Empire – a musical about the creation and impact of the Empire State Building – features book, music, and lyrics by Caroline Sherman and Robert Hull.  Told through three generations of dreamers and doers spanning the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and the Bicentennial Year of 1976, Empire is an original story that shines new light on one of history’s greatest feats of will and desire. With a desperate city pinning its hopes on this seemingly impossible project, only skyscraper-levels of grit and determination can keep it climbing. Empire presents a dramatic tale of derring-do, told through foot-tapping music and timeless characters, including the industrialist visionaries, can-do immigrants, and brave Mohawk ironworkers, who had the guts to go up when everyone else was down. These universal stories of extraordinary resilience and optimism still inspire today.

Empire features performances by Danny Iktomi Bevins, Devin Cortez, Morgan Cowling, Kaitlyn Davidson, Joel Douglas, Alexandra Frohlinger, Albert Guerzon, Kiana Kabeary, Howard Kaye, April Ortiz, Jessica Ranville, Paul Salvatoriello, J Savage, Robbie Serrano, and Ethan Saviet. The ensemble includes Joseph Fierberg, Kennedy Perez, Matt Gibson, Julia Louise Hosack, and TJ Newton.

Empire ran Off-Broadway in 2024 in a production directed by Tony Award winner Cady Huffman and choreographed by Lorna Ventura. Lena Gabrielle was music supervisor and Gillian Berkowitz served as music director. The album includes orchestrations by Lena Gabrielle and arrangements by Robert Hull and Lena Gabrielle. The album was produced by Michael Croiter.

A Center Stage Records / Yellow Sound Label Release

Digital Release Date: August 14, 2026

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