Musical Theatre Factory Announces 2017-2018 Season Lineup
By: A.A. Cristi Sep. 11, 2017
Now in its fourth year of operation, and its second season as a Resident Company of Playwrights Horizons, Musical Theatre Factory (MTF), announces its full season of programming for the 2017-2018 Season.
Under the direction of Founding Artistic Director Shakina Nayfack and General Managers Frankie Dailey and Joey Monda, the 2017-2018 MTF season includes eight Developmental Residencies, eight Joe's Pub concerts, four of MTF's signature 4X15 series, four Factory Salons as well as regularly meeting Writers Groups and Representation Roundtables, devoted to showcasing emerging writers of color, women writers and trans* identified writers. The Musical Theatre Factory Season is overseen by Director of Programming Lynn Spector.
When looking toward the 2017-28 Season, Founding Artistic Director Shakina Nayfack offered the following:
"We dedicate our 2017-18 season to the memory of Michael Friedman, a brilliant composer-lyricist and a beloved friend and colleague to many of us at MTF. Michael frequently advised and mentored our members, and was fond of saying how angry he was that Musical Theatre Factory didn't exist when he was getting his start. This year our Development Residency series will be exposing the struggles that define us as individuals, communities, families, and friends. As Michael taught us, "everybody's singing a different song, but if they all fit together then it can't be wrong."
Musical Theatre Factory's 2017-2018 Season includes the following projects:
Developmental Residencies:
The pinnacle of MTF programming, a Developmental Residency offers creative teams of new musicals ten days of studio space, casting,administrative, and dramaturgical support to get new musicals up on their feet and in front of a public audience all at no cost to the artists.s. Developmental Residencies are overseen by a team of young producers participating in the Factory Producing Residency, awarded this season to Keurim Hur, Ali Jamali, Lianne Kennedy, and Maggie Snyder.
This season boasts a largely award-winning lineup of new musical writers.
LOVE IN HATE NATION
A Turbulent American Romance
Music, Lyrics, and Book by
Oct 16th - 2pm & 7pm
October 17th - 4pm & 8pm
A rock and roll love story between two girls in a 1960's Juvie Hall and the ensuing revolution that occurs when a group of delinquents learn how to form a community and become true American rebels.
SLEEPING IN THE GROUND
Music & Lyrics by
Nov 11th - 3:30pm & 8pm
Nov 12th - 4pm
A darkly comic musical about dealing with death - and what it deals back.
FIVE POINTS
Book by
Music by
Lyrics by
Dec 8th - 8pm
Dec 9th - 3:30pm & 8pm
Dec 10th - 3:30pm
1863, NYC. A former Irish jig champion and a young black step dancer risk everything in pursuit of the American Dream.
EASTBOUND
Book & Music by
Book & Lyrics by
Khiyon Hursey
February Dates to be Announced
Presented in association with New York Theatre Barn
Two Asian brothers separated at birth struggle with culture, traditions and mortality in a fight to survive to be better than before.
INTERSTATE
Music by
Melissa Li
Book & Lyrics by
Melissa Li & Kit Yan
March Dates to be Announced
At the height of internet fame, a hesitant transgender poet and ambitious lesbian singer embark on a cross-country tour that changes the life of a trans teenager in small-town Kentucky.
HART ISLAND
Book & Lyrics by
Music by
March Dates to be Announced
Presented in association with Village Theatre
The powerful story of an incarcerated man and an undocumented woman whose lives intersect on Hart Island, New York City's resting place for unclaimed souls.
SHADES OF WAYNE
Music by Lisa Burns
Words by Christopher Staskel
April Dates to be Announced
When a debilitating stroke destabilizes their fifty-year marriage, Wayne and Aggie cope by generating imaginary friends.
THE RIVER IS ME
Book & Lyrics by
Sukari Jones
Music by Troy Anthony
June Dates to be Announced
In 1955 Money, Mississippi,a black boy dreams of becoming a superhero endowed with the powers of water in order to save his mother from daily violence. After a whistle and moonless night, the boy gets his wish and transforms.
4x15 Series:
A showcase of 15-minute staged segments from four new shows by up-and-coming writers. Each creative team receives five hours of rehearsal to workshop an excerpt of their piece with a cast of MTF member performers.
November 20th @ 8pm @ TACT (900 Broadway, New York, NY 10003)
January, March, May Dates to be Announced
Salon Series:
Informal open mic nights for new musical theatre songs. These community-building events provide an open platform for all artists to share their work,and to seek out new collaborators. The drop-in evening serves as a beginning point for new projects or a check-in for long gestating shows.
October, December, February, April Dates to be Announced
Joe's Pub Concert Series:
A showcasing opportunity for some of Musical Theatre Factory's rising stars.
Sept 25th at 9:30
WHITE GIRL IN DANGER
by Michael R. Jackson
Tickets on Sale Now!
October 30th at 7pm
JENNA TASHA RUBAII & Vishal Vaidya
Tickets on Sale Now!
November 27th at 9:30
ABBY PAYNE & CHRISTOPHER ANSELMO
Tickets on Sale Now!
February 26th @ 7pm
FRANCOIS & THE REBELS
by Jaime Cepero
March 15th @ 9:30
April & May
REPRESENTATION ROUNDTABLE SHOWCASES
Dates To Be Announced
June 25th @ 7pm
Larry Owens & FRIENDS
MTF Season Closer!
Representation Roundtables:
Drop-in song clinics and safe-space sharing forums devoted to showcasing emerging People of Color, Women, and Trans* Identified artists. In these monthly writers rooms, musical theatre creators each receive uninterrupted sharing time, with the potential for feedback and support. These commitment-free round tables seek to support underrepresented writers as well as provide an entry-point to other MTF Assembly Line programs
Women & Trans/Gender Non-Conforming
All at Playwrights Downtown
440 Lafayette Street
Saturday, September 9
1pm to 3pm
Saturday, October 14
Saturday, November 11
Saturday, January 13 (2018)
Saturday, February 10
Saturday, March 10
Saturday, April 14
Saturday, May 12
All 1:30pm to 4:30pm
People of Color
All at Playwrights Downtown
440 Lafayette Street
Saturday, September 16th (2pm to 5pm)
Saturday, October 21st
Saturday, November 18th
Saturday, January 20th, 2018
Saturday, February 17th, 2018
Saturday, March 17th, 2018
Saturday, April 21st, 2018
Saturday, May 19th, 2018
All 1:30pm to 4:30pm
ABOUT MUSICAL THEATRE FACTORY
Musical Theatre Factory was founded by Artistic Director Shakina Nayfack in January 2014 as a collective for early-career musical theatre makers interested in changing the way new musicals are developed in New York City. The mission of the Factory is to develop and present new Musical Theatre works in a collaborative environment free from the pressures of critical or commercial success. With a focus on peer-evaluation and process-driven volunteer support, MTF's assembly line of development programming directly addresses the needs of today's musical theatre artists and is intended to nurture new work from initial concepts to full drafts and, occasionally, first productions.
In its first three years MTF has assisted in the development of over 110 new musicals with more than 1000 volunteers contributing over 18,000 combined hours of service. The organization has partnered with a number of other theatre companies throughout NYC, including Joe's Pub at The Public Theatre, The People's Improv Theatre, Poetic Theatre Productions, and Playwrights Horizons, where they are a participant in the Resident Company Program.
MTF members include some of today's most exciting composers, lyricists, book writers, directors, choreographers, music directors, dramaturgs, performers, and arts administrators. The organization is overseen by General Managers Frankie Dailey and Joey Monda, with Creative Producer Aaron Glick serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
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