Cast Announced for PEACE, LOVE AND CUPCAKES: THE MUSICAL at NYMF

The New York Musical Festival and Center Stage Theatre Company have announced that James Ignacio (King and I), Diego Lucano (School of Rock), Eliza Holland Madore (Matilda), Madison Mullahey (Mary Poppins, Shrek), as well as the show's own 14-year-old co-playwright, Carrie Berk (NYMF Camp Rolling Hills) will lead the company of PEACE, LOVE AND CUPCAKES: THE MUSICAL as part of the 2017 New York Musical Festival. Proceeds to benefit NoBully.org which trains schools how to activate student compassion to stop bullying.

Peace Love and Cupcakes: THE MUSICAL runs Thursday, July 27 at 8 p.m.; Friday July 28 at 5 p.m.; Saturday, July 29 at 1 p.m.; and Sunday July 30 at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. at The Acorn Theatre at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues. Individual tickets are $27.50 and can be purchased on line at nymf.org or at the theater box office or by calling (212) 352-3101. For more information visit www.plcmusical.com or follow www.facebook.com/plcthemusical and @plcthemusical on Instagram.

PEACE, LOVE AND CUPCAKES: THE MUSICAL is the story of Kylie Carson, the target of a middle school bully who uses cupcakes and compassion to unite her entire school-popular girls, jocks, allergy kids and all-while staying true to her "sweet self." Kylie feels she is "different" but learns she has the power to make a difference.

With a delicious pop-infused score by Rick Hip-Flores (Fun Home, In Transit) and directed by Broadway veteran performer and choreographer Rommy Sandhu (Mary Poppins, Oklahoma!, Annie Get Your Gun, Kiss Me Kate, Carousel; Associate Director Unsinkable Molly Brown at The MUNY), PEACE, LOVE AND CUPCAKES: THe MusicaL brings to life the bestselling children's book by mother/daughter writing team Sheryl and Carrie Berk. The Berks and Jill Jaysen (co-playwright/producer) have collaborated on the script, tailoring it for young audiences who will get to see it passionately performed by an exciting cast of talented teens. Rounding out the impressive creative team are Liz Racanelli, Associate Director, and David J. Madore, Music Director.

Also featured in the cast are Calli McRae (Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood National Tour), Grace Rundhaug (NBC's The Sound of Music Live!), Lauren Bryant, Victoria Csatay, Miranda Jo DeMott, Mili Green, David Hoffman, Isabelle Livingstone, Cameron Mann, Chloe Manna, Merin McCallum, Casey Nadzam, Ksenia Nakonechny, Alexa Reeves, Jack Richman, Jamilah Rosemond, Tai Sandhu, Blake Devin Sheridan, and Alex St. Andre.

"I came up with the idea for the story and characters based on what I saw as a peer mediator in my elementary school," says Carrie Berk. "Tweens and teens often feel like they have to fit in and live up to their peers' standards, but the show's message is about owning and celebrating who you are."

"PEACE LOVE AND CUPCAKES: THE MUSICAL is about speaking up and standing up for what you believe in," adds Sheryl Berk. "It's putting the power in kids' hands. We hope audiences walk out of the theater humming the songs but also thinking, 'What can I do?'"

"Our goal is to transform PEACE, LOVE AND CUPCAKES: THE MUSICAL into an inclusive movement of kids coming together, changing lives, and leading us into a better world" concludes Jill Jaysen.

PEACE, LOVE AND CUPCAKES is proud to be aligning with NoBully.org and will be raising funds at each performance to help champion this important social issue. No Bully has created bully-free campuses for over 100,000 students.

"No Bully is thrilled to be associated with PEACE, LOVE AND CUPCAKES: THE MUSICAL this summer. The story encourages inclusion and empathy which are primary in our teaching to eradicate bullying," says Erik Stangvik, Vice-President of Strategy and Development for the organization.

The New York Musical Festival nurtures the creation, production, and public presentation of stylistically, thematically, and culturally diverse new musicals to ensure the future vitality of musical theater.

Now in its fourteenth year, the Festival is the premier musical theater event in the world. The preeminent site for launching new musicals and discovering new talent, the Festival provides an affordable platform for artists to mount professional productions that reach their peers, industry leaders, and musical theater fans. More than 90 Festival shows have gone on to productions on and Off-Broadway, in regional theaters in all 50 states, and in more than 24 countries worldwide. Festival alumni have received a wide array of awards including the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize. In 2013, NYMF received a special Drama Desk Award in recognition of its work "creating and nurturing new musical theater, ensuring the future of this essential art form."

NYMF is the flagship program of National Music Theater Network, Inc., a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. 2017 NYMF is sponsored by The City of New York Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, PRG, TheaterMania, Clear Channel Outdoor and the Village Voice, and is supported, in part, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

The NYMF PASS is a great way to experience The New York Musical Festival. With a NYMF PASS, you can get into the theater before individual ticket holders. Passes also offer the exclusive ability to book tickets before they go on sale to the public. Individual tickets are on sale June 15!

The 2017 New York Musical Festival will take place July 10 - August 6. For more information, visit www.nymf.org.

Pictured: Madison Mullahey, Calli McRae, Carrie Berk in a scene from Peace, Love and Cupcakes: The Musical.