Kudisch, Butler, Testa, Hoty, Etc. Set for NAMT Festival

Casting and directors have been announced for The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT)'s 18th Annual Festival of New Musicals, which will be held at New World Stages (340 West 50th St. between 8th and 9th Avenues) on Sunday, October 8 and Monday, October 9, 2006.

Among the stars participating in NAMT will be Kerry Butler, Darius de Haas, Gregg Edelman, Dee Hoty, Marc Kudisch, Brian D'Arcy James, Douglas Sills, Amy Spanger, Mary Testa and Lillias White.

In addition to the eight Festival shows, NAMT will present the Songwriter Showcase on Sunday evening. The Songwriter Showcase introduces 10 new musicals with one song from each and brief interviews of the writing teams with hosts Beth Leavel and Richard Kind. Performers include Liz Callaway, Eden Espinosa, and Sally Mayes.

Since 1989, NAMT's Festival of New Musicals has introduced theatre producers to more than 175 musicals and 300 writers. More than three-fourths of these shows have had further development, tours and licensing agreements, leading to thousands of subsequent productions. Past festival highlights have included The Drowsy Chaperone, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Songs for a New World and more.

Admission is for industry only and closed to the general public. Industry professionals interested in attending should email festival@namt.org.� The 2006 Festival of New Musicals is produced by Jayson Raitt.

The eight selected shows, culled from a pool of more than 100 applicants, were selected by the NAMT Festival Committee, comprised of artistic directors and producers from NAMT member organizations. The eight selected musicals and their respective casts and directors for the 2006 Festival include:

�� Dangerous Beauty
Book by Jeannine Dominy, lyrics by Amanda McBroom, music by Michele Brourman, adapted from the screenplay The Honest Courtesan written by Jeannine Dominy, released as the film Dangerous Beauty. Inspired by the scholarly book The Honest Courtesan by Margaret Rosenthal.
Directed by: Sheryl Kaller
With: Randy Blair, Christine Bokhour, Sean Elliot, Dee Hoty, Joe Kolinski, Megan McGuinnis, Michael Minark, Charlie Pollock, Jenny Powers, Tim Smith, Paul Anthony Stewart, Havilland Stillwell