Off-Broadway saw the closing night of the new musical Harmony at the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF). Joining the cast on stage at the curtain call were the creators, Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, along with the director/choreographer Warren Carlyle. The evening also celebrated the announcement of the original cast recording, which was recorded this past weekend. Surprising the audience, Manilow appeared on stage with his co-creators and said, “I’m Barry Manilow…the Composer,” and the house went wild. Cheers also erupted when mentions were made of the show transferring to a larger Broadway stage by a team of commercial producers led by Ken Davenport, with Sussman saying, “I’d like to think of today as only the end of the beginning!”

Bruce Sussman and Cast

New York Times Critic’s Pick, the musical today received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Musical as well as eight Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, including Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical, Outstanding Score of a Musical, Outstanding Book of a Musical and Outstanding Director and Choreographer of a Musical, among others.

Starring Chip Zien and Sierra Boggess, the cast included Sean BellDanny KornfeldZal OwenEric PeterBlake RomanSteven Telsey, Jessie DavidsonAna Hoffman. The ensemble included Elise Frances DaniellsZak EdwardsAbby GoldfarbEddie GreyShayne KennonKolby KindleBenjamin H. MooreMatthew MuchaTori PalinBarrett RigginsKayleen SeidlAndrew O’ShanickDan TeixeiraNancy Ticotin and Kate Wexler.

Warren Carlyle and Cast

The NYTF off-Broadway production of Harmony was co-produced by Ken Davenport and Sandi Moran with Garry Kief, Amuse, Inc., Patty BakerTom and Michael D’AngoraSusan DuBowMichelle KaplanMapleseed Productions, Harold Matzner, and Neil Gooding Productions in association with Wilfried Rimensberger and STILETTO Entertainment.

Now celebrating its 107th season, Tony® Award nominated and Drama Desk Award winning National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) is the longest consecutively producing theatre in the US and the world’s oldest continuously operating Yiddish theatre company. NYTF is in residence at the Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust and is under the leadership of Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek and Executive Director Dominick Balletta.

Photos Courtesy of DKC/O&M

Lead Photo: Barry Manilow and Cast