Put on your Sunday clothes and join Broadway veteran Terry Rakov (the Dame) and brilliant young talent Mason Griffin (the Queen) to celebrate one of the greatest tunesmiths of the American musical theater, Jerry Herman. The result is a heartfelt collaboration of songs, personal anecdotes, and theatrical lore that proudly proclaims the best of times is now. This delightfully odd couple will take you on a journey from popular hits such as “Hello, Dolly!” to hidden gems like “The Grand Tour.”; an evening that will no doubt have you tapping your troubles away. Tickets $18.
Mason Griffin is a musical theater accompanist, coach, conductor, and music director living in New York City. Local audiences know him well as the husband of Cumberland native, Andy Crosten. Mason has accompanied and music directed Andy during his multiple local appearances in recent years. Mason is also thrilled to be returning to music direct Company at The Cumberland Theatre this Spring!
He studied music at LSU with Dr. Pamela Pike, Dr. Jeffrey Perry, and Terry Patrick-Harris. In NYC, he has worked with LaGuardia High School, Amas Musical Theatre, MTCA, Jen Waldman Studio, The New York Film Academy, Applause NY, Broadway Classroom, The West End Lounge, NYU, CCNY, and Sing for Your Seniors. As music director, highlight shows include: Naked Boys Singing! (Off-Broadway), RENT, Les Miserables, Spelling Bee, A Funny Thing...Forum, Little Shop of Horrors, I Love a Piano, and Dreamgirls. He is currently the in-house pianist at Ayada Thai in Chelsea Market. He has performed throughout NYC at 54 Below, The Duplex Cabaret, Theatre Row, The Laurie Beechman, Uncle Charlie's Piano Bar, Haswell Greens, The 13th Street Repertory Theater and The Triad.
www.masongriffin.com
Terry Rakov has appeared on Broadway in two Jerry Herman shows: Hello Dolly with Carol Channing and The Grand Tour with Joel Grey. Terry is excited to be making her Cumberland debut with Mason!
Off Broadway: Romance Is and Bittersuite. Her regional credits include Pittsburgh CLO: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella with Faith Prince, Julie in Showboat, Marge MacDougal in Promises, Promises and The Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz with Cathy Rigby. Alan Menken and Howard Ashman brought Ms. Rakov to the Arena Stage in Washington DC to appear in a production of their off broadway hit God Bless You Mr. Rosewater. Other regional credits include Man of La Mancha with John Raitt, A Little Night Music at the Walnut St Theater in Philadelphia, Gypsy at the Kansas City Starlight, Annie Get Your Gun at Art Park and Kate in three separate productions of Kiss Me Kate.
An acclaimed cabaret and concert performer, Ms. Rakov has appeared in clubs and on stages in New York City, Washington D.C., Westchester NY, and beyond.
terryrakov.com
Jerry Herman composed songs that were like him: bouncy, buoyant, and optimistic. A loving soul who was never afraid to shout out I am what I am. Just like what “Hello, Dolly!” did for us during the Vietnam era of 1964, the world continues to yearn for the jubilant escapism he created. His work and legacy are gentle reminders that it only takes a moment to open new windows.