John Tartaglia to Star in Newsical 2006 December 17-31 at the Village Theatre

A new version of Rick Crom's Drama Desk nominated topical musical revue Newsical 2006: The Next Edition, is coming to New York City for two weeks only after a nation wide tour and critically acclaimed sit-down productions in Denver and Provincetown. Performances for this limited engagement starring John Tartaglia will be at the Village theatre (located at 158 Bleecker Street between Thompson and Sullivan). The schedule will be December 17th – 31st: December 17th at 3 & 8:15 PM, Dec 18th at 3:30 & 7:15, Dec 19th and 20th at 8:15, Dec 21st at 3 & 8:15, Dec 23rd at 8:15, December 24th at 3 and 7:15, Dec 26th at 3 & 8:15, Dec 27th at 8:15, Dec 28th 3 & 8:15, Dec 29th and 30th at 8:15, Dec 31st 3 & 8:15. Tickets range from $20 - $60 and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 212.307.4100/ www.ticketmaster.com; For everything else Newsical visit www.newsicalthemusical.com.

The cast will star Avenue Q star and Tony Nominee John Tartaglia, as well as Stephanie Kurtzuba (The Boy From Oz on Broadway, The Joys of Sex and Bat Boy Off-Broadway) Trish Rapier (performed the role of Liza Minnelli in The Boy From Oz, a regular of Forbidden Broadway/ Hollywood, starred in Golf: the Musical and was the winner of the Carol Burnett Award and The Spotlight Award of the Los Angeles Music Center) and Jamison Stern (Bingo Little in Andrew Lloyd Webber's By Jeeves).

Newsical 2006: The New Edition is the new version of the smash hit that came to New York last year at Upstairs at Studio 54, running for 8 months before going on a national tour and two sit down productions. Lauded for its up-to-the-minute headline news satirization, Newsical reminded audiences of the kind of political satire on stage that was once as prevalent as it is in film and television now. Created at a breakneck pace to keep up with the day's news cycle, Newsical spoofs both current events as well as perennial media targets in a riotous musical send-up that is a new version from the one that had audiences in stitches 7 months ago.

Newsical was created by veteran musical satirist and comedian Rick Crom (Composer and Lyricist). Rick has created many Off-Broadway and cabaret revues including Oh Fine RSVP, The Subject Was Neurosis, Absolutely Rude, Our Life and Times (1999 MAC & Bistro Awards for Outstanding Musical Revue) and What in the World (2003 Nightlife Award). His topical material is also featured at the Crystal Palace Theatre in Aspen.

Director/ Choreographer Donna Drake was in the original company of A Chorus Line and has many Broadway credits as a singer/dancer. As a director she directed Romance in the Dark, the Broadway Concert starring Jennifer Holiday, Boobs the Musical, Christmas with the Crawfords, et al.