Lisa Brescia, Titus Burgess and More Set for 9TH ANNUAL NEO CONCERT

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Andrew Levine, Executive Director), present a one-night only benefit concert celebrating up and coming musical theatre writers, with the NEO 9 on Monday, May 20, 2013 at The York Theatre (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). Festivities begin at 7:30 p.m. followed by a champagne and dessert reception to toast the evening.

The NEO 9 concert will include songs by the following musical theatre writers: Julianne Wick Davis, Carmel Dean, Kait Kerrigan, Rebekah Greer Melocik and Georgia Stitt. The evening, directed by Annette Jolles, with music direction by Matt Castle, will include performances by Kate Baldwin, Lisa Brescia, Titus Burgess, Heath Calvert, LaChanze, Megann Fahy, Elizabeth Ward Land, Marja Harmon, Kate Wetherhead, Sally Wilfert, Michael Winther, and The Hartt School Ensemble.

Program mentors making special appearances include Stephen Flaherty, Jeanine Tesori, Lynn Ahrens, Rachel Sheinkin andMichael John LaChiusa. The Honorary Committee includes Gretchen Cryer, Nancy Ford, Carol Hall, Mildred Kayden, Mary Rodgers, and Mira Spektor.

NEO (an acronym for "New, Emerging, Outstanding") celebrates songwriters primed to pen the next generation of musicals. Since the first NEO concert 9 years ago -- recorded by England's JAY Records-- musical theatre fans and York supporters eagerly anticipate each incarnation. The York Theatre Company has recently embarked on a new yearlong mentoring program that brings together established writers and upcoming producing partners to help encourage the growth of new works.

In this new NEO format, which began in 2012, the concert kicks off a year of activity for each writer. Each one will receive a fully funded developmental reading in the course of the year and is assigned an established producing mentor.

Tickets for NEO 9 can be purchased by calling 212-935-5824 (x215) or via the York's website: www.yorktheatre.org.