2 Nights, 2 Events With Roosevelt Island Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance - Come Share Your Song At MST&DA Open Mic Event Friday April 15 And Enjoy An Evening Of You Can Always Come Home Cabaret Saturday April 16

The Roosevelt Island Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance (MST&DA) is presenting Two Nights, Two Events Friday and Saturday April 15-16. 

Friday evening is Sing Your Song, an open mic night at The Sanctuary and Saturday evening is the You Can Always Come Home Cabaret show at the Howe Theater in the Cultural Center

According to MST&DA:

SING YOUR SONG 🎹❤️🎤❤️ 

Hosted by J-Fad & Kimbirdlee at THE SANCTUARY on ROOSEVELT ISLAND 851 Main St, NYC, FRIDAY, April 15th, 8pm, FREE 

Sing your song at a new OPEN MIC NIGHT on Roosevelt Island! To sign-up in advance, email info@mstda.org. Singers can also sign up in-person at the venue. No charge to sing! Featuring performances by the MSTDA CABARET & YOU!!!

MST&DA adds: 

LIVE CABARET RETURNS TO MSTDA “You Can Always Come Home” 

Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance announces the return of the cabaret, “You Can Always Come Home” to the Howe Theatre on April 16th, 2022. Jonathan Fadner and Kimbirdlee Fadner originated this cabaret in 2017 with original songs by Jonathan and other up and coming NYC composers at the time. The cast was a conglomerate of professional NYC actors, NYU students and alum, and MSTDA alum. The new 2022 cast of “You Can Always Come Home” (YCACH) includes a talented array of performers harkening from the early days of MSTDA: Brenna Stein, Deb Drucker, Barbara Parker and David Kolakoski; to new faces and voices; Jessy Li, Jeanne Castagnaro, Kay Clark and Anjana Rao; MSTDA alum (Ty Scanlan) and, of course, MSTDA’s Artistic Director, Kimbirdlee Fadner. 

While the early cabarets, which were a collaboration between Common Man Musicals and MSTDA, were a hit, the direction of this partnership turned more toward developing full length musicals from 2018-present, such as “The Monkey King, “Northanger Abbey,” “The Wind in the Willows,” and “The Ghosts All Around You.” But MSTDA keeps moving and ANYTHING GOES when you enter the world of the cabaret! The evening will be filled with both nostalgic and new tunes. We feel a strong magnetic pull to gather together as a community of artists, in celebration of life and art through song. So, we invite everyone to grab a seat at the hottest show in town! We are so excited to bring cabaret back into the entertainment sphere of Roosevelt Island! 

TICKETS:$20 general admission $15 students/seniors 

PERFORMANCE: SATURDAY, April 16th 7pm 

LOCATION: The Howe Theatre Roosevelt Island Cultural Center(548 Main Street)

Jump back in time to the first ever “You Can Always Come Home” Cabaret on Feb 24, 2017:

More videos from the 2017 You Can Always Come Home Cabaret here.

SPONSORED POST - Roosevelt Island Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance Spring Semester Enrollment Open, Teen Film & Songwriting Workshops, Staged Script Reading Series, Family Friendly Comedy Improv & Common Man Musicals

The Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance (MST&DA) is excited to announce the start of our Spring Semester on January 31st. Enrollment is open online here. Scholarship applications are available on the website and should be submitted before January 31st. Instructions for applying for a scholarship or work study can be found here.

Also, our free prop-making class "Set the Scene" continues on Thursday's for ages 9-12 at 5:30pm. To sign up, email MST&DA.

Special Teen Workshops beginning January 29th

Film Class 1/29 - 2/19 from 5:30-7pm ages 13+. Have a favorite movie? Want to learn how it's made? Join this 4 week program to learn everything from script to post production. Students will walk away with a short film of their own. Cost of 4 week program, $100. To register email info@mstda.org.

