DER GELBE STERN Set for NYMF at Laurie Beechman Theater, 7/14-21

After sold out runs in Australia, the 2014 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) in association with Three Fish Productions presents Der Gelbe Stern (The Yellow Star) a new musical conceived and performed by NYMF's "Next Broadway Sensation" winner Alexis Fishman*, written by James Millar & Alexis Fishman. Der Gelbe Stern is directed by Sharone Halevy and is being staged in its U.S. premiere at The Laurie Beechman Theater @ West Bank Cafe, 407 West 42nd Street (bet. 9th & 10th Avenues) in NYC for five performances from Monday, July 14 through Monday, July 21, 2014. *Appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.

It is 1933 in divinely decadent Berlin. Alexis Fishman is Erika Stern, darling of the Weimar Cabaret scene whose show embodies the excess and daring of her time. But as the Nazi's rise to power, tonight's performance will be her last. The lights go down, and the audience holds their breath.

Der Gelbe Stern tells the story of Erika Stern, a fictional Jewish chanteuse living and performing in pre-war Berlin as the Nazis begin their rise to power. Erika is provocative, sassy, feisty and above all determined to give a magnificent performance to her loyal audience while acknowledging her fate closing in on her. Using German, British and American cabaret music of the 1920's and 30's, Der Gelbe Stern is a cabaret within a play, offering audiences a glimpse into the final days of the Weimar Republic.

Der Gelbe Stern is presented by The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Three Fish Productions. Creator: Alexis Fishman; Writers: James Millar and Alexis Fishman; Director: Sharone Halevy; Original Musical Direction: Michael Lavine; Orchestrations: John Baxindine; Set and Lighting Designer: David Goldstein; General Manager/Line Producer: Paradox Productions/Kristen Luciani & Jason Vanderwoude; Publicist: Paul Siebold/Off Off PR.

Der Gelbe Stern plays for five performances on the following schedule: Monday, July 14th @ 8pm; Thursday, July 17th @ 1pm; Sunday, July 20th @ 12noon; Monday, July 21st @ 5pm; and Monday, July 21st @ 8pm.

Alexis Fishman (Erika Stern/Creator): Born and bred in Sydney Australia, Alexis is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). She now calls New York City home. Acting credits include Dusty, for which she received a Helpmann Award nomination (Australia's Tony Award), the title role in the Australian premiere of Kiss of the Spiderwoman, 'Lil' in Troupers for the Sydney Theatre Company, 'Marianne' in Shout!, 'Alice' in Closer and 'Amber' in the US premiere of The Hatpin at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. In 2012 Alexis was named the New York Musical Theatre Festival' s "Next Broadway Sensation" and debuted a solo cabaret show at Manhattan's prestigious '54 Below.' This summer she will make her off-broadway debut in Atomic at the Acorn Theatre - Theatre Row, alongside Euan Morton and Sara Gettelfinger. Alexis traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007 to entertain Australian troops and is near completion of a Masters Degree in International Relations from Deakin University, Melbourne. As a granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Alexis feels an increasing desire to protect the memory of those who lost their lives and those who survived. She is contributing an essay on this topic, for the book "God, Faith and Identity in the Ashes: Perspectives of Children and Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors," which will be published early 2015. dergelbestern.com

James Millar (Writer) James is an award winning writer and performer from Australia. He trained in writing at The University of Technology, Sydney and in performance at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. His playwriting credits include: The Hatpin, which has been produced in New York, London and Australia; LoveBites, which has enjoyed 3 return seasons in Australia and was the winner of The Best of Indie Theatre in 2011; A Little Touch of Chaos, which won the Vic Arts grant for Best New Musical and will premiere in Melbourne in July 2014; and the play Acclaim which is currently in development and will have its Australian premiere in 2015. He is also a prolific writer of contemporary cabaret and the winner of the inaugural Cabaret Showcase in Sydney.

Sharone Halevy (Director) is an actor/director/singer who grew up in this crazy town called Manhattan. Directorial credits include: Jesus Hopped the A Train (Stage 2, Atlantic Theater Company/YellaFella Ent.), Long Distance Drunk (Distilled Theat. Co.), Weight Of Wishing (The Truf), Fruits Unheard Of (WATproject), The Liddy Plays (Crashbox Theater Company, Access Theater), Keepingabreast (Secret Theatre), My New Best Friend Or Six Degrees Of Severing Stein (After Hours Series), Much Ado About Nothing (Browning Middle School), Fear and Misery of the Third Reich and the World Premiere of Orbiting Astral Bodies (Arthur Seelen Theater). She has worked with Arian Moayed and Tom Ridgely at Waterwell Theater Company, Assistant Directing both a reading of Hamlet at The Public Theater as well as the rock opera The Last Year in the Life of MLK at Joe's Pub. Assisted Mikhael Tara Garver on Gloryana, a workshop presented at The York Theater, as well at the Roundabout Theater Companies Sam Mendes Gala, assisting GT Upchurch.

Paradox Productions (Line Producer/General Manager) is a boutique Executive Producing and General Management firm founded in 2013 by Kristen Luciani and Jason Vanderwoude. Recent credits include readings of Repeat Play by Jakob Holder and Consider the Lilies by Stuart Fail. To learn more visit: ParadoxProds.com

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at nymf.org or by calling 212-352-3101. For more information, please visit nymf.org.

The runtime for Der Gelbe Stern is 70 minutes with no intermission.