Barnhart, D’Abruzzo, and Tartaglia to Perform Sans Puppets in Empty-Handed
(Photo © Michael Portantiere)
Three members of the cast of the multiple Tony Award-nominated musical Avenue Q — Jen Barnhart, Stephanie D’Abruzzo, and John Tartaglia — will set aside their puppet alter-egos to perform Empty-Handed, a showcase for their musical talents, on two upcoming Mondays, June 14 and 21, at 8pm.
Presented by Mel Miller and Musicals Tonight!, the one-night-only program will include songs by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Jule Styne, Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich, Tim Rice and Benny Andersson, William Finn, and many others. It will be directed by Alan Muraoka (Sesame Street), with musical direction by Gary Adler, choreography by Jamie Harris, and specialty material written by Stephanie D’Abruzzo and Craig Shemin. The show was originally conceived by Stephen DeAngelis.
The June 14 performance of Empty-Handed at the West 45th Street Theatre, located at 354 West 45th Street (between 8th and 9th avenues), is already sold out; tickets are still available for the June 21 performance, which will take place at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street at Bedford). All tickets are priced at $25 and can be reserved by phoning 212-362-5620 or via e-mail to musicalstonight@aol.com.
