Featuring:

Book, Music & Lyrics by
MARK SCHOENFELD & BARRI McPHERSON

Directed by JEFF CALHOUN
Music Supervision, Arrangements & Orchestrations by JOHN McDANIEL

at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway!

“Imagine ‘Hair' or ‘Godspell,' throw in a helping of Motown and filter the whole thing through the pyrotechnics of ‘American Idol.'” - Ben Brantley, New York Times

“Infectious pop-and-soul music with a succession of high-voltage performances. Cleavant Derricks, Kevin Anderson and Karen Olivo are TERRIFIC.” - Linda Winer, Newsday

“Eden Espinosa and Ramona Keller are rafter-shaking singers.” - Marc Peyser, Newsweek

“Brooklyn will have a revered place in music-theatre history as the landmark musical of the first decade of the third millennium.” - Tony Brown, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Brooklyn The Musical is a new Broadway production by Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson, directed by Tony® award nominee Jeff Calhoun, with music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Grammy® & Emmy® award winner John McDaniel. Brooklyn began performances on September 23rd, 2004 and opened officially on October 21st, 2004 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45 th Street).

The cast features Tony® award nominee Kevin Anderson (Taylor Collins), Tony® award winner Cleavant Derricks (Street Singer), Eden Espinosa (Brooklyn), Ramona Keller (Paradice) and Karen Olivo (Faith). The cast also includes Manoel Felciano, Caren Lyn Manuel, Julie Reiber, Horace V. Rogers, Haneefah Wood.

Brooklyn Records will release Brooklyn The Musical, a one-of-a-kind live recording of the original cast album from the brand new Broadway musical, available December 14th, and distributed by Razor & Tie.

The design team includes: Ray Klausen (sets), Tobin Ost (costumes), Michael Gilliam (lights), Jonathan Deans and Peter Hylenski (sound).

From the heart of Brooklyn comes a band of soulful street-corner singers and storytellers. With a mix of pop and soul, they set their stage and tell a wondrous sidewalk fairy tale about a young girl searching for fame and the father she never knew. With just one clue to lead her, she lands in the city that bears her name… BROOKLYN.


Biographies:
JEFF CALHOUN (Producer/Director) is the director and choreographer of Deaf West Theater's production of Big River (Broadway for the Roundabout Theatre Company; Tony and Drama Desk Noms. – Best Revival of a Musical; Drama Desk Nomination for Best Director of a Musical; Mark Taper Forum; Deaf West Theater: Ovation and L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards for both Direction and Choreography; and the National/Japanese tour). He began his relationship with Deaf West when he directed Oliver! (3 Ovation Awards including Best Direction). Jeff made his Broadway directing debut with Tommy Tune Tonight and collaborated with Tommy Tune on The Will Rogers Follies (6 1991 Tony Awards including Best Musical). Jeff directed and choreographed the Broadway revival of Grease! (Tony nom. – Best Choreography), and also co-choreographed the Tony Award winning revival of Annie Get Your Gun starring Bernadette Peters and later Reba MacIntire.

JOHN McDANIEL (Producer/Music Supervisor/Arranger/Orchestrator). Television: “The Rosie O'Donnell Show” (2 Emmy Awards, Music Producer; 5 Emmy nominations, Music Direction/Composition); Comedy Central “Friar's Roasts” ‘99, ‘00, ‘01, ‘02 (Arranger/Conductor); “A Rosie Christmas” (Arranger/Conductor); Tony Awards ‘97, ‘98, ‘00 (Arranger). Broadway: Grease! (Music Director/Arranger); Chicago (Conductor); Patti LuPone on Broadway (Arranger); Annie Get Your Gun (Music Supervisor/Arranger); Taboo (Music Supervisor/Arranger). Recordings: Patti LuPone Live! (Conductor/Arranger); Annie Get Your Gun Cast Recording (Producer/Grammy Award); Three solo CD's: John McDaniel At the Piano: Broadway, Christmas and Compositions; John McDaniel Live at Joe's Pub; The Maury Yeston Songbook (Producer); Taboo Cast Recording (Producer/Arranger). Guest pops conductor throughout the country including San Francisco and St. Louis Symphonies. BFA in Drama from Carnegie Mellon. Please visit www.JohnMcDaniel.com.

