“They Changed Broadway” Actor Equity performers Jonathan C. Kaplan and Neva Small agree to recreate show-stopping performances.

During the one-night only June 13 benefit performance, Jonathan C. Kaplan is singing “Everyone Hates His Parents” and “The Miracle of Judaism”- two songs that earned the respect of Broadway audiences and Jonathan’s Tony nomination for his role as ”Jason” in “Falsettos”.

Neva Small is recreating the classic song, “Matchmaker” she sang as “Chava” in the movie “Fiddler On The Roof” and the song “My Place in the World” she introduced as Robert Preston’s leading lady in “Prince Of Grand Street”.

Additionally, “They Changed Broadway” librettist/lyricist Michael Colby and musical director Michael Lavine reveal more of the planned song list for the one-night only benefit production “They Changed Broadway” and offer this taste of the musical numbers in rehearsal for the June 13th revue at the Metuchen Forum Theatre.

“Tradition”, “Second Hand Rose”, “Cooking Breakfast for the One I Love”, “Hungry Women”, “If You Knew Susie”, “All the Things You Are”, “I Got Rhythm”, “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime”, “June is Busting Out all Over”, “My Place in the World”, “In One Big Union”, “If I Were a Rich Man”, “Tonight”, “The Wizard and I”, “In My Own Lifetime”, “On Broadway”, “If They Could See Me Now”, “Children of the Wind”.

“They Changed Broadway” wants theatre-goers to understand that with any production script and songs are subject to change as the musical revue continues through rehearsal. And that audiences are sure to be pleased with the final production.

Michael Colby (http://www.michaelcolby.com/) is the librettist/lyricist of such musicals as “Charlotte Sweet” (Drama Desk Award nomination), “Tales Of Tinseltown, North Atlantic” (Show Business Award), “Slay It With Music”, “Mrs. McThing”, “They Chose Me!”, and “Ludlow Ladd”. He was chief writer for the Drama Desk Award-winning New Amsterdam Theatre Company, and has been a frequent writer for The NY Festival of Song as well as the Theatre By the Blind. Michael’s “Meester Amerika” was acclaimed as “Best Score [of the New Jersey theatre season]” and “A superb celebration of Yiddish Theatre… Show music of the highest order,” by Peter Filichia, The Star-Ledger.

Among the personalities for whom Mr. Colby has written material are: Linda Lavin, Tony Randall, Tovah Feldshuh, Savion Glover, Dina Merrill, Susan Stroman, Michael Feinstein, Jack Gilford, Andrea Marcovicci, Kristin Chenoweth, Bruce Adler, Cliff Robertson, Lainie Kazan, Jane Powell, Eric Stoltz, Julie Wilson, Alison Fraser, Mary Cleere Haran, Stephanie Pope, Donna McKechnie, & Cicely Tyson.

About Jonathan C. Kaplan
Jonathan C. Kaplan (http://www.jonathanckaplan.com/) won The Theatre World Award and was nominated for a Tony® Award playing “Jason” in Falsettos. Other roles include Peter in The Diary of Anne Frank (Broadway; starring Natalie Portman & Linda Lavin), Benjamin in The Graduate (National Tour), and Mitchell in The Loman Family Picnic (Manhattan Theatre Club). Films include Loving Leah and Life with Mikey. TV appearances include Law and Order: CI, Law and Order: SVU, and As the World Turns.

About Michael Lavine
Michael Lavine (http://www.michaellavine.net/) has musically directed the Outer Critic’s Circle Awards, Broadway Cares Teddy Bear Auction (as he’s done the past 13 years) and the Astaire Awards earlier this year. He co-produced the American premiere recording of “Honk!” which he has musically directed twice. Michael musically directed the Comden and Green musical “Billion Dollar Baby” at the York Theatre in New York City starring Kristin Chenoweth, Marc Kudisch and Debbie Gravitte (cd available) and the Burton Lane/Alan Jay Lerner musical “Carmelina”, also at the York with Debbie Gravitte. He shared the stage with Mimi Hines and Peter Howard (his mentor) at the Kennedy Center in a Rodgers and Hart revue, “This Funny World”.

About Neva Small
Neva Small (http://www.nevasmall.com/) has distinguished herself as a singer and actress in theaters, in concert halls across America, on film, and on television. Her signature role of Chava in the film version of “Fiddler on the Roof” remains a classic. Recently returning to the spotlight after raising a family, Neva starred with Michael Feinstein in “Michael Feinstein: Now & Then” at Carnegie Hall, released her best selling first solo CD, “Neva Small: My Place in the World”, and was a guest artist with the Walla Walla Symphony.

Neva Small’s cabaret show “Not Quite An Ingenue” is so successful it transferred to an Off-Broadway theater where it is currently being performed. Neva has appeared on television in Law & Order, Law & Order Criminal Intent, the TV movie “Hijacking of the Achille Lauro” and is an accomplished writer, producer and performer of children’s educational programs.

About The Forum Theatre
The Forum Theatre Arts Center (http://www.forumtheatrearts.com/) is a nonprofit performing arts organization and has been the Cultural Arts Center of central New Jersey since 1928, when it was built as a theatre and vaudeville tryout house, then soon after as a neighborhood movie house. The Forum Theatre has presented hundreds of American and World Premieres with an emphasis on musical theatre, as well as numerous A-list concerts.

The Forum Theatre is located at 314 Main Street, Metuchen, NJ 08840. Phone: (732) 548- 5600

About Congregation Neve Shalom
For 75 years, Congregation Neve Shalom (http://www.neveshalom.net/) has been providing religious services and Jewish Education for its Conservative Egalitarian members. Neve Shalom maintains a vibrantly active and welcoming community with educational programs, religious services and lay leadership. Neve Shalom’s annual Suzy Schwartz Concert, and Book and Author Events are well-known to surrounding residents for their ability to draw well-known and famous performers, authors, and lecturers.

Congregation Neve Shalom is located at 250 Grove Ave, Metuchen, NJ 08840. Phone: (732) 548- 2238

For More information about “They Changed Broadway” call (732) 548-2238 EXT. 24 or visit http://www.theychangedbroadway.blogspot.com/