The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced initial casting for the 25th Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 17 and Friday, October 18 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).
Analog and Vinyl, a quirky romantic comedy set in a vintage record shop features book, music & lyrics by Paul Gordon, features Sarah Stiles (The Public'sInto the Woods). Jodie Moore is music director.
Tony nominees Marc Kudisch (9 to 5) and Christopher Sieber (Shrek the Musical) along with Tyler Maynard (Altar Boyz) and Todd Alan Johnson (Disney's Aida) are featured in The Astonishing Return of...The Protagonists! an action-packed superhero comedy with book & lyrics by Kevin Del Aguila, music by Michael Shaieb; orchestrator/arranger Lynne Shankel is music director. Tony winner Christopher Gattelli directs.
Tony nominees Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q) and Barbara Walsh (Company), along with Jason "Sweettooth" Williams (Bloodsong of Love), Jason Michael Snow (The Book of Mormon) star in Come From Away a musical about the thousands of people diverted to Gander, Newfoundland on 9/11, which features book, music & lyrics by David Hein and Irene Sankoff. Brian Hill directs, with Dan Pardo as music director.
Will Connolly (Once), Randy Redd (Million Dollar Quartet), Lauren Marcus (The Planet That Ate Dirty Socks), Katrina Lenk (Once), Emily Walton (The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World), Derek Hasenstab and Erik Heilman are featured in Eastland a musical about the S.S. Eastland boating disaster in Chicago, 1915 features book & lyrics by Andrew White, music by Andre Pluess and Ben Sussman. Acclaimed director Amanda Dehnert, who directed the Lookingglass Theatre production in Chicago, returns. Rick Fox is music director.
A coming of age musical of a young girl fleeing her African village, My Heart is the Drum, features a book by Jennie Redling, concept & music by Phillip Palmer and lyrics by
Stacey Luftig.
Schele Williams will direct.
Joseph Church (The Lion King) is music director.
Tommar Wilson (The Book of Mormon) is featured.
Tony nominee
Sam Buntrock (Sunday in the Park with George) directs The Sandman - a little nightmare musical, based on the disturbed scribblings of E.T.A. Hoffmann, featuring book, music & lyrics by
Richard Oberacker &
Robert Taylor.
Robert Creighton (The Mystery of Edwin Drood),
Kelly McCormick (Surflight's Les Miserables) and
Sadie Sink (Annie) are featured.
Valerie Gebert is music director.
Farah Alvin (I Love You Because),
Jenny Powers (Encores! Superman and Irish Rep's Donnybrook),
Gwen Hollander (Little Women National Tour), Drama Desk nominee
Steve Rosen (The Other
Josh Cohen), and
Susan Mosher (Hairspray) lead The Single Girl's Guide, which sets
Jane Austen's Emma in 1964 Manhattan and features music & lyrics by
Tommy Newman, book by
Gordon Greenberg, and directed by
Dallas Theater Center Artistic Director
Kevin Moriarty.
Tony nominee
Christopher Sieber (Shrek the Musical),
Ann Harada (Cinderella),
George Salazar (Here Lies Love), Ciara Renée (Big Fish) and
David Larsen(Hands on a Hard Body) complete the cast of The Three Little Pigs, a musical from the team who wrote HONK! and new songs to Mary Poppins -
George Stiles (music),
Anthony Drewe (book & lyrics).
Ryan Fielding Garrett is music director and
Victoria Bussert directs.
The Boy Who Danced on Air, about an Afghanistan dancing ritual involving young boys and tradition features book & lyrics by Charlie Sohne and music by Tim Rosser.
Saheem Ali (Goddess at The O'Neill Center) and
Matt Castle (Company) join the creative team respectively as director and music director.
Additional staffing and casting will be announced at a later date.
For the tenth consecutive year, NAMT's Festival of New Musicals will be presented at the premiere Off Broadway facility New World Stages, located at 340 West 50th Street. A limited number of free seats will be available to the public on a standby basis. Registration for Industry members is free and now open at
www.namt.org/festival.
The 25th Annual Festival of New Musicals is overseen by NAMT New Works Director and Festival Producing Director
Branden Huldeen, General Manager
Lisa Dozier and Associate General Manager Naomi Anhorn.
Michael Cassara is Casting Director.
Betsy King Militello is NAMT's Executive Director.
SHOW OFF!, a benefit concert celebrating 25 years of NAMT's Annual Festival of New Musicals on Sunday, October 20 at 7pm at New York University's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square). Tony winners
Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone) and
Lillias White (The Life) along with
Sierra Boggess (Disney's The Little Mermaid),
Kerry Butler (Catch Me If You Can),
Patti Murin (Lysistrata Jones),
Dee Hoty (The Will Rogers Follies),
Susan Egan (Disney's Beauty and the Beast), and Grammy winner
Amanda McBroom ("The Rose") are among the performers.
The benefit concert is a special conclusion to this year's Annual Festival of New Musicals which takes place October 17-18 at New World Stages. Tickets to the concert and reception are available now at
www.namt.org/showoff.
Featuring songs from past Festival shows from throughout the 25 years, including The Drowsy Chaperone, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Honk!, Children of Eden, Ordinary Days, and many more. The concert is directed by Tony winner
David Zippel, with continuity by
Brian Hargrove, music direction by
Brad Haak and choreography by
Lorin Latarro.
Branden Huldeen (NAMT's New Works Director) is Creative Producer.
In the past 25 years, NAMT has introduced over 250 shows and 475 writers to the industry, and over 75% of these shows have found subsequent productions, tours, licensing agreements and/or cast albums as a direct result of the Festival. Some of the most well-known Festival highlights are Tony Award winners The Drowsy Chaperone and Thoroughly Modern Millie; Off Broadway shows such as Nobody Loves You (recently seen at
Second Stage Theatre), The Memory Show(seen this season at The
Transport Group), See Rock City & Other Destinations, Vanities-a new musical, Ordinary Days, I Love You Because, Ruthless, Songs for A New World, Striking 12,; and regional successes Ace, Children Of Eden,
Jane Austen's Emma, Harold and Maude, Honk!, Meet John Doe and It Shoulda Been You, among others.
Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos
