“Happy Birthday, Eric Bentley” event will take place on Dec. 7 at The Town Hall. It honors Mr. Bentley’s 99th Birthday.
The evening will feature reminiscences, anecdotes and readings from Eric Bentley’s classic works by Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner; celebrated playwright/actor/director Austin Pendleton; Bill Coco of The Actors Studio; Michael Paller of The American Conservatory Theater; Louise Kerz Hirschfeld, theatre historian and president emeritus of The Al Hirschfeld Foundation; and James Shapiro, Edward Mendelson and Phillip Lopate of Columbia University. The evening’s musical program will feature a recital of Hanns Eisler songs in English versions by Eric Bentley and performed by celebrated soprano Karyn Levitt accompanied by Eric Ostling from their forthcoming CD, “Eric Bentley’s Brecht-Eisler Songbook,” available from Roven Records starting in January 2016. The celebration will also feature Songs For Mother Courage by Darius Milhaud and Eric Bentley, performed by Karyn Levitt with the Metamorphosis Chamber Orchestra conducted by Glen Roven. Michael Riedel of The New York Post and the weekly TV chat program “Theatre Talk” will host the evening.
“Happy Birthday, Eric Bentley! A Centennial Tribute Concert” plays one night only, Monday, December 7, 2015 at 8PM at The Town Hall,123 West 43rd Street. Tickets are now on sale to the public at Ticketmaster.com, 800.982.2787. Tickets will be available at The Town Hall Box Office starting November 16 (weekdays, noon-6PM). Tickets range from $50 – $125. SPECIAL PREMIUM TICKET PACKAGES: Premium Gold tickets are $95 and include an advance copy of the forthcoming CD, “Eric Bentley’s Brecht-Eisler Songbook” signed by Eric Bentley and Karyn Levitt. Premium Platinum tickets are $125 and include an autographed CD plus an autographed copy of one of Bentley’s classic critical works.
