Member News Release

Now in its eighth year, Musical Mondays @ Curtain Call returns November 17 with the first of three concert readings of wonderful new musicals. Throughout the theatre’s season, professionals from the New York stage and many of Curtain Call’s favorite local actors will take over the main stage of the Kweskin Theatre for book-in-hand presentations these terrific shows. A champagne reception will follow each of the performances, where you can chat with the writers, actors and director. And, best of all, tickets for the series are only $15 – or you can see all three shows for a $30 subscription!

Monday, November 17 at 7:30 pm, the series will kick off with the clever new musical comedy LOVE, INCORPORATED, which comes to Curtain Call direct from a summertime run in New York’s Midtown International Festival. The show centers on an unstoppable businesswoman who is, nevertheless, hopelessly lost when it comes to romance. But, once she puts her heart on the payroll, the business of love is born.

The musical’s book, music and lyrics are all by Marc Castle (pictured) the author of HOLLYWOODLAND, which was featured at Musical Mondays in 2006. "My collaborator, Scott Zesch, and I learned so many valuable things about HOLLYWOODLAND when it was presented at Curtain Call,” says Castle. “And even better, we left feeling inspired! So, I'm delighted to have been asked to introduce their audiences to my latest piece: LOVE, INCORPORATED."

Monday, February 9 at 7:30 pm, Curtain Call will continue the series with the winner of this year’s AMERICAN HARMONY PRIZE. The goal of the prize is to showcase new works of musical theater that explore our country’s many ethnic, religious and gender identifications. To do so, it is annually awarded to the writers of a new musical that delves into a different specific segment of American society. This season the focus is on the Jewish American experience.

“Jewish family life and traditions have long been the stuff of musical theater,” notes series coordinator, William Squier. “From shows written in the golden age of the musical, like FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, to modern works like FALSETTOS or RAGTIME.” The staff at Curtain Call has been sifting through submissions since August and has narrowed the field to five promising candidates. The winning entry will be announced on Curtain Call’s website (www.curtaincallinc.com) December 12.

And finally, Monday, April 13 at 7:30 pm, local audiences will be introduced to A MERRY MULBERRY STREET MUSICAL, the sequel to the perennial hit MULBERRY STREET. “What do you get when you take Stamford’s most-produced romantic comedy, set it during the holidays and add in some music?” asks Executive Director, Lou Ursone. “This brand new story, featuring the characters you’ve loved for 70 years.”

A MERRY MULBERRY STREET MUSICAL is filled with period tunes, holiday favorites and a few original songs by Jeffrey Lodin and William Squier. And it’s all wrapped in a touching and humorous tale penned by Ursone with Carole Claps, each of which have a long history of appearing in MULBERRY STREET as actors. Squier promises to preview songs from the score throughout the year. And Ursone points out that a full-scale production of MULBERRY STREET will also be in works at the same time. All of which should make A MERRY MULBERRY STREET MUSICAL an exciting finale to Musical Mondays year number eight!