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“We’ll invite industry people! Producers!” -Tamar

It made us laugh. It made us cry. And it made for a very enjoyable night of theatre. As MANN… AND WIFE is getting closer to finishing its run here at Lyric, you might be wondering, where does it go from here?

When creating a new musical, it doesn’t usually go straight to Broadway right after it opens, as much as we wish it would. In 2009, Lin-Manuel Miranda was invited to the White House to perform a rap that six years later would become the opening of the 2015 Broadway hit HAMILTON. There are out-of-town tryouts, Off-Broadway runs, potential for recasting, workshops, readings, and more.

Each show has a unique life as the creative team works to achieve their goal.

Right now, there are a lot of possibilities for MANN… AND WIFE. Larry Hirschhorn and Jayson Raitt, the musical’s producers have been with the show for awhile, as it has been in development for over 4 years. Larry Hirschhorn has been part of the producing team for Broadway shows such as ON YOUR FEET!, THE ELEPHANT MAN starring Bradley Cooper, and A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER, which won four Tony Awards including Best Musical. Jayson Raitt has worked on shows such as ROCK OF AGES and MURDER FOR TWO.

A producer can serve in many different capacities for a production. Hirschhorn and Raitt provide assistance in promoting MANN… AND WIFE and manage the business behind it, including getting it to different venues, funding the project, and carrying out the logistical organization.

What we do know is that the cast from Lyric’s production will be performing in just over a month at one of New York’s hottest Broadway supper clubs, Feinstein’s/54 Below.

 

Zachary Prince, Liz Shivener, and Mateja Govich will be travelling to New York City to perform a concert version of MANN… AND WIFE on March 22nd. Located at 54th and 8th, just steps from Times Square, Feinstein’s/54 Below features some of the biggest names on Broadway, with recent performances by Alice Ripley & Emily Skinner, Kyle Dean Massey, Annaleigh Ashford, Lena Hall, and Phillipa Soo. Feinstein’s/54 Below is also known for featuring new works, creating a very convenient way for professionals in the Broadway industry to discover the shows that few know about. Tickets are available online at 54below.com starting at a $25 cover charge with a $25 food/beverage minimum.

The producers have recently set up a website for the show. Next, they’ll be working on the logistics of professionally recording and mixing songs from the show to create a cast album. This is the best way for the show to gain popularity beyond Oklahoma City and New York. Once a cast recording is made, the show can be introduced to artists everywhere, and theatres will be able to request the licensing to perform the show in their cities. Before we know it, Henry Mann could be singing his troubles away all over the U.S.

 

Show Photo 1

Zachary Prince and Liz Shivener. Photo by KO Rinearson