It Came From Beyond, which is described as "Grease
meets War of the Worlds,"
will run at the 45th Street Theatre (354 West 45th Street, (between 8th
and 9th Avenues) on September 15 and 16 at 8:00, September 17 at 1:00
pm and 4:30 pm, September 21 and 24 at 1:00 pm. The show is presented by the New York Musical Theatre Festival with Cornell Christianson.
With original staging by Jeff Calhoun (Brooklyn, Big River, Grease), the show will feature a book by Christianson, and music and lyrics are by Stephen M. Schwartz (not to be confused with theWickedcomposer) and Norman Thalheimer. Christianson and Thalheimer (Marilyn: An American Fable) previously collaborated on the "1940s musical comedy"Wicked City Blues.It Came from Beyond is set in the 1950s and tells the story of a group of high school kids who go mad for a new comic book called It Came from Beyond.
But is it just a comic book? Are secrets hidden inside this comic that
can change the laws of science? When math wizard Harold sets out to
crack the code, he finds himself in the fantasy world of Commie spies
and creatures from outer space who threaten the American way of life. Joining Harold in this fight for freedom is the girl he has always longed for, the beautiful Becky. But she has fallen into the clutches of the high school bully Steve. Can Harold overcome his fear and discover the secret in time to save Becky and the world? Just when all appears to be lost, Harold realizes that he must be the hero!"
The show will star Kevin Earley (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Les Miserables), Heather Marie Marsden (Sweet Charity national tour), Todd Fournier (national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar), Stephen Breithaupt (Sunset Boulevard on Broadway, Jesus Christ Superstar national tour) and Katherine Von Till (Bark! in LA).Dedicated
to discovering new work and new artists, The New York Musical Theatre
Festival celebrates the diversity, creativity, and future of musical
theatre. NYMF is a flagship program of the National Music Theater
Network, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, and is America's
largest annual musical theatre event. NYMF is produced in association
with Virgin Megastores and proudly supported by amNewYork, Village Voice, WB11, Receptasign, King Displays, Rosco, Scharff Weissberg, TheaterMania.com, BroadwayWorld.com and Manhattan Living. For more information, visit www.nymf.org.Tickets to It Came from Beyond are $15, and can be ordered by calling (212) 352-3101 or visiting www.nymf.org.