When QUEERGURU first came across the Theatrical Producer MARK CORTALE about 12 years ago when he had just signed up as the Producing Artistic Director of The Art House in Provincetown.  In those days he spoilt us all by presenting Broadway superstars such as Patti Lupone and Audra McDonald in the intimate space of this small theater  which made for such a remarkable almost personal experience which I will for one will never forget.

Cortale is still a Producer, and a very successful one that presents a whole coterie of Broadway Stars who already have won several Tony Awards, and also younger performers who are future award winners.  Nowadays they play in the cavernous PTown Town Hall which means they can reach much wider audiences.

Last year the irrepressible Cortale set his eyes on Broadway itself   where he is currently producing the critically acclaimed new musical Days of Wine and Roses with music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, book by Craig Lucas  at Studio 54 .  Plus  he founded the developmental theatre lab New Works Provincetown. In conjunction with producing partners Jonathan Murray and Harvey Reese, and has commissioned five works to date.

Plus he has just announced that his internationally acclaimed Broadway @ NOCCA series will return to New Orleans in spring of 2024 for the first time since the pre-pandemic season of 2020.  What grabbed our attention is that the season will kick off with  multi-talented star of stage and screen Claybourne Elder, from HBO’s “The Gilded Age” and also appeared in the recent Broadway revival of “Company”

BUT the show on April 18th at 7:00 PM is for night only, and if you should need another reason to grab a ticket now (!)  you show know that  this performance will benefit The NOCCA Institute.