May, Walbye, Dacey Chales, Cervantes and Hilliard Featured in 'DogMusic' October 20-22

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Producing Artistic Director) announces an Amas Workshop Production of a new musical, DogMusic, book and lyrics by Mark Masi and music by Jess Platt directed by Alex Lippard (Moonchild, FringeNYC) with musical direction by Andrew Gerle (The Tutor, Meet John Doe.

DogMusic tells the story of five dogs in the pound. "It's a wonderful tale of a group of abandoned dogs who are working out the puzzles of their existence", says Trinkoff, who admits to being a fervent dog lover. "In part it's about our role as stewards on this earth and our responsibility to the rest of God's creatures. We're very pleased to continue the development of DogMusic at Amas".

The production features Deven May (Bat Boy, the Musical), Kay Walbye (Urinetown, Titanic), Sarah Dacey Charles (Les Miserables), Miguel Cervantes, and Ryan Hilliard.

DogMusic was first produced as a one-act musical in late 1998 at Theatre West in Los Angeles. It received favorable reviews and ran for fourteen weeks, including a two week extension. The focus of its subsequent development has been to explore the expansion of DogMusic into a full-length format. In June of 2004, DogMusic came to Amas Musical Theatre as part of the Amas Six O'Clock Musical Theatre Lab Series. The two brief performances in that series convinced Trinkoff and the creators Mark Masi and Jess Platt that DogMusic deserved further development in a more elaborate Workshop production.

DogMusic will be presented for four performances only, October 20 at 7:30, October 21 at 3:00 and 7:30, and October 22 at 3:00, at The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, New York. All tickets are $15.00 and can be ordered at www.theatermania.com, 212-352-3101.

About Amas Musical Theatre

Amas Musical Theatre has been a pioneer in diversity and multi-ethnic casting in the performing arts since it was founded in 1968 by legendary actress and visionary Rosetta LeNoire. Amas ("you love" in Latin) is devoted to the creation, development and professional production of new American musicals and to the training and encouragement of inner city young people.

For 37 years, Amas has engraved its unique trademark in the world of musical theatre, producing groundbreaking work embracing different cultural perspectives while reaching out to underserved audiences.

Actors' Equity Association acknowledges Rosetta and Amas' contribution to the American theatre by bestowing an award in her honor. Producers and theatre companies who exemplify LeNoire's commitment to multicultural production and casting in the theatre are annually given the treasured Rosetta LeNoire Award. In 1999 for her work at Amas, she was awarded the coveted National Medal of Arts by President Clinton.

In recent years, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Donna Trinkoff, Amas has emerged as one of America's leading incubators of new American musicals. Since 1998, Amas has produced a nearly unbroken string of Amas Mainstage shows that have moved to expanded touring, regional and commercial productions after their Amas appearances. These include: Rollin' on the T.O.B.A, Reunion: A Civil War Musical, 4 Guys Named Jose … and Una Mujer Named Maria, Langston Hughes's Little Ham, Zanna, Don't!, Latin Heat, From My Hometown, and Lone Star Love or the Merry Wives of Windsor, Texas.

For more information about Amas Musical Theatre visit www.amasmusical.org.