Champlin, Etc. Set for Flight of the Lawnchair Man at NYMF

The New York Musical Theatre Festival, Beth Dembrow and Luigi Productions will present the New York premiere of Flight of the Lawnchair Man, a new musical comedy with music and lyrics by Robert Lindsey-Nassif (Hollywood  Arms) and a book by Peter Ullian.  Starring Donna Lynne Champlin (Sweeney Todd), the show will soar into 37 Arts Theatre (450 W 37th Street) for six performances only beginning Wednesday, September 13.

The show will be directed and choreographed by two-time Tony Award nominee Lynne Taylor-Corbett (Swing!).  "Meet Jerry Gorman.  He's a regular guy from Passaic, New Jersey who  just wants to fly.  The neighbors think he's nuts.  His mother disapproves. Gracie (Champlin) is the only one who believes in him.  Laugh and cheer when Jerry soars to 16,000 feet with nothing but a lawnchair, 400 helium balloons  and a dream.  Flight of the Lawnchair Man is a new musical that reminds the world that dreams can come true if you believe in yourself," state production notes.

The musical also stars Christopher Sutton as Jerry Gorman, Patrick Boll as Big Jack, Jonathan  Brody as Leonardo Da Vinci, William Galinsky as Mr. Frankel, Danette Holden as Blaire, Susan J. Jacks as Mother Gorman, Erin Maguire as Amelia Earhart, Christopher Vettel as Charles Lindbergh, John Michael Coppola and Kristie Dale Sanders, and features scenic and costume designs by Walt Spangler (Hollywood Arms), lighting design by Ken Billington (The Drowsy Chaperone), sound design by Ken Travis (The Threepenny Opera) and musical direction by
Doug Oberhamer (Swing!).

The show was originally developed under the direction of Harold Prince as the third act of the musical 3HREE, which premiered at the Prince Music Theatre in Philadelphia, PA in November of 2000. 3HREE was later presented in April of 2001 at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and awarded "Best Play of the Season" by Los Angeles Downtown and won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Award nomination for Best Score.  The expanded version of Flight of the Lawnchair Man premiered at Goodspeed Musicals in 2005 under the direction of Lynne Taylor-Corbett (the production also starred Champlin).

"Spanning a range of genres from rock, hip-hop and avant-garde, The New York Musical Theatre Festival is a three-week celebration bringing the next generation of modern musical entertainment to producers, artists and young  adult audiences.  Premiering over 30 musicals, with more than 100 concerts and special events, 300 performances and 1000 performers, NYMF is the biggest musical theatre event in the United States."  

The show will run as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival on: Wednesday, September 13th at 8:00 p.m., Friday, September 15th at 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Sunday, September 17th at 8:00 p.m., and Monday, September 18th at 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $20 and will be available online beginning Friday, September 1 by visiting www.nymf.org or by calling (212) 352-3101.