Krieger & Shanley, Townsend, Etc. Part of NYSF Season

According to The New York Times, the lineup for New York Stage and Film and Vassar College's 23rd Powerhouse summer theater season will include a production of Romantic Poetry: A Musical Play, featuring music by Henry Krieger (Dreamgirls) lyrics and book by John Patrick Shanley (Doubt), and starring Mark Linn-Baker and Idina Menzel.

NYSF will also feature presentations of Stephen Belber's (Match) new play, Geometry of Fire, and concert readings of Pete Townsend's new rock opera, The Boy Who Heard Music, and R-E-S-P-E-C-T, a musical featuring hit songs originally by Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, the Staple Singers, Wilson Pickett and more. There will also be several plays in development presented in workshop productions. The season will run June 22 through July 29 at the Vassar campus in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

New York Stage and Film (NYSAF), a non-profit company dedicated to developing new works for theater and film, was founded in 1985 by Producing Directors Mark Linn-Baker, Max Mayer and Leslie Urdang. According the company's website, writers featured in past Powerhouse programs at Vassar College include Jane Anderson, Jon Robin Baitz, Kia Corthron, David Marshall Grant, Beth Henley, Steve Martin, Theresa Rebeck, John Patrick Shanley, and Nicky Silver. The company has also showcased directors Barry Edelstein, Joe Mantello, Lisa Peterson, Roger Rees, Liz Swados, David Warren, and Michael Wilson; and actors Olympia Dukakis, Mary McDonnell, Rob Morrow, David Strathairn, Patricia Wettig, and Frances McDormand, among many others. NYSAF also received the 1995 Jujamcyn Theater Award for their contributions to the theater world.

As previously announced, Romantic Poetry will first be seen in a benefit reading, presented by the LAByrinth Theater Company, on May 21st.

For more information, visit www.newyorkstageandfilm.org.  

Photo of Idina Menzel by Craig Brockman