Mastercard Midnight Theatre Presents New Family Variety Show “Let You Be You”

Thursday, January 4 - Multi-award winning producer and director Meredith Sharkey brings Let You Be You, a musical family variety show to Mastercard Midnight Theatre. Let You Be You is premiering at Mastercard Midnight Theatre in New York City. Let You Be You is a celebration for all ages, taking on the important lessons and social issues faced by today’s families. You’ll be taken on a journey through musical numbers, sketches and stories told by a vibrant range of celebrity talent. This variety special premieres featuring performances from Richard Kind, David Krumholtz, Emily Skinner, Annette O’Toole, Peter Francis James, Elizabeth Stanley (Jagged Little Pill), Maria Christina-Oliveras (Hadestown), Jeffrey Cornelius (Dear Evan Hansen), Anne Fraser Thomas (Titanique), Molly Hager (Waitress), Ato Blankson-Wood, Jojo Fleites, Dylan Baker, Chris Barron, Cole Burden, Seth Herzog, Wendy Hoopes, Emma Jayne, Joe Kinosian and Dan Mills. You can catch Let You Be You at Mastercard Midnight Theatre on Monday, January 29th at 7:00pm. Tickets on sale here.

Like many families with children, Meredith Sharkey found herself wondering how to raise caring and compassionate little people in today’s world. As a veteran director, producer, showrunner and beyond (MTV, VH1, E!, Bravo, A&E, Discovery, Lifetime, TLC and more), creating a piece of entertainment for families to enjoy and learn from would be a new creative endeavor. She enlisted in the help of her talented friend comedian Seth Herzog (Host and Executive Producer), the resident comedian for NBC’s Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. He has also hosted two comedy science shows for the National Geographic channel and has had hilarious appearances on shows like Broad City, 30 Rock and beyond. Actor, musician, writer and director Randy Redd also came on board. As an actor, his Broadway credits include Parade, Ring of Fire and Million Dollar Quartet. As a writer, his first play, Mississippi Sugar was developed and produced at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. He is currently developing several new works for theatre, TV, and film. Finally, friend and collaborator Robin Skye came on board. Skye is a singer/songwriter, actor, and dedicated supporter of the arts. As an actor, her Broadway, Film and theatre credits include Parade, Sunset Boulevard, Southern Comfort (Public Theater), A Doll’s Life, The Wire and Blue Bloods, to name a few. As an investor in Broadway and Film, she has produced many of her own club acts over the years and is currently producing the new musical Normal Teenage Girl. 

This core group all started with the idea that today’s families are faced with an unprecedented ecosystem of social and emotional challenges, politics, identity, conflict, war and so much more. But while these can be difficult topics, there is also hope for carving out a creative space to cultivate empathy, compassion and acceptance. Let You Be You would be just that.

With contributors from across the theatre and entertainment world, Let You Be You uses music, poems and more to create an exciting variety show, weaving together diverse voices, experiences, perspectives and bodies. The message is one that resonates with so many today, that all people in different shapes, colors, sizes and identities make the world a more interesting, unique and wonderful place. 

Contributors include Academy Award nominee, writer and director Richard Lagravenese, Tony and Grammy Award winner Charlie Rosen, writer Khalehla Rixon, Composers Joe Kinosian and Joel Waggoner, Broadway actors Dan Mills and Randy Redd, Chris Barron of the Spin Doctors, award winning writer and comedian Adam Ceschin, Second City alumni Lachrisa Grandberry.

All proceeds will go to New Yorkers For Children (NYFC). Founded in 1996, NYFC is a unique nonprofit organization that does both direct service and intermediary work to improve the well-being of youth and families in the child welfare system, with an emphasis on older youth aging out of foster care.

Mastercard Midnight Theatre, is a 150-seat venue presenting a diverse roster of programming including talent from the Broadway stage, comedy, burlesque, music and other unique special events. Previous acts have included Tony AwardNominees Shoshana Bean and Kathryn Gallagher, Broadway’s Andrew Barth Feldman (Dear Evan Hansen), Disney’s Laura Marano, English Singer-Songwriter Raye and many more. Also a TV & film industry hub, the venue has hosted premieres, screenings, parties and talk backs for companies such as Showtime, Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+, BAFTA, Mastercard and Peloton and welcomed notables like Emma Stone, Pete Davidson, Kaley Cuoco, Shonda Rhimes, Amy Schumer, Busy Philipps, Jessica Chastain, Michael Shannonand more. Tickets for upcoming events available here.

An escape from the everyday, Mastercard Midnight Theatre is also a culinary destination thanks to the venue’s pan-Asian restaurant and cocktail lounge, Hidden Leaf. With a kitchen helmed by the innovative Chef Chai Trivedi, the romantic and playfully chic dining room serves polished, table-sharing, pan-Asian cuisine. 

 

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For more information on Mastercard Midnight Theatre, please contact

Shore Fire Media: 

Rebecca Shapiro (rshapiro@shorefire.com)

Shannon Cosgrove (scosgrove@shorefire.com)

MC Miskell (mcmiskell@shorefire.com)

 

For more information on Hidden Leaf, please contact The Door: hiddenleaf@thedooronline.com