Musicals Tonight Announces 2008-2009 Season

Musicals Tonight has announced the selections for its 2008-2009 season. All performances will take place at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre (2162 Broadway). Cast and creative team information will be announced at a later date.

The season will begin with the 1960 musical Irma La Douce (October 14-26), in which a Paris “poule” works to support her impoverished lover against his wishes. He poses as a rich elderly roué and becomes her exclusive client. The double life is too demanding so he “eliminates” the old gent and is arrested.

The 1963 tuner Tovarich will follow, October 28-November 9. Former members of the late Tsar’s court work as servants to Americans in Paris in 1927 while avoiding the Communists sent to capture and return them to Moscow.

The Jerome Kern-PG Wodehouse 1922 hit Cabaret Girl (March 3-15) makes its New York debut. The producers of The All-Night Follies act as cupids and try to bring together an ordinary working girl and her high-born “intended” against the wishes of her family — and succeed.

Fats Waller’s 1943 musical Early to Bed (March 17-29) features an over-the-hill matador who falls in love with an old girl friend who now runs a brothel. Her current borders include an American track team who think they’re at a finishing school where the girls wear very little clothing.

The season will conclude with Cole Porter’s 1928 Paris-set farce You Never Know (April 14-26), in which master and servant switch places and fall in love with mistress and maid, who have also switched places.

For more information, visit www.musicalstonight.org.