Berresse, Hulbert & More Join NYMF's 'Best of the Fest' Gala 4/20

New York Musical Theater Festival will kick of its sixth season with a Gala Celebration of its first five years, called BEST OF THE FEST, on Monday, April 20th at 7 PM at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Tickets are NOW ON SALE at Telecharge.com or by phone at 212/239-6200.

Just added to the all-star roster is Michael Berresse (who recently starred in A Chorus Line and directed the NYMF hit [title of show] as masters of ceremonies, as well as Autumn Hulbert featured on TV's "The Search for Elle Woods") and Nicholas Galbraith (I & Albert, York Theatre).

Also performing numbers from many of the acclaimed NYMF shows of the past, will include the casts of acclaimed NYMF shows [title of show], Altar Boyz, ROOMS a rock romance (Leslie Kritzer & Doug Kreeger), as well as Ryan Bogner (Bedbugs!), Diane Davis, Mary Bond Davis (Hairspray), Celina Carvajal, (Bedbugs!, Rooms), Jenn Colella (Urban Cowboy), Tom Deckman (Spamalot), Debbie Gravitte (Tony Award - Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Blues In The Night, Zorba, Chicago, and Les Miserables), Ivan Hernandez (The Most Happy Fella), Liz Larsen (Tony Award nomination for The Most Happy Fella revival and also appeared on Broadway in Hairspray, The Rocky Horror Show, Damn Yankees, and Fiddler on the Roof), Nellie McKay (The Threepenny Opera), Euan Morton (Taboo, Tony Kushner's adaptation of Brundibár at The New Victory Theatre, won an Obie Award for Measure For Pleasure at The Public Theatre, and NYMF Best Actor Award for the title role of the musical Caligula), Kate Reinders (Gypsy, Wicked), Kate Shindle (Cabaret), and Rachel Stern (Shrek, Cry-Baby, High Fidelity, Tarzan).

Since its inception in 2004, The New York Musical Theatre Festival has premiered more than 175 new musicals - more than 40 of which have gone on to award-winning productions in New York, in regional theaters and in almost every state and in 10 countries worldwide. NYMF 2004 hit Altar Boyz has played well over 1,500 performances Off-Broadway and spawned two National Tours; fellow NYMF alum [title of show] recently played at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway; Next to Normal opens on Broadway this Spring; and Rooms recently began performances Off-Broadway at New World Stages. This year's Festival will run September 28th through October 18th.
NYMF's fifth season enjoyed 24 full productions, a dance series, a developmental series, concerts and special events. NYMF 2008 ended on October 5th, having presented 241 performances over the course of 21 days. The festival sold at a record-breaking 87.5% of capacity, with over 25,000 people attending. Over 75% of productions had sold-out performances, and 11 productions extended their runs to accommodate demand.

Hailed as "the Sundance of Musical Theatre," NYMF exists to revitalize one of America's greatest art forms by discovering, supporting and promoting new musical theater artists, producers, and projects, and by introducing a diverse audience to the vibrancy of contemporary musical theater. Widely regarded as the essential source for new material and talent discovery, NYMF is the flagship program of The National Music Theater Network, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, and was presented in association with BroadwayWorld.com, Production Resource Group and TheaterMania.com, and supported by amNewYork, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, BroadwayBox.com, BroadwayInsider.com, Frank & Camille's Fine Pianos, HX Magazine, Jossip.com, King Displays, Queerty.com, Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, Metromix.com, The New York Blade, Next Magazine, Panasonic Astrovision, Tekserve, and TheMENEvent.

NYMF is supported, 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 and from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. Visit www.nymf.org

Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski