“SIMPLY DELICIOUS”

– New York Observer, reviewing MasterVoices’ 2015 presentation of The Pirates of Penzance at New York City Center

Once a groundbreaking experiment by bright voices in the American and European theater, now a cult classic, Lady in the Dark has not been seen in New York since it was presented as part of the inaugural Encores! season in 1994. Considered startlingly avant-garde in 1941 for both its structure and content, this probing psychological thriller examines the impossible contortions the human mind goes through to "have it all." Unfulfilled in both her personal and professional life—and obsessed with an enchanting tune she can’t quite finish—the eponymous lady finds her way onto the psychoanalytic couch. Kurt Weill’s arresting score, with dazzling lyrics by Ira Gershwin, dissects her psyche in extended interludes that collide her neurotic real life with glamorous dreamscapes in which she works out her conflicting desires. By the end, she just may find her way out of the dark.

MasterVoices productions are known for their vitality and scale, celebrating the human voice and the power of musical storytelling. With Lady in the Dark they also celebrate the history of City Center’s Encores! series. This world premiere concert version, conceived by MasterVoices’ Tony Award-winning Artistic Director Ted Sperling (The Light in the Piazza, My Fair Lady), is based on a newly-released critical edition by the Kurt Weill Foundation. Starring the inimitable Victoria Clark—last seen at City Center in Encores! Off-Center’s Assassins—and featuring Orchestra of St. Luke's and Doug Varone and Dancers, the MasterVoices presentation of Lady in the Dark is a chance for all to rediscover a masterpiece of Broadway’s golden age.

Music by Kurt Weill
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Book by Moss Hart
Script Adaptation by Christopher Hart and Kim Kowalke
Starring Victoria Clark, Ben Davis, Montego Glover, Christopher Innvar,
Ashley Park, David Pittu, Ron Raines and Amy Irving
Featuring the MasterVoices Chorus, Doug Varone and Dancers and Orchestra of St. Luke’s
Directed and Conducted by Ted Sperling, Artistic Director of MasterVoices
Scenic Design by Doug Fitch
Costume Design by Tracy Christensen
Lighting Design by James F. Ingalls
Sound Design by Scott Lehrer
Fashion Design Curated by Vogue International Editor-at-Large Hamish Bowles
Additional Select Looks by Thom Browne, Marchesa, and Zac Posen
Casting by Telsey + Company 

Learn about all the extraordinary programming and ancillary events we have lined up for our 75th Anniversary Season.