Songwriting Workshop 2/26-3/19 ages 13+. Interested in songwriting? This workshop will use collaborative discussion and writing exercises to teach the components of songwriting to students. If you play an instrument, bring it to class. Cost of 4 week program, $100. To register email info@mstda.org

Upcoming Events & Shows at the Howe Theatre in the Cultural Center:

February 6th @ 7:30pm - Staged Script Reading Series, Getting Married by George Bernard Shaw

directed by Russ Cusick. Suggested donation is $5 for the MST&DA Scholarship Fund.

February 10th & April 7th @ 7pm - Our popular Family-Friendly Improv Theatre show

featuring improv performers from all around the city, including National Comedy Theatre, Upright Citizens Brigade, and The People's Improv Theatre (PIT). Come laugh with the whole family. Tickets are available online  or at the door. Adults $10, Students/Seniors $5, and family package is $25 (4 or more of the same family).

February 24th @ 8pm - "You Can Always Come Home" Common Man Musicals Cabaret Show & Fundraiser.

Suggested ticket donation $10. More details to come on our website.

SAVE THE DATES - Sondheim on Sondheim the musical March 31st - April 2nd, Almost Maine a play April 28th - 30th, Seussical Jr. the musical May 5th - 8th, and Pippin the musical May 19th - 21st. Tickets will be available on our website three weeks before the show dates. For more information contact info@mstda.org.

Gather Round My Country Folk For Common Man Musicals At Roosevelt Island Main Street Theater & Dance Alliance Friday June 17 Thru Monday June 20 - Buy Tickets And Encourage More Theater For Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island's Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance (MST&DA) is hosting a collection of new one act Common Man Musicals Friday June 17 - Monday June 20 at the Roosevelt Island Cultural Center (548 Main Street).

According to Kimbirdlee Fadner:

Gather Round, My Country Folk!

Image From Common Man Musicals

Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance is in cahoots with Common Man Musicals to initiate an ongoing project with the intention of gathering the community together in a positive, educational and inspiring atmosphere of live music and theater.

Image From Common Man Musicals

Jonathan Fadner and I created Common Man Musicals to produce new works of musical theatre that are relevant, relatable and affordable. Common Man Musicals launches this June with four original short musicals, presented Friday, June 17 through Monday, June 20 at 7:00pm at the Main Street Theatre &Dance Alliance on Roosevelt Island.

Each evening begins at 6:30pm with a party in the lobby before the eighty-minute presentation.

The line-up:

Droning On (Book and lyrics by Emily Roller, music by Jonathan Fadner)

An enraged mother seeks justice after her very special but otherwise ordinary son is shot down by a drone.

How Love Feels (Book and lyrics by Marella Martin Koch, music by Jonathan Fadner)

The man on the moon falls in love with Helen… who is engaged to Stan.

Make Your Mark (Book by Marella Martin Koch, lyrics by John Blaylock, music by Jonathan Fadner)

Why would a straight-A student obsessed with following the rules draw a penis on the board and then just leave? Felicia's friends are asking themselves the same question.

Silver Water Avenue Book Club (Book and lyrics by Sarah Fiete, music by Jonathan Fadner)

"Future on Fire", the latest book in a popular dystopian series, has just come out - and the Silver Water Ave Book Club could NOT be more excited. But when Impogene brings her brother Tristan to a meeting, the book club must face a villain of their own.

MST&DA Executive Director Kristi Towey adds:

Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance is thrilled to host Common Man Musicals at the Howe Theatre in the Roosevelt Island Cultural Center. When our youth music director Jonathan Fadner proposed this collaboration, we were excited at the opportunity to bring in original, new works to be performed in our community. We can't wait to see this talented young group take the stage!"

Tickets are $15 and $10 for students. Doors open at 6 PM, show starts at 7 PM.

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Hosting more theater productions is a great idea for MST&DA. Consider buying a ticket or two to encourage more live theater productions for Roosevelt Island.