The York Theatre Company occupies a unique spot in New York’s theatrical landscape. Now in its 53rd year, The York is the only theater in the city, and one of the few in the world, whose two-fold mission is to produce new musical works and rediscover musical gems from the past.
Founded by Janet Hayes Walker in 1969, The York has presented more than 970 full-scale musical productions, including such classics as The Golden Apple, The Grass Harp, On the 20th Century, A Doll’s Life, Lost in the Stars, Carnival!, and Merrily We Roll Along. Under the guidance of Producing Artistic Director James Morgan since 1997, The York has focused exclusively on musical theater: newer musicals in its Mainstage Series (most of them world, American or New York premieres) and revivals in its popular Musicals in Mufti series of semi-staged readings.
Recent Mainstage productions have included Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood, Penelope, or How The Odyssey Was Really Written, Enter Laughing: The Musical, Midnight at The Never Get, Unexpected Joy, Desperate Measures, Marry Harry, A Taste of Things to Come, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Rothschild & Sons, Cagney, Texas in Paris, Inventing Mary Martin, Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter, Storyville, I’m a Stranger Here Myself, Closer Than Ever (Best Musical Revival, Off-Broadway Alliance Award), Ionescapade, The Road to Qatar!, Falling for Eve, Yank!, Blind Lemon Blues, Enter Laughing, Asylum, Thrill Me, Souvenir, and The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!).
Among The York productions that have had commercial transfers are Desperate Measures, The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), Souvenir, Jolson & Company, Sweeney Todd, Pacific Overtures, and Cagney, starring Robert Creighton as James Cagney and members of the original York cast, which ran at the Westside Theatre for over 500 performances with the original York cast, and subsequently transferred to Los Angeles. Cast recordings are available for 40 York productions.
In the fall of 2014, The York celebrated its 100th Musicals in Mufti production: Stephen Sondheim’s Saturday Night. The Muftis constitute a lovingly-curated catalogue of rarely produced musicals, some of them under-appreciated in their initial productions, but all of them worth re-examination. Recent Mufti presentations have included an entire season dedicated to Alan Jay Lerner, and one to Jule Styne, Jerry Herman’s Dear World (starring Tyne Daly) and Milk and Honey, Berlin to Broadway to Kurt Weill, Starting Here, Starting Now, and Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope.
The York’s New2NY series presents simply-staged concert performances of new musicals, providing a stage between developmental lab and full production. Previous shows in the series have included In Transit (which ran on Broadway in 16/17 season), The Times, Larry Grossman’s Compose Yourself!, and 2017’s Mark Felt, Superstar and How to Be an American!.
Each year, The York presents some 30 readings of new musicals in its Developmental Reading Series, which has been the incubator for such shows as Avenue Q, Summer of ‘42, Harold and Maude, Yank!, In Transit, Souvenir, The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), Mark Felt, Superstar, We Foxes, Marry Harry, and Desperate Measures.
Started in 2015, the York’s Musical Theatre Training Program (MTTP) brings working professionals in to work with eager and dedicated theatre students. Our rigorous yet nurturing programs offer training in singing, acting and movement and often include master classes with some of New York’s top theatre artists. Our programs culminate in a showcase performance on The York’s Off-Broadway stage. We currently offer a Summer Intensive for middle and high school students and a Winter Intensive to college students from across the nation.
The York also produces the annual NEO Concert recognizing New, Emerging and Outstanding musical theater writers, and is proud of its longtime association with Marymount Manhattan College, its Education partner. The company is beginning its 30th year as the proud administrator of the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theater. The most recent recipient was Leslie Uggams.
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Box Office
Hours: Tuesday – Friday from 12:00 – 5:00 PM
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (212) 935-5820
Mailing Address
The York Theatre Company
4867 Broadway #933
New York, NY 10034
Theatre at St. Jeans
150 E. 76th Street
New York, NY 10021
For more than 50 years, The York Theatre Company has had a unique place in New York’s Off-Broadway theater scene. Founded in 1969, The York provides an intimate, creative setting for emerging artists and legendary musical theater creators alike. Our mission is to develop new musicals and rediscover musical gems from the past. Each season is comprised of full Mainstage productions, a variety of concert presentations including the renowned Musicals in Mufti series, and dozens of developmental readings. Please join this award-winning theater company as we launch our second half-century of “bringing musicals to life.” The York is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
EIN #: 13-3550290