The York Theatre Company has occupied a unique spot in New York’s theatrical landscape for 52 years. It is the only theater in the city, and one of very few in the world, with a two-fold mission to produce new musical works and rediscover musical gems from the past. Founded in 1969 by Janet Hayes Walker, The York has presented more than 140 full-scale productions, from classic plays to musicals. Since 1997, Producing Artistic Director James Morgan has focused exclusively on musical theater: newer musicals in the Mainstage Series (many of them world, American, or New York premieres) and revivals in the popular Musicals in Mufti series of staged concert presentations.
Notable recent mainstage productions include Anything Can Happen in the Theater, Enter Laughing, Midnight at the Never Get, Desperate Measures, Rothschild and Sons, Cagney, and Yank!. The Musicals in Mufti series, now in its 27th year, explores a catalogue of rarely produced musicals, some of them under-appreciated in their initial productions, but all worthy of re-examination. Recent seasons have been devoted to the work of Cole Porter, Alan Jay Lerner, July Styne, Sheldon Harnick, and Tom Jones, and other shows that have been featured include My Favorite Year, Big, Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope, Tomfoolery, and I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road. York productions that have transferred commercially include Desperate Measures, Cagney, The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), Souvenir, Jolson & Company, Sweeney Todd, and Pacific Overtures. Cast recordings are available for some 45 York productions.
A regular NEO Concert recognizes New/Emerging/Outstanding musical theater writers, and The York also partners with various colleges and universities. The York’s Musical Theater Training Program is currently in its sixth year, offering summer programs for high school students and winter intensives for college students and recent graduates. Each year, The York presents some 30 readings of new musicals in its Developmental Reading Series, which have included Avenue Q, Summer of ‘42, Harold and Maude, Yank!, In Transit, Souvenir, and many more. For 33 years, The York has been the proud administrator of the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theater. The most recent recipient was Broadway’s André De Shields, and in November 2021, musical theater legends Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire will receive the award.
The York’s next mainstage production is is the world premiere of Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood. Conceived directed and choreographed by Broadway’s Randy Skinner, it is produced in association with Riki Kane Larimer and runs November 24, 2021 - January 2, 2022.
The company is currently producing at The Theatre at St. Jean’s (150 East 76th Street & Lexington Avenue) due to a January 2021 flood from a city water main break that destroyed their home of 30 years at Saint Peter’s Church.