MARK SCHOENFELD & BARRI McPHERSON (Book, Music & Lyrics). This production marks the Broadway debut for the writing collaboration of Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson. Mark first met Barri in 1982 upon hearing her sing at a cabaret and hired her to record some of his music. Shortly thereafter, Barri moved to Massachusetts to raise a family. Years later, in 1991, Barri returned to New York to perform at a private-party gig.  She involuntarily stopped at a remote street corner in Brooklyn Heights after hearing the sound of a voice she vaguely recognized. She discovered that Mark had become a homeless street performer, getting by on $40 a day. Barri invited Mark back to Massachusetts to stay with her husband and two children.  Mark repaid Barri by developing music with and for her and soon, the street poet and cabaret singer had the skeleton of a most unusual new musical.

KEVIN ANDERSON (Taylor Collins). Broadway: Orphans (Theatre World Award), Orpheus Descending, Death of a Salesman (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Awards, Tony Nomination). Off-Broadway: Red Address, Speaking in Tongues. London: Orphans, Sunset Boulevard. Steppenwolf Ensemble: Orphans, Our Town, I Never Sang for My Father. Film: Orphans, Liebestraum, Hoffa, Eye of God, Firelight, Doe Boy, Rising Sun, Ruby's Bucket of Blood, Thousand Acres, Power and Beauty, Sleeping with the Enemy. TV: “Nothing Sacred” (Golden Globe Nomination).

CLEAVANT DERRICKS (Streetsinger). Broadway: Dreamgirls (Tony®, Drama Desk Award & L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award), Bob Fosse's Big Deal (Tony®, Drama Desk Award nominations), Your Arms Too Short to Box With God. L.A. Theatre: The Full Monty (NAACP Theatre Award - best actor). Film: Moscow on the Hudson, The Slugger's Wife, Offbeat, Carnival of Souls, Bluffing it, World Traveler. TV series regular: “Sliders,” “Thea,” “Drexell's Class,” “Good Sports,” “Woops!” Cleavant's CD, Beginnings, is available at www.cleavantderricks.com.

EDEN ESPINOSA (Brooklyn) began singing at the age of 3, performing at 5 and recording at 10. She played the roles of Nessarose and her sister, Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West on Broadway in Wicked. She has played the title role in Brooklyn since its first performance in workshop and at the Denver Civic Theater. Brooklyn marks her debut creating a role for Broadway. Thanks to the Lord for all his blessings. This performance is dedicated to her family.

RAMONA KELLER (Paradice). Born, raised, and still living in Brooklyn. She recently appeared on Broadway in Tony Kushner's Caroline, or Change and was also in the Broadway company of Smokey Joe's Café. Some other theater credits include Dreamgirls with Jennifer Holliday, Beehive, Little Shop of Horrors and The Buddy Holly Story. Recordings: It's a Good Life, the Caroline, or Change soundtrack and her own CD Ramona Live!

KAREN OLIVO (Faith). Broadway: Rent ("Mimi Marquez" understudy) 1st National Tour: Rent ("Mimi Marquez"). Television: “As The World Turns”. Karen attended CCM (Cincinnati Conservatory of Music) for Musical Theater and is proud to be back on Broadway with Brooklyn. Thanks to God, Dad, Mom, John Brown, Rocky, Ruth, Richard, Penni Tinsley, the MOFOS, and Matthew. NIL MAGNUM NISI BONUM.


BROOKLYN Ticket and Performance Information:
Tickets are now available online at Telecharge.com/Brooklyn or by phone at (212)239-6200; outside metro New York (800) 432-7250, or in person at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre box office (236 West 45th Street). Ticket prices range from $25.00 to $95.00. Rush tickets will be available, the day of the performance, for $25.00.

Performance schedule: Tuesday at 7:00PM, Wednesday-Saturday at 8:00PM, matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2:00PM and Sunday at 3:00PM.

Brooklyn originally premiered at the New Denver Civic Theatre, on May 7 th, 2003 for a six-week limited engagement.