About Encores!
Encores! Artistic Director
Jack Viertel and Encores! Music Director Rob Berman engage and lead each production's creative team. Clever,
minimal settings have been designed by John Lee Beatty; Broadway regulars design the costumes, lighting, and sound.
Maximum impact of the original orchestrations are provided by The Encores! Orchestra (often more than 30 players),
principals, and ensembles/choruses. The focus is on the score; each book is carefully edited by the likes of John Guare,
David Ives, Terrence McNally and Neil Simon, to communicate story and characters. Eight days of whirlwind rehearsal; one
day of dress rehearsals (by invitation only, for New York City Center supporters); and five performances: Thursday,
Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8:00pm; Saturday matinee at 2:00pm; Sunday evening at 6:30pm.
The casting, by Jay Binder for all fifteen Encores! seasons to date, mixes established and new talent:
Christine Baranski, Judith Blazer, Philip Bosco, Kathleen Chalfant, Kristin Chenowerth, Tyne Daly, Lea DeLaria,
Erin Dilly, Christine Ebersole, Henry Gibson, Anne Hathaway, Heather Headley, Ruthie Henshall, Dorothy Loudon,
Patti LuPone, Donna McKechnie, Bebe Neuwirth, Faith Prince, Lynn Redgrave, Ann Reinking. Vanessa L. Williams,
Karen Ziemba; Philip Bosco, David Campbell, Charles Dutton, Peter Gallagher, Joel Grey, Nathan Lane, Joe Morton,
Brian Stokes Mitchell, Robert Morse, James Naughton, Martin Short, Jock Soto, Patrick Wilson, Jerry Zaks... a
Broadway Who's Who. |
