The musical, which tells the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, an ensemble of six talented young men in 1920s Germany, will begin previews at the Off-Broadway venue February 11, 2020, prior to an official opening March 4. The production will be presented in English.
The Comedian Harmonists took the world by storm with their blend of close harmonies and stage antics, until their inclusion of Jewish singers put them on a collision course with history.
Zalmen Mlotek, artistic director of NYTF, said in a statement, “Harmony speaks to the human spirit in the face of adversity and atrocity. The story of the Comedian Harmonists, whose soaring careers were cut short due to anti-Semitism, reflects the spiritual resistance that was necessary to get through one of the most dehumanizing periods in history. It’s important that their story about the human spirit during the darkest of times be told. Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman have created a show that speaks to the best and worst of humanity.”
“Harmony is finally being presented, and I couldn’t be more thrilled,” Manilow added. “I am very proud we have found a perfect home for this labor of love of over 20 years.”
“This is a show about the quest for harmony in what turned out to be the most discordant chapter in human history,” Sussman stated. “I could not be more thrilled and proud that Harmony's New York debut will be in this theatre, associated with this museum, that overlooks the Statue of Liberty.”
Harmony, which was seen at the La Jolla Playhouse in the late '90s, was recently produced in Atlanta and Los Angeles, where it won the LA Drama Critics Circle Award.
Harmony will continue through March 29 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, Edmond J. Safra Plaza, 36 Battery Place.
