International Festival Of Musical Theatre Will Launch in Milan, Italy in Summer 2022- Plus, Watch a Star-Studded Launch Video!

The inaugural Festival Internazionale del Musical (International Festival of Musical Theatre), a global celebration showcasing the creativity of the world's most talented contemporary musical theatre artists and productions, will launch in Milan, Italy in Summer 2022.

Academy and Tony Award winner Whoopi Goldberg is featured in a special video introducing the Festival, with appearances by Tony Award winner Ben Vereen and musical theatre stars from around the world performing the iconic song "Magic to Do" from the musical Pippin by Academy and Grammy Award winner Stephen Schwartz. Participants include, from the US: Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Vereen, Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes, Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, Tony Award nominee Jarrod Spector; Olivier Award winner Janie Dee and Layton Williams from the United Kingdom; musical theatre stars Lorella Cuccarini from Italy; Kim Young Sook from South Korea; Yingfei Liu from China; Luz Angèlica Herrera Vàzquez from Mexico; Eleonora Barbacini Ibrahim from Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Anastasia Styazhkina from Moscow, Russia.

For the Inaugural Festival, several acclaimed musical productions will be invited to perform in prominent theatres in Milan and the Lombardy region over a two-week period in Summer, 2022. The Festival will include a Gala Event, featuring performers and presenters honoring a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. The honoree will be announced in the fall of 2021.

With strong support from the city government of Milan and the Lombardy Region, the local arts industry and Italian fashion icons, the Festival will embrace the hubs of Broadway and London's West End, as well as musical theatre art and artists around the globe, from Europe to Asia to Latin America and beyond.

The Founders of the International Festival of Musical Theatre, Fabrizio Carbon, Roberto Righi, Simone Genatt, Marc Routh, Diego Montrone and Jessica R. Jenen have assembled a prestigious group of international theatre artists and professionals from around the world, to join the Creative Advisory Board to support the Festival's efforts. They include: Performers: Lorella Cuccarini, Whoopi Goldberg, Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Lea Salonga, Ben Vereen ; Theatre Professionals: Renato Balestra, Steve Baruch, Joshua Bergasse, Ken Billington, John Breglio, Julie Boardman, Nica Burns, Warren Carlyle, Theodore S. Chapin, Drew Cohen, Michael Curry, John Doyle, Tan Dun, Wendy Federman, Sean Flahaven, Richard Frankel, David Gallo, Dan Hinde, Rod Kaats, Sophy Kim, Stan Lai, Colin Law, Tom Leonardis, William Ivey Long, Joe Machota, Roy Ofer, Jon Platt, John Rando, Evan Shapiro, Matthew Byam Shaw, Edward Snape, Olivier Sultan, Victoria Traube, Sergio Trujillo, Tom Viertel and Kumiko Yoshii.

Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan, said: "Milan is the natural home for all expressions of creativity and beauty. We wish this team all the best on this first edition of the International Festival of Musical Theatre, and we'll see you in Milan in 2022."

Fabrizio Carbon, Board member of MMA said: "We are thrilled to welcome the international musical community to our beautiful city, which has a long and illustrious history as a center for the arts and commerce."

Simone Genatt, Chairperson of Broadway International Group, said "Musical theatre is a powerful international voice which crosses cultural barriers and unites us. Broadway International Group is proud to partner with our colleagues and friends in Milan and around the world on this exciting new Festival."

More specifics including rules regarding eligibility and further logistic details will be announced in October 2021, including the Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient.

Learn more at www.festivalinternazionaledelmusical.com.