Sunday, June 28, 2015

GALA BENEFIT PLANNED AT IVORYTON PLAYHOUSE



 PATRICIA SCHUMAN AND DAVID PITTSINGER PERFORM AT IVORYTON PLAYHOUSE


A  unique entertainment opportunity, a one night only affair, is being offered when world renowned artists David Pittsinger and his wife Patricia Schuman perform songs from the glorious Great American Songbook.  Imagine the immortal music of greats like George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein among others come beautifully and rhythmically to life on Sunday, July 12  as an exclusive fundraiser for the benefit of the 100 plus year old Ivoryton Playhouse.

The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with a wine and cocktail reception, including a bountiful array of hors d'oeuvres.  The performance will begin at 7 p.m. and a post reception with David and Patricia will follow with desserts and coffee.  Tickets are $125 and may be reserved by calling 860-767-7318, with special seating for patrons available.

A famous operatic performer, David Pittsinger recently received critical acclaim for his performance as Emile DeBecque in the Lincoln Center's Tony Award winning "South Pacific", a role he will be performing at the Ivoryton Playhouse throughout July, from Wednesday the 1st to Sunday, the 26th.This Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, taken from selected short stories in "Tales of the South Pacific" by James Michener, a Pulitzer-Prize winning novel, is considered by many one of the greatest musicals of the twentieth century.  Composed by the writing pair, with co-writer Josh Logan, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950 as well as ten Tony Awards.

Pittsinger will play the older plantation owner Emile de Becque  who falls in love, across a crowded room, with the lovely and naive and much younger Ensign Nellie Forbush.  Classic songs like "Some Enchanted Evening," "Bali Ha'i," "Happy Talk,"  "Younger Than Springtime" and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" hopscotch their way through this tale of prejudice and war.  Pittsinger's wife Patricia, a celebrated soprano, will play Bloody Mary, the outspoken island woman who advocates a happy marriage for her daughter while being enterprising and selling trinkets to the navy men on the base.

A sincere invitation has been issued by Pittsinger who states, "Please join me and my wife Patricia for an intimate and personal celebration of the American Songbook, honoring Ivoryton Playhouse.  These iconic treasures, some of the most cherished in all of American Musical Theatre, reflect our love for each other, the stage, and the music that has shaped our lives."

The opening night of "South Pacific," on Wednesday, July 1, at 7:30 p.m, the Ivoryton Playhouse is offering local veterans and currently serving military to a special night Honoring Our Veterans and Soldiers Night, with half price tickets to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project and Essex Veterans Memorial Hall.  Regular tickets are $42 for adults, $37 for seniors, $20 for students and $15 for children and can be secured by calling the Playhouse at 860-767-7318 or online at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org.  Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.  There will be no performances on the 4th of July and two additional Saturday matinees on July 18 and 25 and one additional matinee on Thursday, July 16.

Plan to immerse yourself in beautiful music as David Pittsinger and Patricia Schuman unite to perform American classics that illustrate their mutual love for each other and for the immortal songs of our heritage.

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