(left to right:) Singer Christianne Tisdel, Composer Charles Strouse, NYSMS President Linda Amiel Burns

Charles Strouse

Composer of the upcoming Marty
as well as Annie; Bye, Bye Birdie; Rags and many others

 What a treat! Charles Strouse playing and singing and talking about his own compositions.  Actors and professional singers may have made us all familiar with his wonderful music, but no one can capture the charm and inner feelings  of a  Strouse song the way that Charles Strouse does.  (... he sang the deceptively simple "Rosie" [from Bye, Bye Birdie] and his reminiscences of its placement in the show.)  It was a surprise to some that he had composed the theme music ("Those Were the Days") for that long-running TV show, "All in the Family."  In addition to Strouse's singing, he brought Christianne Tisdel, a beautiful addition--physically and vocally--to the program, to introduce us to "It Could Happen," one of the upcoming hits from Marty.  (Which [Who?] will be played by John C. Reilly...great casting!!)