It was a special Opening Night for David Serero’s off-broadway production of The Ten Commandments, The Musical on May 8th, 2022, at the Center for Jewish History in New York. After a Sold Out night followed by a complete long-standing ovation
David Serero invited on stage Mr. Jean-Paul Yovanoff, President/Founder of Musical Theatre Radio (M.T.R), who traveled from Toronto, Canada, to attend this opening night.
Serero started: “I want to invite a very important person in the Musical Theater industry, Mr. Jean-Paul Yovanoff,” who had interviewed him on his radio show “Be Our Guest,” part of the Musical Theater Radio programs, but they never met in person. Mr. Yovanoff wished to encourage the musical theater industry of New York, recovering from Covid, and added a special surprise.
“My name is Jean-Paul Yovanoff; I’m the founder of Musical Theater Radio; we’re an online radio station dedicated to musical theatre. We are in Canada, the U.S, and the U.K. We play show tunes from around the world, old, new, popular, and rare. But our mandate is to help promote and support new musicals just like this one. We have a program on the radio station called The Sampler Platter, where we feature four new, up-and-coming, undiscovered musicals, and that’s how I first met David Serero. I was introduced to his show “Scarface The Al Capone Musical” it was new, it was different, it was fun. Everything I love about musical theatre. I got to know the man and his work through a series of interviews over the pandemic, and when I heard about The Ten Commandments, I knew I had to head down to New York to see this show. I’m from Canada… The COVID-19 pandemic ravaged this industry and this city like very few others. The theatre is the lifeblood of New York, and it has truly taken its toll on this community. But theatre always finds a way to keep going, and not only has David and this incredible cast brought the live theatre back to the stage, back to the city. They have given us a new entry into the theatrical canon. Tonight we are a part of what I believe will be the first of many productions of this musical. Congratulations to everyone involved in bringing this show to the stage, the cast, the crew, and of course, David. It gives me great pleasure to award David Serero, and the company of The Ten Commandments, the first-ever Musical Theatre Radio Award for Theatrical Excellence.”
The whole video of the speech and Award is here:
The Award read: Musical Theater Radio Award for Theatrical Excellence to David Serero, in recognition of keeping theatre alive and well, and contributing to the bright future of musical theatre.
The Ten Commandments, The Musical, played from May 5th to 15th at the Center for Jewish History, New York, and received critical acclaim. David Serero shared that he is already recording the world premiere cast album recording in the English language of this original French musical. He will bring this piece to West End, Florida, Arizona, Dubai, Israel, and more throughout 2022/23. “I can’t wait to share this universal story with everyone. It was essential for me to start with new York, the capital of musicals, where the audience is the most exigent, so I am confident that all the work ethics and devotion I put into this production will benefit future audiences,” said Serero who received Commissioner of Cultural Affairs of New York City, Laurie Cumbo on behalf of Mayor Eric Adams, who made an inspirational speech commenting that “every child in New York should see this show.”