If It Only Even Runs A Minute Celebrates The Underappreciated Musicals of Hal Prince is the 18th edition of the Bistro Award-winning series of rare songs, behind-the-scenes tales, and inspiring photos from underappreciated Broadway and off-Broadway musicals—and its first with a theme! During his legendary career, Prince changed Broadway forever, directing and producing shows that astonished audiences, broke new ground, and altered our idea of what theatre could be. Many of these shows became landmark hits – but what about the ones that didn’t?
In this special edition of Runs A Minute, experience stories about and songs from Hal’s underappreciated musicals – the ones that took risks, flew high, changed lives – and closed too soon. How did Merrily and Superman, Grind and Flora, Tickets, Please! and The Petrified Prince, shape the career of one of Broadway’s most influential artists, even though his name is in the history books because of Cabaret and Phantom, Fiddler and Sweeney?
The 18th edition of Runs A Minute will feature original cast and team members from Hal’s shows, new interpretations of songs that have never been recorded, and a celebration of the man who inspired generations of theatergoers and theatermakers with his shows, no matter how long they ran.
The concerts will feature songs from and stories about: 3hree, Baker Street, Bounce, Diamonds, A Doll’s Life, A Family Affair, Flora The Red Menace, Grind, It’s A Bird… It’s A Plane… It’s Superman, The Last Resorts, LoveMusik, Merrily We Roll Along, New Girl In Town, Parade, Paradise Found, The Petrified Prince, Roza, Tenderloin, Tickets, Please!, Touch and Go, Whistle Down The Wind, Zorba, and more.
The 7:00pm concert will feature performances and stories from George Abud, Mana Allen, Rita Gardner, Linda Lavin, Charlotte Maltby, Richard Maltby Jr., Howard McGillin, Billy Stritch, Jim Walton, and more to be announced.
The 9:30pm concert will feature performances and stories from Ken Billington, Eddie Cooper, Lilli Cooper, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Richard Kind, Erik Liberman, Bryonha Marie Parham, Emma Stratton, Brandon Uranowitz, and more to be announced.
Sometimes Broadway musicals run forever, like Cats or Les Miserables. But sometimes, Broadway musicals run for only a minute, like Merrily We Roll Along, High Fidelity, or Via Galactica. This is their story.
If It Only Even Runs A Minute is created and hosted by Feinstein’s/54 Below Creative & Programming Director Jennifer Ashley Tepper and Book of Mormon‘s Kevin Michael Murphy, with musical direction by Geoffrey Ko.
Previous editions of Runs A Minute have played at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, Caroline’s on Broadway, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, Joe’s Pub and Le Poisson Rouge. So far, the series has included over 300 performers and over 200 featured musicals, as well as many songs that have never before been recorded. For more information, check out: http://IfItOnlyEvenRunsAMinute.com
Showtimes are April 20th at 7pm and 9:30pm. Tickets start at $30. 54 Below is located at 254 West 54th Street. Tickets are available at (646) 476-3551 or at www.54Below.com.
