Dorothy Marcic Brings WHAT WE DO FOR LOVE TO Bleeker Street Theater, 6/13

Dorothy Marcic (SISTAS, RESPECT) brings her newest musical, What We Do For Love Or Other Desperate Measures to the Upstairs Theater at the Bleeker Street Theater (45 Bleeker Street) on Wednesday, June 13th (7PM) for six performances as part of the 4th annual Planet Connections Festivity. The cast will include: Gilbert Bailey, Natalie Hill, Simon Pearl, Morgan Reed,Carla Stewart and Ryan Williams.

What We Do For Love Or Other Desperate Measures is a non-stop electrifying, fast-paced musical about relationships, looked at through nostalgic Top-40 hit songs of the past four decades. A company of six takes audiences on a journey from high school through adulthood tracing the paths that each friend eventually follows.

Innovative in its unique use of lyrics to tell the story, the show will feature direction and choreography by three-time Tony Award-winner Hinton Battle, dramaturgy by Kenneth Ferrone and musical direction by Jon Balcourt. Incorporating hits from Neil Diamond to Cher, Connie Francis to Elton John, and Liza Minnelli to india.arie, the story of “love” is told through song ---"Hooked on a Feeling" and "Wedding Bell Blues," and "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer."

Playwright Dorothy Marcic began her career in the arts as a production assistant on PBS’ Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Since then she has had a noted career as a playwright and published author. Her first musical, RESPECT (based on her book, RESPECT: Women and Popular Music) that chronicles women from 1900 to present day told through popular music, played in 21 cities nation-wide. Her second musical, a dark comedy, Terms of Dismemberment debuted at the NYC Fringe Festival in 2010, and in 2011 her musical SISTAS moved from the Midtown International Theater Festival to Off-Broadway’s St. Luke’s Theatre and has been nominated for a 2012 Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best New Musical. Dr. Marcic is the author of 14 books, including Managing with the Wisdom of Love, and Love Lift Me Higher. Dr. Marcic is currently a professor at Columbia University and a former Fulbright Scholar.

Hinton Battle (Director/Choreographer) is one of Broadway’s most respected musical stars and currently the producer of SISTAS: The Musical. Mr. Battle began his career at the age of 16, originating the role of Scarecrow in The Wiz. He has been honored and recognized by the NAACP Awards, the Fred Astaire Awards, the Ira Aldridge Awards, the Choreographer Media Honors, and is the recipient of three Tony Awards. His choreography has been featured on The Golden Globe Awards, Dance in America, The Academy Awards, and Dancing with the Stars. Hinton has appeared in Dancin’, Dreamgirls, Sophisticated Ladies, Chicago, Ragtime, Miss Saigon, and The Tap Dance Kid. Currently, he is getting ready for the multi-city tour of Love Lies, a musical comedy he wrote, will direct and appear in. Additionally, Hinton has released a Gospel/praise single, When I Walk that is currently climbing the Mediabase charts.

THE PLANET CONNECTIONS THEATRE FESTIVITY is New York’s premiere eco-friendly theatre festival. Fostering a diverse cross-section of performances, the festival seeks to inspire artists and audiences both creatively and fundamentally, in a festive atmosphere. At the heart of the festivity are like-minded individuals striving to create professional, meaningful theatre, while supporting organizations, which give back to the community at large.

Performance times for What We Do For Love Or Other Desperate Measures at Upstairs Theater at The Bleeker Street Theater (45 Bleeker Street) are as follows: Wednesday, June 13th at 7pm; Saturday, June 16th at 1pm; Tuesday, June 19th at 4pm; Friday, June 22nd at 7:30pm; Saturday, June 23rd at 10pm; Sunday, June 24th at 1:30pm. General Admission tickets are $18; $9 for Film/Music Participants; and free for Theatre Festivity Participants. To purchase tickets, call 866-811-4111 or visit planetconnections.org/what-we-do-for-love/.

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