LIBERTY Definitely Lives!

There is a certain sadness that plagues all writers, actors, and producers once the final bows have been taken after a successful run.  A few days after strike, when the void settles in and we long for those days and nights that so recently included chaos, lights, music, laughter & applause, and those mysterious breathless silences in a theater filled with a captive audience.  There’s nothing more exciting than making theater happen.  No wonder we mourn a little at the end of each successful run!  But, for me, the beginning of our amazing run at The Warner Theatre in Torrington, CT forced me to begin to brace myself for the end, because I knew I was going to miss this theater and cast deeply when it was all over.

From the first full rehearsal that I attended, I could see that Igor (Goldin) and Jeff (Lodin) had worked with this extraordinary cast to create a production that would set a very high bar – even for our up-coming NY production.  Voices soared, most of the cast had already settled into character, and the staging was mesmerizing.  What would this look like with our set & lights, on that expansive stage?  As the characters of Emma Lazarus, Liberty, and Samuel Ferguson reached the end of the song “More”, both Dana (Goldstein) and I had tears in our eyes, and all of my hopes kept lifting higher and higher.  We should’ve been able to relax, knowing that we were in good shape.  But, I was immediately jumping ahead in time to when this would have to end.  

 

The following week, as the set began to take shape and the lights began to focus, I found out that I was living in a blissful state of shock.  Josh (Zangen), Cory (Pattak), Olivera (Gajic) had designed a truly breathtaking world for LIBERTY.  The staff and volunteers of The Warner worked tirelessly, the musicians brought Brian’s (Crook) new orchestrations to life and each moment of rehearsal was filled with surprises and excitement, and that nagging thought that we only had 8 performances to share.  I was both happy and sad, and couldn’t help but wonder if my inner turmoil was showing.  

Both John Bonanni (Executive Director of The Warner) and I were thrilled with the results of this new collaboration. What an absolute relief that this first venture between our NY team and The Warner Stage Company (an exceptional community theater) could yield such riches?  My father’s stoicism took hold, and all I could do was smile to my core.

Through the course of the run, I did my best to thank each member of the cast, and the supporting crew, but know I must have missed a few.  Everyone that worked on LIBERTY at The Warner should know that you really did “make history”, and I am forever grateful that this partnership was formed.

Inside the mind of Cory Pattak, Lighting Designer for LIBERTY 

"These images show the grand scale of the location we're depicting....the sky and sea stretching out far beyond the docks of lower Manhattan. We're hoping to create some beautiful sunsets and sunrises that silhouette the Castle Garden structure as well as our 'ship rigging.' The long and powerful shadows convey a sense of oppression that new immigrants face coming to this new land. Everything around them is big and scary: the people, the industrial revolution, the government..and it's easy for them to feel lost and isolated in this unknown place. Set against the open sky and the tall shadows..we will watch Liberty rise up to be the grandest of them all and cast a shadow that is not intimidating, but welcoming."

                                                                                                                     - Cory Pattak

Below are images that have inspired Cory in his work with LIBERTY's Director, Igor Goldin and
Set Designer, Josh Zangen. 

We are proud to announce the world premiere of LIBERTY A Monumental New Musical at the Warner Theatre, beginning Saturday, June 30th, 2012!

The Warner Theatre (John Bonanni, Executive Director) by special arrangement with Theresa Wozunk will present the world premiere of LIBERTY A Monumental New Musical– with book and lyrics by Dana Leslie Goldstein and music by Jon Goldstein. Directed by Igor Goldin, performances of LIBERTY A Monumental New Musical begin June 30th, 2012 and continue through July 14th at the Warner Theatre in Torrington, Connecticut.

LIBERTY tells the story of America’s most famous immigrant who arrives from France in 1884 amid anti-foreigner fervor. With powerful political forces working against her and only a precious few on her side, Liberty ultimately wins over the people of the United States and takes her rightful place on the pedesta. LIBERTY serves as a theatrical reminder of not only what this country was meant to become, but how we have, in recent years, lost sight of the “Golden Door.”

Notes John Bonanni, Warner's Executive Director,“This is a great opportunity for our community actors and volunteers to be involved in the mounting of a first class production slated for New York. The use of our state of the art performance and rehearsal spaces is a great value for the Liberty Company, providing an environment that is conducive to artistic development”.

LIBERTY A Monumental New Musical features a book and lyrics by Dana Leslie Goldstein and music by Jon Goldstein. As the show prepares for an off-Broadway premiere in New York City, it has been performed at events for the Lower East Side Tenement Museum and the New York Immigration Coalition, been presented as a developmental workshop as part of Mayor Bloomberg’s Immigrant Heritage Week,and been part of the grand reopening of the crown of the Statue of Liberty on July 4th, 2009 and, most recently, the official celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Statueof Liberty National Monument on October 28th, 2011. At that event, the song “Huddled Masses” from LIBERTY was performed by Esther Stilwell (SPAMALOT) and Lewis Grosso (MARY POPPINS), accompanied by the Brooklyn High School of the Arts choir, winners of the show’s Public Schools Sing LIBERTY 125! Choir Contest. LIBERTY’s creative team includes director Igor Goldin,choreographer Jeffry Denman and music director Jeffrey Lodin. After a recent performance at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum Gala, Former NYC Mayor Ed Koch proclaimed “Give me more LIBERTY! It’s the story of our city,and our country, and I can’t wait to see this show where it belongs – on a New York stage!”

