Crazy For You closed out the Stroman Presents series at Guild Hall with Broadway superstars, Tony Yazbeck and Sierra Boggess.
August 31, 2021: Guild Hall, the cultural center of East Hampton, closed out their star-studded weekend of Stroman Presents with Crazy For You. On Sunday Stroman, who won the first of her five Tony Awards for choreographing the original 1992 Broadway production, brought a marvelous cast, which included Tony Yazbeck, Sierra Boggess, Melissa Errico, and Dee Hoty to perform a few of the classic George and Ira Gershwin songs. Tony Yazbeck’s dazzling dancing was a highlight of the splendid evening, along with the surprise guest appearance by Josh Gladstone, the Artistic Director of Guild Hall.
Stroman said, “Crazy for You is – at its heart – a raucous musical tale about the power art has to bring life to a community and purpose to its people. It’s as resonant today as ever, and I am thrilled at the chance to re-discover this show and introduce a whole new generation to its great comedy, unabashed romance and the most choreographically-inspiring Gershwin music the world has ever known.” A new production is Broadway bound next year.
The series kicked-off on Friday with Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, and Brad Oscar, who joined Stroman, known to the Theater world as Stro, to reminisce on the 20th anniversary of The Producers, which she directed and choreographed. Then, on Saturday she presented an exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming Broadway musical Little Dancer set in the glamorous backstage world of the Paris Opera Ballet.
Next play in the John Drew Theater is a staged reading of Crisis in Queens by Joy Behar. The co-host of The View, a versatile humorist, commentator, comedienne and writer is branching out into playwrighting? Guild Hall is delighted to present the debut staged reading of Joy Behar’s new, full-length comedy, which will be presented on Friday and Saturday, September 3 and 4 at 8pm.
Relationships are hard and marriage is work. Annabella Sciorra plays an unhappy 40-something Queens funeral parlor employee with dreams of being a professional singer. She blames her husband, portrayed by Steven Weber, for her life’s failures – and proceeds in setting off a chain of events in which she gets so much more than she ever bargained for. But sometimes relationships need a little shaking up!
The cast includes Catherine Curtin, Irene Sofia Lucio, Dave Quay, Matt Servitto, and Brenda Vaccaro. Run time: Approx. 75 minutes.
Then on Sunday, September 5 at 6:30 pm and back by popular demand, 2020 An Evening of Short Plays directed by Bob Balaban. How was your year? Some of America’s best performers read short monologues by America’s best playwrights, musing on how we spent everyone’s least favorite year, “2020.” The evening will feature Sandra Bernhard, Blythe Danner, Edie Falco, Paul Hecht, Isaac Mizrahi, and Ben Shenkman reading pieces by Jon Robin Baitz, Lynn Grossman, R.G. Masons, Anya Richkind, Paul Rudnick, and Sarah Ruhl. Directed by Academy Award nominee and Bafta Award winner Bob Balaban. Run time: Approx. 1 hour
Photos: Joe Brondo for Guild Hall
