2003 where it enjoyed an extended run. Melanie Herman and The York transferred it to New World Stages in 2005 for a 500-performance commercial run. The original cast album is on JAY Records.

The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) premieres on Sunday evening, April 18, 2021 at 7:00PM and will be available to view on demand through April 21, 2021. Free stream at www.yorktheatre.org Donations may be made by visiting the GoFundMe link at gf.me/u/znnvib This event is presented through The Theatre Authority, Inc.

You can always find The York on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/yorktheatre (please be sure to like us and subscribe!), or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/yorktheatrecompany/.

James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director at The York, stated, “The incredible outpouring of support over the past several months is impressive and very touching. To have Tom & Michael and Tim step forward at this point to bring us to the next level is truly exciting. We cannot wait for this show which we originally helped bring to life to be seen in this whole new way — and with this spectacular cast.”

Evans Haile, Executive Director, said “We are so appreciative of these amazing artists and thrilled to share this snappy and laugh-filled celebration of musical theatre and its legendary composers and lyricists.”

Tom D’Angora and Michael D’Angora shared, “The York has been near and dear to our hearts since the moment we moved to NYC two decades ago. Jim Morgan and The York helped us, as they have for so many in our community, to get our start in this industry and we are honored and humbled to be able to help this iconic theater get through this puddle in the road so they can continue to do what they do best: bring musicals to life!”

To help with the recovery, please visit the GoFundMe link at gf.me/u/znnvib.

For additional information, please visit www.yorktheatre.org.

The York Theatre Company is the only theatre in New York City — and one of very few in the world — dedicated to developing and fully producing new musicals and preserving neglected, notable shows from the past. For over four decades, York’s intimate, imaginative style of producing both original and classic musicals has resulted in critical acclaim and recognition from artists and audiences alike. Under the guidance of Producing Artistic Director James Morgan since 1997, The York has focused on new musicals in its Mainstage Series — most of them world, American, or New York premieres — by some of the field’s most esteemed creators and has also helped launch the careers of many talented new writers. Well over 40 cast recordings from York Theatre Company productions are now available on CD, including its acclaimed revival of Closer Than Ever (2013 Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Revival); commercial transfers of such York premieres as The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), Souvenir (Tony Award Nomination for actress Judy Kaye), and Jolson & Company, and revivals of Pacific Overtures and Sweeney Todd (four Tony Nominations including Best Revival) have all showcased the importance of The York and its programs. Recent New York premieres have included Marry Harry, A Taste of Things to Come, and Rothschild & Sons. The critically acclaimed musical Yank! received its Off-Broadway debut at The York in 2010, and subsequently to rave reviews in London — as did York’s Rothschild & Sons. The hit musical Cagney received its York premiere in 2015, transferring to the Westside Theatre for over 15 months. In 2017, Desperate Measures received a total of 15 award nominations (and three wins) that included “Best Musical” from the Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, and Off-Broadway Alliance and subsequently transferred across town to New World Stages. The York is the recipient of a special Drama Desk Award for “Developing and Producing New Musicals” and, more recently, a special Outer Critics Circle Award for “50 Years of Producing New and Classic Musicals.”

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robert massimi
robert massimi

Written by robert massimi

Drama critic for Nimbus Magazine, Metropolitan Magazine and New York Lifestyles Magazine. Producer, editor and writer.

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