LUDO's BROKEN BRIDE Set for New York Musical Festival, 8/2-6

The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) in association with Chinese Mother Jewish Daughter & Michael Chase Gosselin presents LUDO's Broken Bride, a new rock opera about one man's epic journey to save his true love's life, utilizing LUDO's entire discography. Adapted by Stacey Weingarten (NYMF: Les Enfants de Paris, Rescue Rue) with additional story and arrangements by Dana Levinson (NYMF: Les Enfants de Paris), the cast of 14 includes Spencer Clark (Regional: West Side Story, Romeo In Your Arms), Carson Higgins (Nat. Tour: American Idiot; NYMF: The Runaway Clone), Larry Hamilton (Off Bway: You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Captain Louie), Catherine Landeta (Regional: The King and I, Avenue Q, Bat Boy), Melissa Hunter McCann (TV: "Tony Awards"; NY: Carnegie Hall's West Side Story, Encore's Paint Your Wagon), Gabrielle McClinton (Bway: Pippin; 1st Nat. Tour: American Idiot), Brendan Malafronte (Nat. Tour: Annie, The Producers, Singin' in the Rain), Jamen Nathakumar, Jackson Perrin, Devin Richey, Brian Charles Rooney (Bway: The Threepenny Opera; NYMF: Bedbugs!!!), Ashley Talluto (Nat. Tour: Flashdance, West Side Story), Michael Jayne Walker (Regional: Hair, Godspell, Tommy), and Amy Whitcomb (TV: "The Voice;" "The Sing-Off"). LUDO's Broken Bride is being staged at The Duke on 42nd Street a NEW 42ND STREET project, 229 West 42nd Street (bet. 10th and 11th Aves.) in NYC for five performances from Tuesday, August 2 through Saturday, August 6, 2016.

Time-travel, dinos, and zombies, oh my! An expansion on the original concept album "Broken Bride" by alternative rock band LUDO, this is the epic tale of one man's time-traveling journey from the Beginning of Time to the End of Time, all to save his true love's life. Utilizing rock music from Ludo's entire discography, projections, dance, special effects, and puppetry, this rock opera has it all! So... how far would YOU go to save your true love?

This is the first full production of LUDO's Broken Bride after short form presentations at the Shortened Attention Span Fest 2010 & Ars Nova ANT Fest 2013, and a concert version at The Cutting Room in 2015.

LUDO's Broken Bride is an Official Selection of the 2016 New York Musical Festival.

Choreographer: Steven Blandino. Music Director: Peter M. Hodgson; Production Design: Justin & Christopher Swader; Costume Design: Bree Perry; Lighting Design: Andrew Scharwath; Sound Design: Emilio Madrid-Kuser; Projection Design: Pauline Lu; Puppetry Design: Sierra Schoening; Shadow/Light Effect: Frankie Cordero.

LUDO's Broken Bride plays for five performances on the following schedule: Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at 8:00 pm; Thursday, August 4, 2016 at 8:00 pm; Friday, August 5, 2016 at 5:00 pm; Saturday, August 6, 2016 at 5:00 pm; Saturday, August 6, 2016 at 9:00 pm.

Tickets are $27.50 and can be purchased online at nymf.org or by calling 212-352-3101. For more information, please visit nymf.org.

The runtime for LUDO's Broken Bride is two hours with one intermission.

LUDO (Concept, Music, and Lyrics) is an alternative rock band consisting of Andrew Volpe, Tim Ferrell, Tim Convy, and Matt Palermo. Originally from St. Louis, Ludo's trademark high-energy rock is intelligent, and imaginative. In 2003 their self-titled first album debuted on self-founded Redbird Records, followed by EP "Broken Bride" (2005). 2008's "You're Awful I Love You" (2008), marked the band's major label debut on Island Records. Their popularity grew as "Love Me Dead" rose to No. 8 in the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks, and the band performed on The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live and festivals including Warped Tour and Lollapalooza. Their most recent fare, "Prepare the Preparations" (2010) spans topics as wide-ranging as robots, pirates, and star-crossed robbers on the run. ludorock.com