Dana Leslie Goldstein is a playwright, lyricist and poet whose writing has won the New England New Play Competition, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Playwriting Prize, Different Voices New Play Award, ACTF New Play Award, the Henry Hoyns Poetry Fellowship, AWP Intro Award and an Academy of American Poets Prize. Dana’s work has been seen at The Cherry Lane, Culture Project, Julia Miles Theater, York Theatre Company, New Dramatists, Center Stage, BMI, Vineyard Playhouse, Pulse, Theater Row Theatre, Gene Frankel Theatre, The Barrow Group, Acorn Theatre, LArk Theatre Company, Beckett Theatre, Neighborhood Playhouse, WorkShop Theater, Pacific Theatre (Vancouver), Tisch Asia (Singapore), at the New York Musical Theatre Festival ‘08 & ’09, on Ellis and Liberty Islands, at the United Nations and on Equity TYA tours throughout the East Coast. She has been commissioned to create a site-specific theatrical work for the plaza of the Grace Building in midtown Manhattan. Dana holds MFAs in Playwriting and Poetry. She has been a lyricist at BMI and member of the Playwrights Lab at The Women’s Project. She is a recurring panelist for the 5,000 Women Festival at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, as well as a member of the Workshop Theater, New Shoe and the Dramatists Guild.

Jon Goldstein has been writing songs for 25 years. In his twenties he performed regularly as a singer/songwriter at coffeehouses and bars on Long Island. For the past decade he has focused his attention on composing for musical theatre. His plays have been seen in New York City at The Acorn Theatre, The Algonquin Theater, The Cherry Lane Theatre, The Culture Project, The Women’s Project, and The Workshop Theatre Company, Liberty Island and the United Nations; regionally at Hartford Children’s Theatre, Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center, The Rhinebeck Performing Arts Center and on Equity TYA tours throughout the East coast. Jon’s latest musical THIS YEAR IN
JERUSALEM, (book & lyrics by Dana Leslie Goldstein), is expected to be produced by The WorkShop Theater Company this year. He recently released his third album of original songs, entitled Beautiful. A new acoustic album is also due out this year. Jon is amember of The Workshop Theater Company and The Dramatists Guild of America.
http://www.getgoldstein.com

Igor Goldin’s credits include: Off-Broadway: WITH GLEE (Prospect Theater), YANK!(York Theatre - Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Director of a Musical). Previous productions of YANK!; Diversionary Theatre, San Diego (StageScene L.A. Award for Best Direction of a Musical), The Gallery Players (New York Innovative Theatre Award), and the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Other productions for NYMF: Jane Austen’S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (NYMF Award for Excellence in Direction), UNLOCK’D (NYMF Best in Fest Award), COMMON GROUNDS (NYMF Award for Excellence in Direction). Other credits: LIBERTY (Workshop), LIKE YOU LIKE IT (New York Innovative Theatre Award). Tours: Associate Director, SEUSSICAL, directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge (Theatreworks USA). Regional:…AND THEN I WROTE A SONG ABOUT IT (Luna Stage, NJ and Diversionary, San Diego - StageScene L.A. Award for Best Direction of a Solo Performance), I LOVEYOU BECAUSE (New Hampshire Theatre Award nomination for Best Direction of a Musical). Igor was nominated by his peers as a top 5 finalist for the 2010 SDC Joe A.Callaway Award for Distinguished Direction. Member: Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Jeffry Denman’s credits include: Off Bway: YANK! (York Theatre - Lucille LortelAward & Callaway Award noms), ASSISTANCE (Playwright’s Horizons) NAKED BOYS SINGING. NY Workshop: YANK! (David Cromer, Director), LIBERTY, DANCING IN THE DARK. Dir/Chor: BROADWAY BY THE YEAR, ALL SINGIN/ALL DANCIN, and A TRIBUTE TO LERNER AND LOEWE (Town Hall). NYMF: Jane Austen’S PRIDE & PREJUDICE. Regionally: DAMN YANKEES, (Dir/Chor - Ogunquit Playhouse), THE MUSIC MAN (Chor-Ogunquit Playhouse), DANCING IN THE DARK (Chor - Studio Arena, Artie Award winner). Visit www.jeffrydenman.com

Jeffrey Lodin's recent Music Direction credits include the world premieres of THE SPHINX WINX , GLIMMERGLASS, and LOVE, INC and the NYMF presentation ofTHE KID WHO WOULD BE POPE. He has conducted for Chita Rivera and Greg Burge, and played piano for Andy Gibb and Mongo Santamaria, amongst others. Jeff’s scores include: YOUNG ABE LINCOLN (Theatreworks USA), DISNEY’S DOUG,LIVE! (Disneyworld MGM), TOP OF THE HEAP (Gallery Players), ABOUT FACE (NYMF 08), 100 YEARS INTO THE HEART (Village Theater 07 Festival of New Musicals), REBELS 1775 (Starlight Theatre), etc. lodinandsquier.com

John Bonanni launched his theatrical career in David Merrick’s office a very long timeago, then continued as production stage manager at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam,stage manager for a number of Broadway productions including ME AND MY GIRL, CITY OF ANGELS and CRAZY FOR YOU, and spent over 12 years at Madison Square Garden Entertainment, as production executive for over 1000 concerts and events and 4 years as Executive Producer for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. He is working on a new musical based on the life of Lloyd Price, the iconic R&B vocalist who created “Personality”.

For more information on LIBERTY A Monumental New Musical, visit www.LibertyTheMusical.com.

For more information on the Warner Theatre, visit
www.WarnerTheatre.org.

Read more: http://ct.broadwayworld.com/article/Warner-Theatre-Presents-Premiere-of-LIBERTY-620-714-20120329#ixzz1xtRzhhvQ