NYFA City Artist Corps Concert 'Songs From SKIN' By Yuriko Shibata And Andrew Strano Now Available For Streaming

A concert of songs from the original musical SKIN - featured at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre earlier this year for the Global Forms Theatre Festival - is now available for streaming worldwide on Youtube.

An adaptation of the Celtic myth of the Selkie, the music of SKIN opens an elemental, impressionistic window into the world of Cath, Ed and their adult child Siobh as the tide of memory washes over them, threatening to reveal the secrets Cath has kept for years.

With music that blends the musical traditions of Japan with the sensibilities of western folk, SKIN's songs are achingly honest examinations of queer identity, love, regret, and the deep longing we all have for connection.

As recipients of a New York Foundation for the Arts grant and members of the City Artist Corps -- the NYFA initiative tasked with leading the New York Arts scene's recovery post-COVID closures, book writer/lyricist Andrew Strano and composer Yuriko Shibata presented the songs in concert at Brooklyn's FirstLive on October 30th 2021.

The sold out concert was directed by Strano themselves, and musically directed by Shibata, featuring performances by Lynn Craig (Off Broadway: Lazarus, Wake, SKIN), Sara James (Off Broadway: SKIN), Bela Konstancja (available to stream on Spotify here) and Andrew Strano. The band is led by Yuriko Shibata who both musically directs and plays the keys, with Matt Wong (Broadway: Come From Away, Off-Broadway: Titanique) on guitar, Sam Novotny (of band ColorJoy) on bass, William Karras on cahon, and Earl J Marrows (Composer: For Show) on percussion.

The stream features photographic direction, camera operation and editing by Bridget McGuigan, with audio engineering - both live and recorded - by Nori Hung, and lighting design and operation by Jessie Field.

Since its presentation for NYFA, SKIN was selected as a lead production for the 2022 Global Forms Theatre Festival's "Global Stage" programming, where it was presented Off-Broadway at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre after a four week Equity workshop directed by Genevieve Wilson, musically directed by Robbie Cowan, and choreographed by Mandarin Wu.

"Songs from SKIN" is available to stream here

Yuriko Shibata (she/her) is a Japanese composer, arranger, pianist, and music director residing and working in NYC. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Composition for Film and TV from Tokyo College of Music, and an MFA from the NYU Tisch Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program.

Her experience composing for film, theater, and commercials, includes direction and composition of music for the film 'Jesus' (winner: San Sebastián International Film Festival, winner: International Film Festival and Awards of Macao), and the new musical 'SKIN', (Off Broadway: Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Semi-FInalist: O'Neill National Musical Theatre Conference, Selection: Global Forms Theatre Festival 2022, Semi Finalist: New Works New Voices)

Yuri's songs 'Mariposas', 'Fire' and 'Gay Icon' were featured Off-Broadway at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, with Gay Icon also selected for the Lincoln Centre's "Broadway's Future Songbook Series".

Yuriko held two sold out concerts as a member of the NYFA/DCLA City Artist Corps - 'Yuri and Erica Laugh Again' at Don't Tell Mama, NYC, and the 'Songs from Skin' with collaborator Andrew Strano.

Andrew Strano is an Australian writer living and working in New York. They're a Fulbright Scholar, a NYFA City Artists Corps member, and have been awarded the American Australian Arts Fund and Performer's Trust Foundation grants, the George Fairfax Memorial Award, and a major Mike Walsh Fellowship.

Full length works include Nailed It! (Winner: Greenroom award, 'Best original songs', Selection: Adelaide Cabaret Festival), Jack Of Two Trades (Winner: Jeanne Pratt Artists in Residence Program), 'Voyagers' (Winner: City Of Melbourne 2020 Arts Grant, Commissioned by Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre), and 'SKIN' (Off Broadway: Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Selection: Global Forms Theatre Festival, Semi Finalist: O'Neill National Musical Theatre Conference, Semi Finalist: New Works New Voices).

Andrew's one act works 'STARSONG' and 'Anticipation' were featured Off-Broadway at Rattlestick, the first for Village Songs, and the second as a part of the Global Forms Theatre Festival in 2021. STARSONG was also selected for the 2022 Chain Theatre Festival, making its Off-Off Broadway debut in the summer. Their piece 'Space' was featured in the Lincoln Centre's 'Future Broadway Songbook', and their opera CHICKEN/EGG was featured by the American Opera Project as a part of Losing Control.

Andrew holds an MA in writing for performance from the Victorian College of the Arts/Melbourne University, an MFA from the NYU-Tisch Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program (Shubert and Peerce named scholarships), and has taught extensively in theatres and universities worldwide, including NYU Tisch, Monash University, Stage School Australia, LMA: Melbourne and the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (Australia).