Stacey Weingarten (Adaptation/Co-Director) is a bookwriter, puppeteer, director, and producer (EP of Chinese Mother Jewish Daughter LLC). As a writer she's exploring subjects as varied as the Paris and the Algerian War in 5th Republic (NYMF '11 under Les Enfants de Paris), 1890's New Orleans in Jarreau's (NYMF Reading '12 under "Madame"), and time travel and true love in LUDO's Broken Bride (ANT Fest '13; The Cutting Room). Family works include a fairytale about her adopted dog called Rescue Rue (NYMF & NYCTF '14), and series Monica's Mixing Bowl that aims to demystify allergies and dietary restrictions. Stacey originated Bubbles the Fish in John Tartaglia's ImaginOcean Off-Broadway and teaches puppetry at Pace University; she's also a puppet wrangler, most recently at "Sesame Street," "Julie's Greenroom," and Avenue Q Off-Broadway. FCLC '10. Dramatists Guild Fellow '14-'15. www.StaceyWeingarten.com

Donna Drake (Co-Director) Broadway: The original production of A Chorus Line, Sophisticated Ladies, Woman of the Year, The Wind in the Willows, 5678-Dance, It's so nice to be Civilized and the original production of The 1940s Radio Hour. She directed 4 Broadway Concerts of Nothing Like A Dame for BC/EFA, and the highly acclaimed musical concert on Broadway starring Jennifer Holliday called Romance in the Dark. She was the director and co-writer for the singing string quartet, WELL-STRUNG, having debuted at London's West End, NYC and currently on National Tour.? Awards: Two Emmy nominations, 4 Drama Desk Nominations, A Mac Award Nomination, A Theatre World Award, an Off Broadway Alliance Nomination and Broadway World's Best Director/Choreographer 2016. ?She choreographed Catherine Zeta Jones for the American Film Institute Awards, 2009 and The AFI 2011 honoring Morgan Freeman and starring Betty White.? She directed/choreographed: John Tartaglia's Imaginocean- Off Broadway, National & International tours.?TV credits: "Julie's Greenhouse," starring Julie Andrews, Disney's "Johnny and the Sprites," "Monica's Mixing Bowl," "The New Fangled Variety Show," "AFI Awards 09,11," ABC TV's "Dear Alex & Annie," "One life to live" and "The Edge of Night." Regional credits: The Wizard of Oz, All the world is a Stage at Carnegie Hall. A Chorus Line national tour, AIDA, Cats, Chicago, Hairspray, Rent, Tommy, Damn Yankees, NEWSicle, Annie, Love Always, Patsy Cline, Smokey Joes Cafe!, Sweet Charity, Honk!, Lucky Guy, Beauty & the Beast, Anything Goes and Chess, BOOBS! The musical, Christmas with the Crawfords, Andrew Sisters Stage door Canteen, Snail Road, Across the Pond, The Wiz, Little Shop of Horrors, The Buddy Holly Story, Mary Poppins, The Full Monty, Sister Act, The Medium, and John Tartaglia at 54 Below, NYC. ?She has written and published a new book for children called "Willow Whispers." She will co-create and direct a new "Cirque" version of Godspell for Arkansas Rep Theatre 2017 season.? Miss Drake is currently teaching Acting at PACE UNIVERSITY, New York City. www.donnadrakedirector.com

Dana Levinson (Additional Story/Arrangements/Music Supervisor) is a Musical Theatre composer, arranger and orchestrator. Music and Lyrics: 5th Republic (NYMF 2011 under the title Les Enfants de Paris), Jarreau's (NYMF Developmental Reading 2012 under the title MADAME), Báthory. Arranging and Orchestration: Gypsy of the Year: Avenue Q Presentation (Minskoff Theatre), Joanna Gleason (Provincetown Art House, 54 Below), Well-Strung (various), LUDO's Broken Bride (Ars-Nova). Film Scoring: "The Waystation in the Stars" (dir. Brandon Morrissey), "Monica's Mixing Bowl" (dir. Jesse Averna, prod. Stacey Weingarten and Monica Willey). Dana is a graduate of The New School. She also studies Oud and Arab music with the conductor of the New York Arabic Orchestra, Bassam Saba. www.DanaLevinsonMusic.com