Massachusetts' Barrington Stage Company, the home theatre of late Tony-winning composer-lyricist William Finn, celebrated the Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee writer August 19 with a one-night-only memorial concert in its Boyd-Quinson Theater featuring many of the artists who worked with Finn over his career.
That roster of artists included Adam Chanler-Berat, Alan H. Green, Dorcas Leung, Mary Testa, Taylor Trensch, Lisa Howard, and Chip Zien. The evening also spotlighted some of the writers whose artistry Finn helped shape with his mentorship, including Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop), Sam Salmond (The Monsters), Chris Miller (The Burnt Part Boys), Niko Tsakalakos (Pool Boy), Rachel Sheinkin (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), and Will Aronson (Maybe Happy Ending).
See photos from the special event below.
Rachel Sheinkin
Taylor Trensch
Mary Testa
Lisa Howard
Adam Chanler-Berat
Alan H. Green
Mary Testa
Julianne Boyd
Alan Paul
Lisa Howard
Chip Zien
Michael R. Jackson
Dorcas Leung
Vadim Feichtner
Niko Tsakalakos
Adam Chanler-Berat
Chip Zien
Chris Miller
A Celebration of William Finn
Mary Testa and Lisa Howard
Will Aronson, Julianne Boyd, Michael R. Jackson, and Alan Paul
Julianne Boyd, Arthur Salvadore, and Alan Paul
Julianne Boyd, Chip Zien, and Alan Paul
Julianne Boyd and Vadim Feichtner
Alan Paul, Vadim Feichtner, and Julianne Boyd
Finn had a long association with BSC, at which he co-founded the company's Musical Theatre Lab—which develops new musicals—in 2006. Finn, who died April 7 at the age of 73, was a two-time Tony winner for his 1992 musical Falsettos (a compilation of his earlier one-act musicals March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland), with his additional works including In Trousers, A New Brain, The Royal Family of Broadway, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Little Miss Sunshine. In addition to his writing work, Finn was a devoted educator, mentoring young writers via NYU's graduate-level musical theatre writing program and leading BSC's Musical Theatre Lab.
BSC's celebratory evening was co-directed by Artistic Director Alan Paul and Founding Artistic Director Julianne Boyd. Vadim Feichtner serves as music director.
Visit BarringtonStageCo.org.
Alison Fraser, Mary Testa, Chip Zien, and Joanna Green in In Trousers
Mary Testa, Alison Fraser, Joanna Green, and Chip Zien in In Trousers
Company of Falsettoland
Michael Rupert, Faith Prince, and Chip Zien in Falsettoland
Liz Larsen, Kristin Chenoweth, and Malcom Gets in A New Brain
Malcom Gets and Penny Fuller
Malcolm Gets, John Jellison, Chip Zien, Kristin Chenoweth, and Keith Byron Kirk in A New Brain
Arnie Burton, Laura Michelle Kelly, Hayley Podschun, Harriet Harris, Holly Ann Butler, Will Swenson, and Kathryn Fitzgerald in The Royal Family of Broadway at Barrington Stage Company
Laura Michelle Kelly and company of The Royal Family of Broadway at Barrington Stage Company
Chip Zien in The Royal Family of Broadway at Barrington Stage Company
Hayley Podschun and A.J. Shively in The Royal Family of Broadway at Barrington Stage Company
Arnie Burton, Harriet Harris, Laura Michelle Kelly, Chip Zien, Kathryn Fitzgerald, and Hayley Podschun in The Royal Family of Broadway at Barrington Stage Company
Kathryn Fitzgerald in The Royal Family of Broadway at Barrington Stage Company
