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
three decades, the York’s intimate, imaginative style of producing
both new and classic musicals has resulted in critical acclaim, multiple
awards, and acclamation from artists and audiences alike. In 2006,
a special Drama Desk Award was presented to the York for its vital contributions
to theater by developing and presenting new musicals. In 2005, York
saw three productions move to commercial productions: The Musical
of Musicals (the Musical!) -- to a 500-performance run off-Broadway
at New World Stages (as well as in the West End and numerous regional
theaters); Souvenir -- to Broadways Lyceum Theatre, garnering
a Tony Award nomination for Judy Kaye; and Stephen Schwartz’s Captain Louie -- which moved off-Broadway to The Little Shubert.
Other York productions which have moved to extended runs on Broadway
and Off include Sweeney Todd, Pacific Overtures and Jolson & Company.
Founded by the late Janet Hayes Walker in 1969, the York has presented
over 60 full-scale musical productions, including such classics as The
Golden Apple, The Grass Harp, On the 20th Century, A Dolls Life, Lost in the Stars, Carnival and Merrily We Roll Along. Under the guidance of Artistic
Director James Morgan since 1997, the York has focused exclusively on
new musicals in its Mainstage Series--most of them world, American,
or New York premieres--by some of the fields most esteemed creators,
and talented emerging writers as well. Recent productions include Blind Lemon Blues, That Time of the Year, Asylum: The Strange Case of Mary Lincoln, A Fine & Private
Place, Fanny Hill, Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb
Story, LingoLand, Souvenir, The Musical of
Musicals (The Musical!), The IT Girl, Suburb, Fermat’s Last Tango, After the Fair, Taking
a Chance on Love, Jolson & Company, No Way to
Treat a Lady, Little By Little, The Jello is Always
Red, Roadside, The Last Sweet Days, The Show
Goes On, Prodigal, Porterphiles, Red Hot
Mama, Well Meet Again, Max Morath: Ragtime and Again and Exactly Like You. Many of these have recorded cast
albums, making a total of some twenty-five York recordings to date.
In addition, York has presented almost sixty concert revivals of musical
theatre gems from the past in its acclaimed Musicals in Mufti series.
Notable shows include Carmelina, Take Me Along, Plain
and Fancy, Celebration, Beggars Holiday, The
Grass Harp, Wish You Were Here, Fanny, God
Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, Jumbo, Regina, Greenwillow, The Good Companions, Lucky Stiff, Darling of the
Day, Mata Hari, The Girl Who Came To Supper, Carmen Jones, Weird Romance, Johnny Johnson, Rex, Billion Dollar Baby, Mirette and 70,
Girls, 70.
The company annually presents over forty readings of new musicals in
its Developmental Reading Series, which has been the incubator for such
shows as Avenue Q, Harold & Maude, Summer
of 42, Adrift in Macao, Childrens Letters to God, Bush is Bad, Souvenir and The Musical of Musicals
(The Musical!). York also regularly hosts workshops of new
musicals, a number of which have been recipients of the prestigious
Richard Rodgers Development Award, administered by The American Academy
of Arts and Letters. York is also the proud administrator of the
Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre.
The
York produces nearly 200 musical theater performances each year, to
a potential audience of over 37,000 theatregoers. The York also provides
outreach services and activities throughout the year for various underserved
populations, such as senior centers and student groups.
The Mainstage Series presents three or four full productions
of new musicals by emerging and established authors. In recent years,
all have been world, American, or New York premieres. Each production
typically runs eights performances per week for six weeks. Some productions
have transferred to commercial off-Broadway or Broadway runs, and many
have received further productions in regional, stock, and university
theatres. The York's productions have been regularly recognized with
Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, OBIE, and Lucille Lortel nominations
and awards. Numerous shows have been recorded as original cast albums.
Directors, designers, cast, and musicians are drawn from among the best
talent on and off-Broadway, whether established or new.
The Musicals in Mufti Series presents concert revival readings
of six underappreciated Broadway musicals for five performances each.
"Mufti" means "in everyday clothes, without all the trappings
of a large production," and each show is presented script-in-hand,
with minimal staging. The series has celebrated such writers as Richard
Rodgers, George Abbott and Joseph Stein.
The Developmental Reading Series presents some 40 readings
and workshops of new musicals by emerging and established authors
throughout the year, free of charge to the public and the writers.
These readings are a vital part of the writing process. Post-performance
discussions are occasionally held with audiences. This series also
serves as an incubator for shows to be considered for Mainstage production,
thus serving the York's unique mission of taking new musicals through
the complete development process to full production.
The Musical
Conversations Series presents musical theatre historian John
Kenrick in multimedia talks and one-on-one interviews with prominent
fgures in musical theatre.
The Oscar
Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre is presented by the York each year during its spring gala. Past recipients
include Betty Comden and Adolph Green, John Kander and Fred Ebb, Jerry
Herman, Tony Walton, Arthur Laurents, Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Terrence
McNally, David Merrick, Harold Prince, Stephen Schwartz, Stephen Sondheim,
and Charles Strouse.
The Internship Program invites promising university and high
schools students to engage in a hands-on educational experience for
ten to twenty hours per week. Students take on responsibilities in all
facets of professional theatre: artistic, administrative, production,
and marketing. If their school permits, students may receive academic
credit.
The Volunteer Program encourages adults to help York by getting involved in various ways:
by serving on the York's audience services staff, or performing administrative
tasks involving the artistic, development, and marketing departments.
The York's audience development policy is to offer steeply discounted
or free tickets to under-served audiences, such as seniors, students,
hospices, and other non-profit groups. The student ticket program
also helps create the next generation of theatergoers.
ARTISTIC
AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
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James Morgan•Producing Artistic Director
Brian Blythe • Associate Artistic
Director
Bonnie J. Butkas • Director of External Relations
Elisa Spencer • General Manager
Chris
Robinson •
Production Manager
Adam Fitzgerald • Marketing Manager
Bryan Guffey • Audience
Services Manager
Shannon MacMillan • Company Administrator
Shahna Sherwood •Box Office/Development
Assosciate
Jeff Landsman •Developmental Reading Series Coordinator
Jeb Knight • Administrative/Graphic
Design Assistant
