Feather: A Musical Portrait, a new musical fusing art, music and film will have its New York premiere this summer as part of The New York Music Theatre Festival (NYMF), celebrating its 10th Anniversary Season. With a book by Jeremy Culver, music composed by Charleene Clossheyand featuring songs by Nick Everitt & Liesl Karlsson, this story of love and sacrifice will be presented in The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street - between 9th & 10th Aves.). Directed by Mr. Culver, performances will begin on July 9th and continue through July 16th.
In Feather: A Musical Portrait, after a human rights attorney learns her husband, a photojournalist, has been abducted from a child refugee camp, she faces the struggle of a lifetime. Her story comes together in a truly unique multimedia experience, cutting between past and present, stage and the screen, dialogue and song. With a sweeping, emotional score and an artist painting live on stage, this stunning fusion of art, film and music explores the power of imagination and, ultimately, what it means to be human.
"After staging the show in Australia in 2012, the team discussed a number of options for further development," says Ms. Closshey. "We're honored NYMF has so readily embraced Feather's unique artistic fusion and vision. As the traditional theatrical landscape continues to evolve both in New York and internationally, we're honored to have our distinctive voice be a part of this conversation."
"We always strive to find the best tools to tell a story, whether that be through drama, music, film, or painting. It just happens that the story of Feather is best told using all of these elements, together on the same stage. On top of this, we then add another layer to the dramatic structure by integrating stories provided by our philanthropic cause partner, Save The Children," shared Mr. Culver.
Ms. Closshey continues, "By incorporating real-life beneficiary profiles from Save The Children into each show during the NYMF run, we can help give a voice to some of the most courageous children I've come across. During every performance, Jeffry actually paints a portrait of one of these children, allowing us to combine the real and the imagined to create an immersive, informative, entertaining experience for the audience."
"We recognize it's an ambitious effort, but that has always been a function of the theatre, in our opinion, to bring stories to people. Even though the theatre-going experience has evolved with technology, allowing a show like Feather to exist, at the end of the day, it's all about the story and this is one we believe needs to be told," concludes Mr. Culver.
The cast for Feather: A Musical Portrait is:
Richard H. Blake (Eli), Charleene Closshey (Catherine), Jeffry Feeger (The Painter),
Peter Rini (Dr. Peterson),
Derek Wieland (The Musician), Jonathan Gregg (Man in Black), Brandon Khalil (Young Boy/Dancer),
Maria May (Young Girl/Dancer), and Jaylah Springer(Young Girl/Dancer).
The production team is comprised of: Justin Turner (scenic design),
Kristy Leigh Hall (costume design), Grant W. S. Yeager (lighting design), Wil Pena(sound design),
Derek Wieland (musical director),
Wendy Seyb (choreography), Brandy Austin (associate director), Natalie Malotke (associate choreographer), and
BD White (production manager).
The performance schedule is: Tuesday, July 9th at 8pm; Wednesday, July 10th at 9pm; Saturday, July 13th at 1pm; Sunday, July 14th at 9pm; Tuesday, July 16th at 9pm.
Memberships to NYMF are available for purchase at
http://www.nymf.org/member. Individual tickets are available through OvationTix.com or by calling (212) 352-3101 and beginning July 8, tickets may also be obtained in person at the PTC Performance Space (555 West 42nd Street), The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street), and at Theatre Row box office (410 West 42nd Street).
