Lyrics & Lyricists will return to the stage of the 92nd Street Y’s historic Kaufmann Concert Hall for the 50th anniversary season of the American Songbook series. This year, the program will celebrate the careers of Stephen Sondheim, Sam Cooke, and David Loud, with shows featuring artists from theatre and beyond.

The new season opens with “Facing the Music” (March 19-21), conceived and hosted by Broadway music director and arranger David Loud. Based on his forthcoming memoir, the show is a journey through his career and such shows as Ragtime, She Loves Me, Merrily We Roll Along, and more, full of backstage stories and anecdotes.

A yet-to-be-titled show, conceived by and starring Darius de Haas (Shuffle Along, Carousel), will then feature explore life and songs of Sam Cooke April 23-25. Cooke began as a gospel singer, crossing over to the pop charts with hit songs like “You Send Me,” “Cupid” and “A Change is Gonna Come” and he played a significant role in the civil rights movement.

Broadway music director Ted Sperling closes the 2022 season with “Isn’t it Bliss?: Sondheim on Love” (June 18-20), a fresh take on Stephen Sondheim as a singular composer of love songs. The show looks at relationships through the work of the inimitable composer whose first-ever public appearance closed L&L’s inaugural season in 1971 with an evening discussing his work.

Casting and more information will be announced at a later date.