TONY KUSHNER AND MAURICE SENDAK’S BRUNDIBAR OPENS IN NEW YORK Co-production of Berkeley Rep and Yale Rep at The New Victory Theater includes But the Giraffe, a Curtain Raiser to Hans Krása’s Brundibar BERKELEY CA, APRIL 19, 2006Fact Sheet Next week, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Yale Repertory Theatre’s co-production of Brundibar opens at The New Victory Theater on 42nd Street. This remarkable work is the culmination of a collaboration between legendary illustrator Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are) and renowned playwright Tony Kushner (Angels in America). Brundibar begins previews at The New Victory on Friday, April 28 and runs through Sunday, May 21. For the New York run, Tony Kushner’s But the Giraffe, a Curtain Raiser to Hans Krása’s Brundibar, will be presented in place of Comedy on the Bridge. An allegory of innocence triumphing over evil, Brundibar is the tale of a brother and sister who must earn enough money to buy milk for their sick mother. To do so, they join forces with three talking animals and a host of brave kids to outwit the town’s sinister organ grinder. First composed in the ominous years leading up to World War II, this opera features Hans Krása’s original score, Tony Kushner’s adaptation of Adolf Hoffmeister’s libretto and Maurice Sendak’s spectacular set design. Brundibar became a powerful protest against the Nazis, after being performed 55 times by the children of the Terezin concentration camp, and continues to inspire with its message of good overcoming evil. Tony Kushner’s But the Giraffe, a Curtain Raiser to Hans Krasa’s Brundibar, is a new work of imagination based very loosely on an actual event: the smuggling of the score of Brundibar into Terezin by its conductor, Rudolph Freudenfeld. It’s about a little girl who has to make a difficult decision. “I am thrilled to bring this show to New York after our successful runs in California and Connecticut,” remarks Tony Taccone, artistic director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre and director of this production. “I am proud to be a part of this collaboration and invite audiences to this glorious universe, which combines Kushner’s skill with language and Sendak’s phenomenal imagination. “Tony and I have been engaged in an ongoing conversation about the best way to present Brundibar to today’s audiences,” Taccone continues. “We felt that Comedy on the Bridge was the perfect opener for the adult subscribers at my theatre in Berkeley and at our co-producer’s venue in New Haven, but the piece was too mature for The New Vic’s audience. So, as we present Brundibar in New York, we’re pleased to begin with But the Giraffe, a curtain raiser written specifically for kids and families.” “Ever since learning about this project, we were committed to bringing Brundibar to New York,” explains Cora Cahan, president of The New 42nd Street. “We are absolutely delighted to present Brundibar and now But the Giraffe, and we hope that New York City will be as thrilled by this extraordinary production as we are.” Brundibar features a stellar cast of Broadway actors led by Euan Morton in the title role and a chorus of young performers from Rosie’s Broadway Kids, an arts education organization founded by Rosie O’Donnell that enriches the lives of children through the arts. The curtain raiser will draw on the same cast, with the addition of 11-year-old Danielle Freid. The New Victory Theater is located at 209 West 42nd Street, just off Broadway. Tickets are only $10, $20 or $30, and may be purchased by calling Telecharge at 212.239.6200, by visiting telecharge.com or by coming to the New Victory’s box office at 209 West 42nd Street. BRUNDIBAR WHO libretto by Tony Kushner, adapted from Adolf Hoffmeister music by Hans Krása production design by Maurice Sendak with Kris Stone directed by Tony Taccone music director and conductor Greg Anthony designers: Kris Stone (sets), Robin I. Shane (costumes), Don Holder (lights), Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (sound) and Kimi Okada (movement) starring: Anjali Bhimani, Henry DiGiovanni, Matt Farnsworth, Danielle Freid, Aaron Simon Gross, Geoff Hoyle, Euan Morton, Devynn Pedell, Angelina Reáux, Martin Vidnovic, William Youmans and Rosie’s Broadway Kids WHAT The New 42nd Street presents Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s and Yale Repertory Theatre’s co-production of Brundibar and But the Giraffe, a Curtain Raiser for Hans Krása’s Brundibar An allegory of innocence triumphing over evil, Brundibar is the tale of a brother and sister who must earn enough money to buy milk for their sick mother. To do so, they join forces with three talking animals and a host of brave kids to outwit the town’s sinister organ grinder. First composed in the ominous years leading up to World War II, this opera features Hans Krása’s original score, Tony Kushner’s adaptation of Adolf Hoffmeister’s libretto and Maurice Sendak’s spectacular set design. Brundibar became a powerful protest against the Nazis, after being performed 55 times by the children of the Terezin concentration camp, and continues to inspire with its message of good overcoming evil. Tony Kushner’s But the Giraffe, a Curtain Raiser to Hans Krasa’s Brundibar, is a new work of imagination based very loosely on an actual event: the smuggling of the score of Brundibar into Terezin by its conductor, Rudolph Freudenfeld. It’s about a little girl who has to make a difficult decision. WHERE The New Victory Theater / 209 West 42nd Street (just west of Broadway) / New York, NY 10036 WHEN April 28–May 21, 2006 • Friday, April 28 at 7:00 PM • Saturday, April 29 at 7:00 PM • Sunday, April 30 at NOON and 5:00 PM • Thursday, May 4 at 7:00 PM • Friday, May 5 at 7:00 PM • Saturday, May 6 at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM • Sunday, May 7 at NOON and 5:00 PM • Thursday, May 11 at 7:00 PM • Friday, May 12 at 7:00 PM • Saturday, May 13 at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM • Sunday, May 14 at NOON and 5:00 PM • Wednesday, May 17 at 7:00 PM • Thursday, May 18 at 7:00 PM • Friday, May 19 at 7:00 PM • Saturday, May 20 at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM • Sunday, May 21 at NOON and 5:00 PM HOW MUCH $10, $20 and $30 TICKETS Call Telecharge.com at 212.239.6200 Log on to www.Telecharge.com Visit The New Victory Box Office at 209 West 42nd Street in New York Media contacts: Berkeley Rep’s Terence Keane: 510.647.2917, tkeane@berkeleyrep.org Yale Rep’s Steven Padla: 203.432.1574, steven.padla@yale.edu The New Victory Theater’s Lauren Daniluk: 646.223.3077, ldaniluk@new42.org BACK TO TOP