Erin Mackey, Wade McCollum and More Lead Casts of TILL SOON, ANNE And HOW THE WESTONS WON 

The eleventh season of New York Theatre Barn's New Works Series continues on Monday, December 3rd, 2018 with pre-premieres of 2 new musicals: Till Soon, Anne and How the Westons Won .

Till Soon, Anne, with book and lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson (currently performing in the national tour of Come From Away) and music by Bobby Cronin (Theatre Calgary's Mary and Max), will be led by cast members Erin Mackey (Wicked, Amazing Grace, In Transit) and Wade McCollum (Ernest Shackleton Loves Me). Inspired by true events, Till Soon, Anne tells the story of a young woman at the end of her journey with brain cancer who throws her family and closest friends a perfect final weekend, determined to celebrate the life we're given--and the art of letting go. Till Soon, Anne was developed during independent residencies at the National Theater Institute, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in 2016 and 2017 (Preston Whiteway, Executive Director). The presentation has music direction by Anna Ebbesen.

How the Westons Won, with book and lyrics by R.C. Staab, music by Aaron Latina, and additional music by Dave Ogrin, has a cast led by Brian Charles Rooney (The Threepenny Opera) and Heather Jane Rolff (Shrek). The new musical tells the story of two teenagers who accidentally bring a Wild West toy diorama to life with Buffalo Bill, General George Custer, Geronimo, Calamity Jane, and a young Native American woman. Still struggling with the death of their father and their mother's subsequent opioid addiction, they embark on an extraordinary adventure to mend their broken family. The presentation is directed by Joe Barros (The Evolution of Mann, Bastard Jones), with music direction by Cody Dry, and additional cast members include Ry Armstrong, Melody Allegra Berger (Golden Boy of the Blue Ridge), Danny Bevins, Genesis Collado, John E. Elliot, Andres Gallardo Bustillo, Bethany Xan Jeffery (Kinky Boots, National Tour), Jen Olivares, Nathan Richardson, James Roberts (Hair, National Tour), Sydney Shuck (Annie, National Tour), Jonathan David Steffins, and Timothy Yang (The King and I). The show was presented by NYFA's Professional Conservatory of Musical Theatre earlier this year, and will have an immersive New York production by Out of the Box Theatrics from December 14th-23rd at the Jefferson Market Library. The line producers are Sam Strumm and Heather DiPietro, and casting is by Eisenberg/Beans Casting? (Daryl Eisenberg,CSA; Ally Beans, CSA).

The December 3rd installment includes presentations of both new musicals at 7PM and 9PM at The Cell, located at 338 West 23rd Street in New York City. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, and can be purchased on New York Theatre Barn's website: www.nytheatrebarn.org. Through an education initiative sponsored by Theatre Barn's board of directors, a limited amount of complimentary tickets are available to high school students. To request a student ticket, email Education Director Tim Aumiller: tim@nytheatrebarn.org. To sponsor a student ticket, visit Theatre Barn's website: www.nytheatrebarn.org.

Under the artistic direction of Joe Barros, New York Theatre Barn is a Manhattan-based non-profit theatre company, founded in 2007, dedicated to incubating and producing new musicals that tell untold stories. Inspired by the lives of real people and actual events, our stories promote inclusion, diversity, and positive social change. Theatre Barn's core program is the New Works Series presenting "pre-premieres" of new musicals in the early stages of development. With each installment, 2 new musicals are showcased before a live audience and a worldwide virtual audience. Since the series' inception, Theatre Barn has presented more than 400 writers in 100 pre-premieres, and have amassed a catalogue of nearly 2,000 videos with a million views. For more information: www.nytheatrebarn.org.