CHRISTINE EBERSOLE
Lots of musical series have themes. But the American Songbook series at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark (which is taped for later broadcast on NJTV, WLIW and Channel Thirteen) has what amounts to a mission: To keep the classic songs of the American Songbook in the public’s consciousness.
Acts for season three of the series, which will be filmed at concerts at NJPAC’s Victoria Theater Oct. 25 and 26, have been announced.
The Oct. 25 show will feature composer Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked,” “Godspell,” “Pippin”) and Friends;Â Jessie Mueller and Jarrod Spector, who co-starred in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” on Broadway; and Marilyn Maye.
The lineup for Oct. 26 is Seth Rudetsky (with two-time Tony winner Christine Ebersole joining him as a “special guest”); KT Sullivan and Jeff Harnar (performing songs by Stephen Sondheim); and Catherine Russell.
Ted Chapin, president and executive director of Rodgers & Hammerstein: An Imagen Company, will host the shows, and conduct Q&A sessions with the performers.
Tickets are $39 to $49 per show; for information, visit NJPAC.org.
Artists featured in the first two seasons of the series included Valerie Simpson, Maureen McGovern, John Pizzarelli, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, Nellie McKay, Laura Osnes, Santino Fontana and Tom Wopat. Clips from previous seasons can be viewed at njtvonline.org.
