Saturday Night

Thu 16 Oct to Sun 26 Oct. 415 South Street, Waltham, 02454. Dennis Nealon, Media Relations Director, 781-736-4205, nealon@brandeis.edu. Brandeis University - [events]

Book by Julius J. Epstein Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Based on the play “Front Porch in Flatbush” By Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein Directed by Eric Hill October 16-26-2008 Laurie Theater Lighting Design by Michael Jarett, MFA ‘07 Musical director Matthew Stern, ‘08 Choreography by Hannah King, ‘07 Peformance Schedule/Prices: Thursday Preview at 8pm - $16 Friday Opening at 8pm - $20 Saturday at 8pm - $20 2nd Thursday at 8pm - $18 2nd Friday at 8pm - $20 Saturday Matinee at 2pm - $18 2nd Saturday at 8pm - $20 Sunday Matinee at 2pm - $20

Twenty-three year old Stephen Sondheim penned his first musical based on the play ‘Front Porch in Flatbush’ by Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein (Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein’s grandfather and great-uncle!) in 1954. But this lost musical was never publicly performed until 1997 and received its New York premiere in 2000. In this light-hearted musical comedy, occurring over three successive Saturday nights in 1929 in Brooklyn, an ambitious group of young men find themselves restless and worse, date-less. Gene, a Wall Street runner in the market frenzy before the crash, has dreams that reach far beyond Brooklyn and drive him into deceiving Helen, who has secrets of her own, into thinking he is someone he will never be and luring his friends into the financial foolishness of the time, coming close to paying the consequences of his deceit. Youthful innocence and a simpler time make Sondheim’s first musical a delight for all and a must-see for the Sondheim aficionado.