NEW YORK, Dec. 21, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- The award-winning Blue Hill Troupe, New York's oldest Gilbert & Sullivan performing society, celebrates its 82nd season with a production of "The Pirates of Penzance." The G&S favorite will play for eight performances March 31-April 8, 2006 at Teatro Heckscher of El Museo del Barrio (1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street).
Tickets will be available online at www.bht.org or at 212-988-2012 beginning March 6th, and range in price from $25-$65. Email invitations with complete details will also be available, and requests can be sent to info@bht.org.
Since its inception in 1924, the Blue Hill Troupe has produced a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta every spring, with the proceeds benefiting a different New York City charity. The impressive total donated now tops $3 million. This year's beneficiary is The Doe Fund, best known for their "Men in Blue" "Ready, Willing & Able" program, which gives homeless people the tools and foundation they need to help themselves.
This fall, The Doe Fund is opening "First Step Home," designed to help individuals newly released from prison successfully re-enter mainstream society. Blue Hill Troupe's president, Suzanne Taylor said, "The Troupe is extremely proud to support this exciting new initiative and to donate much-needed funding to help operate the first years of this program."
"The Pirates of Penzance" will be directed and choreographed by Gary Slavin, currently represented Off Broadway by the hit revue "Bush is Bad: The Musical Cure for the Blue-State Blues." Musical direction will be by Zachary Schwartzman, whose work has been seen at New York City Opera and Glimmerglass Opera.
The Blue Hill Troupe has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and has appeared twice at Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops. For the past ten years, the Troupe has presented a Gilbert & Sullivan concert as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Concerts and Lectures series, where they will return in February, 2006.
In August 2005, the Blue Hill Troupe presented their revised performance edition of the Gilbert & Sullivan rarity, "The Grand Duke" at the 12th Annual International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Buxton, England, where it was honored with awards for Best Male Performer, Best Female Performer and Best Musical Direction.
For more information about the Blue Hill Troupe, Ltd., contact Joanne Lessner at (212) 222-7436 or visit www.bht.org.