Jennifer Cody, Scott Schafer & More Set to Lead Antigone Musical, VESTMENTS OF THE GODS; Plays FringeNYC 8/9-24

Today, 5000 Broadway Productions announced its newest production, Vestments of the Gods, as part of the 18th annual New York International Fringe Festival - FringeNYC. Vestments of the Gods is a musical play written by Owen Panettieri with music by David Carl and lyrics by Owen Panettieri. The show will run for five performances during the festival at FringeNYC Venue #7: Theatre 80 on St. Marks Place. Tickets go on sale at www.FringeNYC.org July 18, 2014.

Vestments of the Gods is a fresh take on Sophocles' Antigone that takes place in a modern day suburban elementary school. When Annie and Hayden wear costumes in violation of school rules to the Thebes Street Elementary Halloween Celebration, a small power struggle between students and faculty erupts into a full-out battle for control... with tragic consequences through songs. Vestments of the Gods is suitable for general audiences age 10+, but handles serious issues such as bullying, peer pressure and discrimination by both children and adults.

Times: Saturday, August 9th at 4:15 pm; Thursday, August 14th at 4:30pm; Sunday, August 17th at 10:15pm; Friday, August 22nd at 7:45pm; and Sunday, August 24th at 1:00pm. Tickets: $18-$24. For tickets visit www.FringeNYC.org

Author and Lyricist Owen Panettieri conceived Vestments in response to the wave of LGBT youth bullying and suicide occurring throughout the country. Panettieri's previous work, The Timing of a Day, won Overall Excellence in Ensemble from FringeNYC in 2010 and Outstanding New Play from Talkin' Broadway for the 2010 Summer Festival Series. Additional works have been produced in New York, New Jersey and Nebraska. He is currently a contributing writer to Ryan Scott Oliver's CrazyTown Blog (www.crazytown.com.)

Composer and Music Director David Carl recently composed the score for RISE, an opera-infused play produced by Roots and Wings Theatrical. Carl provided musical arrangements for The Dove for its concert at 54 Below in 2013. He recently completed his first year in the BMI musical theatre workshop.

Joey Brenneman, who collaborated on Mr. Panettieri's award-winning FringeNYC play, The Timing of a Day in 2010, directs the piece. Brenneman also directed Two Girls at FringeNYC in 2010. Since then, she directed her own play, Better Left Unsaid, as a first of its kind live-streamed play. Brenneman has served as Artistic Director for STAR Theater and has directed PSAs and short films with and for adolescents. Her film, Taking a Step Back, won a Best of Specials Award at Manhattan Neighborhood Network and was selected for the Urban Visionaries Film Festival.

Vestments of the Gods stars Broadway veterans Jennifer Cody and Scott Schafer along with Jennifer Lauren Brown, Erica Diaz, Molly McKenna Dillon, Sean Bennett Geoghan, Sam Perwin andPerri Yaniv. The full cast includes Bryson Bruce, Michael Hull, Max King, Megan Mekjian, Elyssa Renee Ramirez, Lauren Alice Smith, Allison Winn and Andreas Wyder. Stage managers are Josh Blye and Lisa Susanne Schwartz. Vestments of the Gods is presented as an Equity Approved Showcase.

Set design for Vestments of the Gods is by Elisabeth Svenningsen, and costume design by Erin Michelle Routh. Full design team for Vestments of the Gods is set to be announced shortly.

5000 Broadway Productions, Inc. co-produced In The Heights: In Concert at the United Palace for Cultural Arts in 2013 and released Lin-Manuel Miranda's one-act musical 21 Chump Street for sale on iTunes. 5000 Broadway Productions is excited to present its first production with FringeNYC this summer.

To contribute to the show's indiegogo fundraising campaign, visit: http://igg.me/at/vestmentsofthegods