Liz Callaway, William Finn, et al. Set for Merkin Concert Hall’s 2010-2011 Season

The Merkin Concert Hall has announced its programming for the coming year.

During 2010-2011, the venue will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Broadway Close Up series, which will open with a tribute to Off-Broadway musicals on October 25. The series will also include the tenth Bound for Broadway concert (December 8), which will be hosted by Liz Callaway and will feature selections from two new musicals as well as ones from shows that have been featured in the series in the past.

The series will also include an evening of new songs by young songwriters, hosted by William Finn (September 20), a celebration of the music of Jerome Kern (November 15), and a concert celebrating the music of James Taylor that will feature Broadway performers (October 4).

The season will also include three Broadway Playhouse concerts, which are designed to introduce children and families to classic musicals through medleys, sing-alongs, games and mini-musicals. The events will focus on a particular songwriter or songwriting team, including Rodgers & Hammerstein (January 9), Andrew Lloyd Webber (February 13) and Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt (March 6).

Other events at the Merkin Concert Hall will include two performances of New York Festival of Song’s Night and Day (February 15 & 17), which will highlight music by Irving Berlin, Marc Blitzstein, Kurt Weill, and Ned Rorem, among others; and a series of three shows for young people by the Poppy Seed Players.