SONGS OF THE THEATRE: A STROLL DOWN A DUSTY MUSICAL ROAD AND PHOENICIA PLAYHOUSE 50th ANNIVERSARY SEASON

PHOENICIA & WOODSTOCK — The Phoenicia Playhouse and Woodstock Fringe announce a co-production of a new cabaret show called SONGS MOSTLY OF THE THEATRE: A STROLL DOWN A DUSTY MUSICAL ROAD to be presented May 1-3 at the Phoenicia Playhouse.  The cabaret will be performed by WALLACE NORMAN with musical direction by Paul Duffy and stage direction by Hank Neimark.

NORMAN wears a number of theatrical hats. He is an actor, singer, director, producer and playwright. His singing career began forty years ago with numerous Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway theatre companies. Since then NORMAN has sung in regional theatres, dinner theatres, summer stock, numerous NYC cabaret rooms, and in Hudson Valley venues. He was a soloist at the Carnegie Recital Hall and in the was invited to sing at the prestigious Eugene O’Neil Cabaret Conference.

A STROLL DOWN A DUSTY MUSICAL ROAD is a personal journey for NORMAN, one where he revisits his most important musical influences and mentors. The journey begins with Norman's earliest musical memory when he was 10 years old, then moves on to his many years working with the Off-Off Broadway theatre company Golden Fleece, The Composers Chamber Theatre, pausing briefly at the Eugene O'Neill Cabaret Conference and continuing to the present. Music performed will include songs from the musical theatre, traditional tunes, and songs written for Wallace during his Off-Off Broadway days. The program finishes with a set of songs by the great Jacques Brel.

Accomplished international jazz pianist PAUL DUFFY is the musical director and arranger for the DUSTY ROAD cabaret. Duffy often performs in the jazz clubs of Dublin, Ireland, his birthplace. He studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He is frequently seen in music venues throughout the year in the Hudson Valley area. Veteran stage director HANK NEIMARK will direct the cabaret. In recent years Hank has been very active in the Hudson Valley theater scene. Recently he directed the critically acclaimed production of Mark St. Germaine’s DANCING LESSONS for Performing Arts of Woodstock (PAW) and directed PAW's March 2026 production of Andrew Bergman’s comedy SOCIAL SECURITY.

The 2026 season marks the 50th anniversary of the Shandaken Theatrical Society (STS), a nonprofit organization that owns and manages the 138-year-old Playhouse building located at 10 Church Street in the heart of Phoenicia.

“This is a wonderfully exciting year for us,” said Michael Connor, President of the STS board of directors. “We’re celebrating an important 50th year milestone for our organization while also launching the most ambitious program schedule in our history.”

Founded in 1976 by a small group of passionate local performers and volunteers, STS is one of the Catskill region’s longest-running arts organizations. Over the past half-century, the organization has produced more than 150 shows and provided countless opportunities for local artists, actors, technicians, and theater‑lovers of all ages.

Where: The Phoenicia Playhouse, 10 Church Street, Phoenicia, NY

When: Friday, May 1 at 7pm; Saturday May 2 at 2pm and Sunday May 3 at 2pm

Tickets: $25, $20 students/seniors/veterans – general admission – available at the door and at The Phoenicia Playhouse

For more information Woodstock Fringe