All About Jewish Theatre - Solo Performance Online Catalogue : Mike Burstyn in Lansky

Performance language ENGLISH

Duration 90 minutes

Playwright /Adaptor RICHARD KREVOLIN & JOSEPH BOLOGNA

Director JOSEPH BOLOGNA

Set/Costume designer TOM BUDERWITZ/CYONA BURSTYN

Music GRANT STURIALE

Lighting J. KENT INASY

Producer MIKE BURSTYN & DAN ISRAELY

Stage Manager BRIGID O’BRIEN

Theatre Company KIT PRODUCTIONS, LTD. & DI PRODUCTIONS, LLC

Synopsis Lansky is the American premiere of a fascinating new play about the efforts of the Jewish gangster and gambler ,
Meyer Lansky to become an Israeli citizen. The play uses Lansky's life story as a crucible to explore Jewish identity and the choices
first generation Jewish Americans made in order to achieve wealth ans success.

Short description A new play about Meyer Lansky & the Law of Return

First performance date JUNE 14, 2007 @ The Odyssey Theatre Los Angeles

Professional background MIKE BURSTYN Born in New York to a famed family of actors, Mike first walked out on stage at the age of three, stole the show from his father and hasn’t looked back since. He has enjoyed a unique international career entertaining audiences on stage, screen and television, in nightclubs and on concert stages throughout the world. "The Komediant," a documentary about Mike and his family, won the Israeli Oscar and is available on DVD.
Mike just received his second Drama Desk Award nomination for his acclaimed performance in the Off-Broadway hit “On 2nd Avenue.” He recently co-starred with Valerie Harper in the National tour of "The Tale Of The Allergist's Wife" and starred in the National tour of the musical "Jolson,” garnering rave reviews in the title role. He won an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination and a Drama League Outstanding Artist Award starring as Mike Todd in the Broadway musical "Ain’t Broadway Grand" and a Drama Desk Award nomination for his portrayal of Mayer Rothschild in the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway revival of "The Rothschilds." Mike starred as P.T. Barnum in the Tony Award winning Broadway musical "Barnum" (a role he re-created in the Dutch language production in The Netherlands). Other Broadway credits include "The Megilla" and "Inquest," in which he was hissed and booed eight times a week as Roy Cohn.
Among his other New York credits Mike acted as host-narrator for the 92nd Street Y’s famous "Lyrics & Lyricists" series, inaugurated City Center’s popular Encores series with "Fiorello," and starred in "The Fishkin Touch," in Murray Schisgal’s "Circus Life," in the revival of Neil Simon’s "The Prisoner of Second Avenue," and in “The Prince of Grand Street.”

His regional credits include acclaimed portrayals of Tevye in "Fiddler On The Roof," as Nathan Detroit in "Guys & Dolls" with Vic Damone, "1040," a musical by Jerry Bock ("Fiddler On The Roof") and Jerry Sterner ("Other People’s Money"), as Kurt Weill in "Berlin To Broadway," (Carbonell Award Nomination), "Hatikva," his tribute to Israel’s 50th Anniversary and the national tour of the Broadway musical "Those Were The Days."
U.S. TV appearances include “The Kennedy Center Honors,” (in honor of Cary Grant) "As The World Turns," "The Cosby Mysteries," "Law & Order" and HBO’s "Dog Watch" with Sam Elliot and Paul Sorvino.

Overseas, Mike has been one of Israel’s all-time popular stars. He is the winner of two Israeli "Oscars" for his screen portrayal of Kuni Leml, a kind of Israeli Forrest Gump. The Israel Cinematheque saluted his achievements in the Israeli film industry by honoring him at a special ceremony in 1997. Over the past decades he has had several successful television shows and been a recording artist for CBS Israel.

From 1978 to 1981, Mike hosted and starred in his own TV variety show in Holland. "The Mike Burstyn Show" was rated among the ten most popular shows in The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Among the many guest artists to make their Dutch television debuts on the show were Mike’s friends Ben Vereen, Petula Clark and Chita Rivera, who recommended him to the producers of "Barnum." Since then he has divided his time between the US, Holland and Israel.

Among his other numerous achievements: Mike had the honor of performing before President Reagan, Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, and the Presidents and Prime Ministers of Israel; starred in a Royal Variety Show at London’s famed Paladium; and as a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces entertained the troops both in peacetime and during three wars, hosting and performing with Danny Kaye on his month-long tour of army bases and hospitals following the Six Day War. He is fluent in and has performed in eight languages.

Mike’s parents were two of the greatest stars of the Yiddish theatre. His father’s auto-biography, "What A Life," is published by Syracuse University Press.
Mike has been honored through the years with numerous artistic, cultural and humanitarian awards. He is an honorary board member of Gilda's Club, a Trustee of the American Friends of the Hebrew University, a board member of the Israel Cancer Research Fund, served as Honorary President of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Israel and is President of The American Friends of Yedidim.

Mike is blessed with a beautiful angel of a wife, two incomparable sons, one lovely daughter-in-law, one precious grandaughter and a Shih-Tzu named Sunshine.
For the latest news and information, CDs and DVDs visit his website at www.mikeburstyn.com .

Press reviews PRAISE FOR MIKE BURSTYN in “LANSKY” :

“A true master of the acting craft…the tour-de-force that is Mike Burstyn” Beverly Hills Courier
“A superb storyteller and mimic.” Variety
“Burstyn makes the aging gangster smilingly gregarious.” L.A. Times
“A gripping one-man show.” Jewish Journal
“Burstyn’s characterization presents a model of self-referential rectitude.” Backstage
“An actor who can bring off a charismatic, schmoozing big shot.” Daily News

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"Lansky" starring Mike Burstyn, the one-hander written by Richard Krevolin and Joseph Bologna that explores legendary mobster Meyer Lansky’s conflicted identity as a Jew, ends its New York run on Thursday April 30. Directed by Joseph Bologna, the New York premiere of “Lansky” opened Off-Broadway at the St. Luke's Theatre, 308 West 46th Street, on Thursday February 5 at 8pm, after playing 12 previews. Previews began on J anuary 23 at 8pm. Burstyn, who heads to Florida with the play in the spring, will have clocked a total of 102 performances, including previews.

Tickets, which range from $31.50 to $56.50, are still on sale via Telecharge -- by phone at 212/239-6200 or online at www.telecharge.com
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Contact & Booking Information

Contact name: MIKE BURSTYN
e-mail : mikeburst@aol.com
Phone: USA-310-800-0105
Fax: USA-310-861-0409
Website: www.mikeburstyn.com

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