The Road to Qatar: York announces new musical

The York Theatre Company presents the Off-Broadway premiere of the new true musical comedy, The Road to Qatar, featuring book and lyrics by Stephen Cole and music by David Krane, based on an actual adventure. The musical opens at The Theatre at Saint Peter's (on 3 Feb 2011, following previews from 25 Jan and runs through to 27 Feb 2011.

The Road to Qatar is a new true musical comedy about two American musical theatre writers commissioned to write a larger-than-life Broadway-style musical for the Emir of Qatar. Surprises abound as the self-professed "short Jewish writers" soon find themselves traveling the globe in their own version of a madcap Bob Hope/Bing Crosby adventure.

Cast and creative team to be announced shortly.

Stephen Cole (Book and Lyrics): Musicals include 'After the Fair,' 'The Night of the Hunter,' and 'Saturday Night' at Grossinger's. Broadway legend Chita Rivera toured in his show 'Casper' and Hal Linden and Dee Hoty starred in the world premiere of his musical adaptation of 'Dodsworth.' In 2005, Stephen and David Krane were commissioned to write 'Aspire,' the first American musical to premiere in the Middle East. Their experiences resulted in the new musical The Road to Qatar. 'Time After Time' premiered in 2010 at Pittsburgh Playhouse. Stephen's books include 'Noel Coward,' 'That Book About That Girl,' 'I Could Have Sung All Night: The Marni Nixon Story,' ghosted 'Put On a Happy Face' (Charles Strouse memoirs). Stephen is the recipient of the Edward Kleban Award and a Gilman-Gonzales Falla Commendation for musical theatre.

David Krane (Music) created the dance music and additional score adaptation for the Oscar-winning movie 'Chicago,' and wrote all new music arrangements and additional score adaptation for the film version of 'Nine.' He composed 'Aspire 'with Stephen Cole, the first-ever commissioned American musical produced in the Middle East, and wrote the movie musical "The Wheel Goes Round," which was screened in several film festivals. Dance, music and arrangements for 29 Broadway shows, including: '110 In The Shade,' 'La Cage aux Folles,' 'Cabaret,' 'Man of La Mancha,' 'Oklahoma!' (RNT & Broadway), 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman,' 'The Music Man,' 'Showboat,' 'Ragtime,' 'Victor/Victoria,' 'Minnelli On Minnelli,' 'Damn Yankees.' Orchestrations: 'She Loves Me,' 'The World Goes 'Round' (Drama Desk nominee). Television credits include "Once Upon A Mattress," 2003 Oscars, "Annie," "Mrs. Santa Claus," "Cinderella," "The Kennedy Center Honors" and "Evening at Pops."

The York Theatre Company is the only theater in New York City - and one of very few in the world - dedicated to developing and fully producing new musicals and preserving neglected, notable shows from the past. Over the past two seasons, York productions and artists have been nominated for a combined 31 Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, AUDELCO and Callaway Awards (and its productions of 'Yank! A WWII Love Story' and 'Enter Laughing, The Musical' have both been announced for Broadway transfers).