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Concerts, Tributes and Starry Annie Recording Will Celebrate Strouse's 80th Birthday
By Andrew Gans 11 Mar 2008
To celebrate the 80th birthday of Tony-winning composer Charles Strouse, a year-long celebration — including concerts, tributes, revivals and world premieres — has been scheduled.
Strouse, who will turn 80 June 7, won Best Score Tony Awards for Annie (with lyricist Martin Charnin) and Applause (with Lee Adams). His other musicals include Bye Bye Birdie, Applause, "It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman!", Bring Back Birdie, Annie Warbucks, Golden Boy, A Broadway Musical, I and Albert, Charlie and Algernon, Rags, Dance a Little Closer and All American.
The following events will celebrate Strouse's birthday:
March 15 at 3 PM Screening: "The Colors of My Life - The Musical Theatre of Michael Stewart" Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts, New York A screening of the 2006 event honoring Strouse's Bye Bye Birdie collaborator Michael Stewart. Includes tributes by Strouse, Charles Busch, Melissa Errico, Jim Dale, James Naughton, Lee Roy Reams and Steve Ross.
March 20 at 5:30 PM Panel discussion & DVD signing of "Life After Tomorrow" Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Center, New York To celebrate the DVD release of the documentary "Life After Tomorrow," Barnes & Noble hosts a panel discussion with Strouse and several of the Annie alumni featured in the film.
May 2008 "Annie – The 30th Anniversary Cast Recording" The two-CD set, the most musically complete recording of the Strouse/Charnin score, features Carol Burnett, Gary Beach, Kathie Lee Gifford, Andrea McArdle, Harve Presnell, John Schuck and Sally Struthers. In addition to a new Overture Strouse has created for this recording, bonus tracks include previously unrecorded material from Annie 2, the 20th Anniversary Broadway revival, the Australian production and the 1977 NBC Annie Christmas Special.
May 10 at 3 PM An Afternoon with Charles Strouse Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts, New York Charles Strouse takes to the piano for an afternoon of behind-the-scenes anecdotes and live performances from some of his Tony-winning and nominated scores.
May 13 Library of Congress Honors Charles Strouse Library of Congress, Washington, DC The Music Division of The Library of Congress accepts the Charles Strouse collection of original theatre, film, television, opera and orchestral work manuscripts.
May 14 "Broadway Up-Close and Personal: Charles Strouse at The Kennedy Center" Terrace Theatre at Kennedy Center, Washington, DC An interview with Strouse led by ASCAP's Michael Kerker; features live music by special guests.
June 26 at 4 PM "Composing Pop & Broadway" Seminar The Julliard School, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York Led by choral conductor Judith Clurman, Strouse and fellow composers David Shire and Georgia Stitt discuss their works and careers in a panel discussion for choral musicians and students.
June 2, 6-7:30 PM "Applause, Applause: A Salute to Charles Strouse" The Paley Center for Media, New York The Paley Center presents rare television and film footage featuring Carol Burnett, Sammy Davis, Jr., Elliot Gould, Larry Hagman, Alan Jay Lerner, Dorothy Loudon, Carroll O'Connor, Chita Rivera, Jason Robards, Jr., Jean Stapleton and the Muppets performing Strouse songs from his Broadway shows, film and television. This public event, includes a panel discussion, a live performance by Strouse and Lauren Bacall.
June 2008 Book release: "Put On a Happy Face," a Broadway memoir by Charles Strouse Strouse takes his readers behind the scenes in his Sterling Publishing autobiography.
July 22-24 Hal Leonard Publishing: National Joy of Singing Convention Country Springs Hotel & Conference Center, Waukesha, WI The world’s largest music print publisher brings together over 1,000 music educators from around the country to honor Strouse in celebration of 80 years of great American music. Three new choral works by Strouse will premiere.
Strouse will also launch a national book tour in July, visiting Barnes & Noble bookstores and theatres around the country. In the fall, expect a BBC radio interview led by London actress Elaine Paige; a starry concert at the London Palladium, which will subsequently be broadcast on BBC radio; and a national tour of university and college campuses. And, on April 9, The New York Pops will salute the work of Strouse in a starry concert at Carnegie Hall.
For more information visit the newly launched www.CharlesStrouse.com.
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