IDAHO!, A New Musical, To Premiere at NYMF 9/25

The New York Musical Theatre Festival, Sharon Carr and Richard Winkler present IDAHO! (www.IdahoMusical.com), a new American comedy musical with book, music and lyrics by Buddy Sheffield and music by Keith Thompson. IDAHO! runs September 25th at 8:00pm, September 26th at 5:00pm, September 28th at 5:00pm, September 28th at 9:00 pm, September 30th 9:00pm, and October 4th at 9:00pm at 37 Arts Theatre (450 W. 37th Street).
 
IDAHO! is a tale of love and sex on the prairie baked to bawdy perfection and set during the "Golden era" of Broadway. From a land where men were men, women were for sale to the highest bidder and the laws of musical comedy were meant to be broken, IDAHO! is an original "high-steppin'" song and dance musical ripped from the earth like a fresh dug spud.
 
The cast features: Rob Sutton (Mamma Mia! in Las Vegas, Beauty and the Beast), Elena Shaddow (Light In The Piazza tour, Woman In White), Beth Curry (Legally Blonde), Stacy Todd Holt (Cry Baby), Bill Nolte (The Producers), Jennifer Perry (Mamma Mia! In Las Vegas), Jay Rogers (The New Century, When Pig's Fly), Ramona Keller (Caroline, or Change), James Tabeek (Taboo), Blake Hammond (Hairspray), Robbie Roby (Hairspray), Wendy Fox (RENT), Joe Grandy (Sound of Music, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma), Jessica Hershberg (Beauty and the Beast at MUNY), Holly Holcomb (Of Thee I Sing), Daniel Frank Kelly (Parade tour) and Jessica Sheridan (Les Miserables).
 
IDAHO! is directed by Matt Lenz (Supervising Associate Director for Hairspray on Broadway) and choreographed by Michele Lynch (Little House on the Prairie, 13, Happy Days) with musical direction by Christopher Littlefield (Angels, Shout!).
 
The set is designed by Charlie Smith (Associate: Gem of the Ocean, Drowsy Chaperone) and the lighting is designed by Julie Duro (Don Giovanni, Australian Ballet). Costume design is by Linda Fisher (Greater Tuna, Morning's At Seven) and sound design is by Lew Mead (Urinetown, The King and I).

Tickets for IDAHO! are $20, and the show plays at 37 Arts Theater (450 West 37th Street) from September 25– October 4, 2008. Tickets go on sale September 1st and can be purchased by calling (212) 352-3101 or by visiting www.nymf.org. For more information: www.IdahoMusical.com  or www.nymf.org.

Hailed as "the Sundance of Musical Theatre," The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) exists to revitalize one of America's greatest art forms by discovering, supporting and promoting new musical theater artists, producers, and projects, and by introducing a diverse audience to the vibrancy of contemporary musical theater. Since its inception in 2004, the three-week annual festival has premiered more than 130 new musicals – many of which have gone on to award-winning productions in New York, in regional theaters and on tour in 38 states, and nine countries worldwide.  NYMF 2004 hit Altar Boyz has played well over 1,000 performances off-Broadway and is now in its fourth year at New World Stages; fellow NYMF alum [title of show] recently began performances at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway.
 
Widely regarded as the essential source for new material and talent discovery, NYMF is the flagship program of The National Music Theater Network, a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization, and is presented in association with BroadwayWorld.com and TheaterMania.com, and is supported by amNewYork, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, BroadwayBox.com, BroadwayInsider.com, King Displays, Panasonic Astrovision, and TheMENEvent. NYMF is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

Buddy Sheffield (Book, Music and Lyrics) Buddy Sheffield knew in seventh grade he wanted to be in the theatre, and except for a brief 22-year foray into television, that is where he has spent his time. Buddy created the legendary Sheffield Ensemble Theatre, which toured the country for years under the aegis of Fran and Barry Weissler's NAMCO. Buddy wrote 8 original musicals for SET and had one, Cleavage, produced on Broadway in 1981. He now looks back on that experience as "a suicide mission."

 In television Buddy is best known as head writer of the hit FOX series "In Living Color." He also wrote for such shows as "Dolly" on ABC and "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" on CBS (the 1988 version. Come on, he's not that old). He is proudest of "Roundhouse", an award-winning show he created for Nickelodeon, which he describes as "a musical comedy every week." His work in television has earned Buddy three prime-time Emmy nominations, an NAACP Image Award, an Ace award and an Ollie award, Buddy is very happy to be back at home in the theatre.
 
Keith Thompson (Music) Composer Keith Thompson's original comedy/novelty song revue, Kooky Tunes, received international critical and popular praise after  an extended engagement at the Laurie Beechman Theater, followed by an Australian tour and the release of the 2002 cast recording. Keith composEd White Lies, Douglas Carter Beane's Off-Broadway sketch comedy-musical revue spoofing the tabloid media, and God Lives in Glass, which premiered at NYU's Provincetown Playhouse and has been presented regionally and in concert nationwide.  Also a conductor, Keith's professional credits include musical director and conductor for the Las Vegas companies of Jersey Boys (The Palazzo), The Producers (Paris), Hairspray (Wynn), and the North American premiere of We Will Rock You.  His New York credits include Jersey Boys, Les Miserables, When Pigs Fly, and Forbidden Broadway.  Keith conducted the First National Tours of Mamma Mia! and Cabaret (for which he won the 2000 Dora Award, and he supervised the Australian Tour).  Keith enjoyed being vocal director and arranger for Nickelodeon TV's RoundHouse, and he is pleased to share the bill as co-composer of Idaho! with long-time collaborator, Buddy Sheffield.
 
Matt Lenz (Director) is the Supervising Associate Director for Hairspray on Broadway, National Tour, Las Vegas and Toronto productions and the Director of the current Hairspray National Tour and the South African production. Other recent directing credits include: Saint Heaven, a world premiere musical at The Stamford Center for the Arts, The Irish Curse by Martin Casella for the NY International Fringe Festival, South Pacific at Casa Manana and North Carolina Theater, Disney's Beauty and the Beast at The MUNY in St Louis, The North Carolina Theater and Michigan Opera Theater, Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA at The MUNY and Gateway Playhouse, Dirty Blonde and Love! Valour! Compassion! at Zachary Scott Theatre Center in Austin, the world premiere of Martin Casella's Scituate at the Stamford Center for the Arts, Confidentially, Cole at the Tiffany Theatre in LA, Twelfth Night, Hair, The Ten Percent Revue, The Who's Tommy and the world premiere of Alan Ball's The Amazing Adventures of Tense Guy (Off-Broadway).

For several years Matt was the Resident Director for Disney's Beauty and the Beast on Broadway and for the National Tours. Also for Walt Disney Theatrical Productions, he was Assistant Director on the Elton John/Tim Rice musical, AIDA in its World Premiere production as Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida at the ALLIANCE THEATRE in Atlanta. He is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and the Lincoln Center Directors Lab.2006); Faust: A Play For The Music Hall Every Evening and Matinees o­n Sunday, with composer Joe Tech Huppert (staged reading, Flea Theater, NYC, June 2003);  Cheech, English translation from a play by François Létourneau (produced by Melbourne Theatre Company, Australia, June 2005; The Centaur Theatre Company, Montréal, March 2006;) Lady Trane (produced by New Theatre, Boston, January 1998); A Point of Departure (produced by The Huntington Theater Company, Boston, November 1999).