NYMF to Present GARY GOLDFARB: MASTER ESCAPIST at The Pershing Square Signature Center, 7/17-27

The 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) presents Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist a world premiere musical comedy with book & lyrics by Omri Schein, and music by James Olmstead. John Znidarsic directs a cast of seven including Jared Loftin, Krista Buccellato*, Todd Thurston*, James David Larson*, Shoba Narayanan*, Dimitri Moise, and another cast member to be announced shortly.Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist is being staged at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street (bet. 9th & 10th Avenues) in NYC for five performances from Wednesday, July 17 through Saturday, July 27, 2013. The Pershing Square Signature Center is the official hub of The New York Musical Theatre Festival. *Appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.

Gary Goldfarb is a big kid with even bigger dreams. He'll stop at nothing to win the heart of Cheryl Samatasinghar-Stein, the hottest girl in school... even if it means attempting Houdini's most dangerous feat, the Chinese Water Torture Cell Illusion, at the high school talent show. Can Gary's classmate Penelope talk some sense into him before it's too late? With a catchy pop-jazz musical theatre score, Gary Goldfarb conjures up the magic, foolishness, and hilarity of high school romance.

Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist is presented by The New York Musical Theatre Festival. Director: John Znidarsic; Music Director: James Olmstead­­­­­­­­­­­­; Choreographer: Jill Gorrie; Scenic & Lighting Designer: David S. Goldstein; Costume Designer: Emily DeAngelis; Stage Manager: Julie DeVore; General Manager: Form Theatricals (Anthony Francavilla & Zachary Laks); Dramaturg: Jack DePalma; Publicist: Paul Siebold/Off Off PR. Casting by Michael Cassara, CSA.

Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist plays for five performances on the following schedule: Wednesday, Jul 17th, 2013 at 9:00pm; Saturday, Jul 20th, 2013 at 5:00pm; Sunday, Jul 21st, 2013 at 9:00pm; Wednesday, Jul 24th, 2013 at 1:00pm; Saturday, Jul 27th, 2013 at 5:00pm.

John Znidarsic (director) has dedicated his career to nurturing and developing new theater. The majority of his work is done through Arts and Artists at St. Paul's in New York City where he serves as Artistic Director. Its most successful program, the Songbook Concert Series, is held monthly at The Donnell Library Theater and features music of today's newest and most exciting songwriters. He has also served as Producing Director for The National Music Theater Network where he launched the successful Broadway Dozen Play Reading Series. As a director/choreographer John has worked extensively in New York and regionally. For seven years he produced, directed, and hosted the popular "In Celebration of Life" Broadway concerts to benefit Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS and also produced a CD featuring highlights of those concerts. John has served on the faculties of New York University, Marymount Manhattan College, Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, New York High School of Performing Arts, and Manhattan School of Music. Recent and upcoming projects include a new musical Fast Breaks - The Comings and Goings at Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal and David Bryan of Bon Jovi, the award-winning new revue This Life: The Songs of Portia Nelson, and Fatima. John is Chairman of the annual Michael Stewart Musical Theater Foundation Awards.

Omri Schein (book and lyrics) many years ago, an even tinier Omri Schein scurried into a magic shop and spent half of his Bar Mitzvah earnings on magic tricks. Although his dabbling in the magical world was short lived, who knew it would resurface and be of service to him almost twenty years later? Along with his collaborator James Olmstead, Omri has written the musicals Bed Fellas and the upcoming The Humbug Holiday Spectacularcommissioned by North Coast Repertory Theatre (premiering in December 2013). Their songs have been heard in concerts around New York City including at The Duplex and at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. Other musicals in the works include an aspiring pastry chef Viking, a Weimar Republic era serial killer, WWII, and a schlocky horror flick. For information on Omri as a performer: www.omri-schein.com.

James Olmstead (composer) is a NYC-based music director, composer, and arranger. Most recently music directing Sweet Charity for the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport, where he will return this summer for South Pacific. He has also been the assistant music director for NYU (Marriage of Figaro, Most Happy Fella, Violet), North Shore Music Theatre (Footloose), Cape Playhouse (Legally Blonde, Footloose), PCPA (Ragtime, Hot Mikado), and the Arkansas Rep (Hello Dolly). In addition, he music directs and arranges for several cabarets around the city including the Laurie Beechman (Perfectly Complicated),Don't Tell Mama's (Me Sing Pretty For you), and The Duplex (Another Cabaret). With his writing partner Omri Schein, he has written the musicals Bed Fellas and the upcoming The Humbug Holiday Spectacular (premiering December 2013 at North Coast Repertory Theatre), as well as other in-the works projects. His music has also been featured in the Broadway's Future Songbook Series at Lincoln Center. www.jamesolmstead.com

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at nymf.org or by calling 212-352-3101. For more information, please visit nymf.org.

The runtime for Gary Goldfarb: Master Escapist is 80 minutes with one intermission.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) exists to revitalize musical theatre culture by discovering and promoting new musical theatre artists, producers and projects; nurturing a vibrant and innovative artistic community; and connecting one of America's greatest art forms with a diverse, contemporary audience.

Now in its tenth year, the Festival is the largest musical theatre event in America. The preeminent site for launching new musicals and discovering new talent, the Festival provides an affordable platform for artists to mount professional productions that reach their peers, industry leaders, and musical theater fans. More than 85 festival shows have gone on to productions on and off-Broadway, in 48 states, and more than 20 countries worldwide, and Festival alumni have received a wide array of awards including the Tony and the Pulitzer Prize. In 2013, NYMF received a special Drama Desk Award in recognition of its work "creating and nurturing new musical theater, ensuring the future of this essential art form."

NYMF is the flagship program of National Music Theater Network, Inc., a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. NYMF 2013 is presented in association with Dunkin' Donuts, BroadwayWorld.com, Production Resource Group, and TheaterMania.com, and is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. Major supporters include The ASCAP Foundation, BMI Foundation, Inc., The BWF Foundation, Con Edison, The Nathan Cummings Foundation with the support and encouragement of Jamie Mayer Phinney, The New Musical Development Foundation, The Jerome Robbins Foundation, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and The Theater League.

NYMF Memberships, which combine charitable contributions with valuable, flexible ticket packages and perks like early seating, and tickets to individual events, are currently available for purchase at (212) 352-3101 or www.nymf.org.