The much anticipated new Off-Broadway musical Soldier’s Song, will debut here in Manhattan on July 28th
(with previews set for July 21st -24th) at the Poet’s Den Theater at 309 E. 108th Street NY, NY 10029.
Soldier’s Song is being directed by highly acclaimed actress/director and Actors Studio board member
Angelica Torn and stars actor J.W. Cortes in the lead role.
Soldier’s Song will run in this limited engagement July 21–24 (previews), July 28-31, August 17-21 and August
24-28, with Saturday matinees at 3:00 p.m. on July 23rd & 30th and August 20th & 27th.
Soldier’s Song is produced by Raphael Benavides Productions and was written by Jim Cohen and Joanne
Lee Drexler Cohen, who created this romantic musical centered on a Puerto Rican soldier, “Jose” (J.W.
Cortes). The poor, but handsome & talented, “Jose” is an aspiring singer/songwriter performing at a nightclub
in Puerto Rico when he meets the elegant and wealthy “Erica”. They fall in love and continue an incredible 4-
month love affair until Jose is sent off to serve in Iraq. Before he goes, “Erica” promises, in a song, that she will
wait for him “As Long As It Takes.”
They then introduce their two great childhood friends “Raul” and “Ashley” – who will also both be serving in
Iraq. While “Jose” is on a military mission, he is caught by Al-Qaeda and no one knows if he is alive or dead.
When “Erica,” who is pregnant, learns that “Jose” is missing she marries the wealthy boy next door, at her
mother’s insistence. The play works out, in story and song, how the lives of these four young people develop.
Soldier’s Song features 15 wonderful original songs, with words and music by Jim Cohen, under the musical
direction of Natalie Tenenbaum.
The intriguing twist here is that Brooklyn, NY native J.W. Cortes, also Puerto Rican, actually served in the
U.S. Marines in Iraq. Just like the story of “Jose” in Soldier’s Song, Cortes participated in dangerous, lifethreatening
missions while fighting in Iraq. He too always dreamed of being a singer/performer, which he went
on to do after finishing his tour of duty. His acting roles have included being featured in the 2007 independent
feature film 44, playing Joaquin Phoenix’s nightclub bouncer in the film We Own The Night, having a small role
in American Gangster, playing a role in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender and in the film As Good as
Dead. Cortes brings a special, powerful dimension to the show, as Soldier’s Song is, in many ways, his story.
Co-starring along with J.W. Cortes are Christiana Little, Melody Berger and Noah Chase.
Angelica Torn, an Actors Studio board member, brings her vast experience and knowledge of theater to this
project, as director of Soldier’s Song. Torn has a long history of theater work in New York, Los Angeles, etc.
On the heels of the 21 city tour of the Tony Award winning Broadway production of August: Osage County, she
finished a limited engagement playing Anna Christie in Eugene O’Neil’s classic, Pulitzer Prize-winning play, at
The Actors Studio, both in New York & LA. She also just recently starred in the world premiere of The Radiant
in Miami, playing the lead role of Marie Curie.
In addition, Angelica Torn, whose mother was the legendary Geraldine Page and whose father is veteran
actor Rip Torn, starred in and directed the independent film Lucky Days, along with Federico Castelluccio and
Anne Jackson. Her film career began on screen with Paul Newman and Bruce Willis in Nobody’s Fool and
includes films Nothing But the Truth and The Sixth Sense.
Soldier’s Song is very entertaining, while also being patriotic with an extremely topical storyline that is
appropriate for the entire family!
** Soldier’s Song performances will be at the beautiful Poet’s Den Theater
at 309 East 108th Street (between First and Second Avenues), evenings at
8:00 p.m. on July 21–24 (previews), July 28-31, August 17-21 and August
24-28, with Saturday matinees at 3:00 p.m. on July 23rd & 30th and August
20th & 27th.
** To order tickets (cost is $45 per seat; $55 for premium seats) go to
www.soldierssongmusical.com.
** The Poet’s Den Gallery is adjoining the theater amidst a growing, vibrant arts
community in East Harlem. Please come enjoy Soldier’s Song and help support
this excitingly renewed community!
Free valet parking is available for all performances.
