Two men standing inside a doorway, both facing forward. The man on the left has dark hair, wears a dark blazer over a white shirt, has a beard, and is smiling slightly. The man on the right has lighter hair, wears a darker blazer over a dark shirt, has a beard, and looks serious. There are some pipes and equipment visible in the background.
Two men standing inside a doorway, both facing forward. The man on the left has dark hair, wears a dark blazer over a white shirt, has a beard, and is smiling slightly. The man on the right has lighter hair, wears a darker blazer over a dark shirt, has a beard, and looks serious. There are some pipes and equipment visible in the background.

Joel Higgins, left, and Marty Silvestri

The new musical revue “The Beat of a Wandering Heart”—The Songs of Marty Silverstri and Joel Higgins

had its world premiere production in the fall of 2025 at New York’s Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Starring two-time Tony Award nominee Christine Andreas (Cage aux Folles, The Scarlet Pimpernel, My Fair Lady, Oklahoma!), Broadway standout James Harkness (Ain’t Too Proud, The Color Purple, Chicago), George Dvorsky (Best Little Whorehouse, Scarlet Pimpernel, Passion), and exciting newcomer Casey Borghesi.

The Beat of a Wandering Heart features a four-piece band and is directed by Mark Nadler with choreography by James Harkness and musical arrangements by Nadler.

Marty Silvestri and Joel Higgins have created rich theatrical musical scores for acclaimed shows from London’s West End (The Fields of Ambrosia) to Off-Broadway (Johnny Guitar: The Musical), in addition to hundreds of television and radio commercials and themes and scores for numerous network programs, winning nominations and awards from Drama Desk and Outer Critic’s Circle to Drama League, Grammys and beyond.

The revue displays the color and range of the duo’s diverse repertoire of songs. It’s a sung-through story of the thrills of being anywhere else, being with anyone else and, eventually finding peace by coming home. The Beat of a Wandering Heart features selections from 50 years of tantalizing songs, from the start of their collaboration in the late 1970’s to the title number, written expressly for the show.

Mark Nadlerhas directed award-winning cabaret shows for Heather Mac Rae, Stacy Sullivan, Donna Theodore, and many others. He has received eight MAC Awards, three Bistro Awards and two New York Nightlife Awards. He also received two Drama Desk Awards and a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Off-Broadway shows he created.

A middle-aged man with gray hair wearing a turquoise shirt, posing against a black background.

Mark Nadler, Director/Musical Arranger

James Harkness, Choreogrpher

About The Beat Of a Wandering Heart