New York Musical Theatre Festival Adds More Extensions: MO FAYA, ACADEMY And CROSS THAT RIVER
By: Gabrielle Sierra Oct. 12, 2009
The New York Musical Theatre Festival, now in its sixth year, has premiered more than 175 new musicals since 2004. The largest musical theatre event in America, NYMF has been hailed as "the Sundance of Musical Theatre," and is widely regarded as the key source for new material and talent discovery. NYMF is the flagship program of National Music Theater Network, Inc., a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. NYMF 2009 is presented in association with BroadwayWorld.com, Production Resource Group and TheaterMania.com, and is supported by Back Stage, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, BroadwayBox.com, BroadwayInsider.com, Broadway.TV, Clear Channel Spectacolor, DFD-TV, Frank & Camille's Fine Pianos, King Displays, Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, New World Stages, NASDAQ OMX, Next Magazine, PMD Promotions, Queerty.com, Reuters, Sweet Caroline's, Tekserve, TheMenEvent.com, The Tank, and Times Square Squared. Major supporters include The ASCAP Foundation, BMI Foundation, Inc., The Broadway League, The BWF Foundation, The Nathan Cummings Foundation with the support and encouragement of Jaimie Mayer, The Charlie & Jane Fink Charitable Fund, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and The Theater League. NYMF is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. NYMF's programs are made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.
Tickets to all shows and festival events are now on sale. NYMF Memberships, which combine charitable contributions with valuable, flexible ticket packages and perks like early seating, and tickets to individual events are available for purchase at (212) 352-3101 or www.nymf.org.
Full Productions
AcademyBook, Music and Lyrics by John Mercurio
Conceived and Developed by Andrew Kato
At St. Edward's Academy, two seniors make a harmless bet on whether they can influence an unsuspecting freshman to break a few rules to succeed. But when the transaction goes recklessly out of control, the boys become entangled in a fight for their own academic and personal survival. Inspired by Goethe's Faust, Academy is a pop chamber musical about boys learning to become men-and remaining true to themselves.
With Corey Boardman (Altar Boyz, Next to Normal) and Gabriel Violett (Spring Awakening)
Directed by John Carrafa (Tony nominee, Urinetown and Into the Woods)
TBG Theater (312 West 36th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct. 13, 8pm; Oct. 15, 4:30pm; Oct. 17, 4:30pm
Added Performance Thursday 10/15 at 1pmAll Fall Down
Book by Greg Turner; Music and Lyrics by Selda Sahin
Golden boy Ben Little is embarking on his next great adventure: college. Everything comes crashing down, however, when he inexplicably jumps from the window of his sixth story dorm room. Astonishingly surviving the fall, Ben returns home-where nobody will talk about what happened or ask questions that might tear apart their picture-perfect world.
With Mary Testa (Tony noms for 42nd Street and On the Town; Xanadu), Jenn Colella (High Fidelity, Urban Cowboy), Charlie Pollock (9 to 5, Urinetown)
Directed by Lonny Price (Tony nom for A Class Act)
45th Street Theater (354 West 45th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct. 14, 4:30pm; Oct. 15, 8pm; Oct. 17, 1pm; Oct. 18, 4:30pm
Music, Lyrics and Story by Allan Harris; Book by Andrew Carl Wilk
The unsettled West of the 1860's provides a new life and new dreams for Blue, a run-away slave, who escapes to Texas to become one of America's first Black Cowboys. This compelling tale of freedom blends old-fashioned storytelling with an infectious score that ranges from country and bluegrass to soul, blues and rock gospel in a sometimes tragic, sometimes humorous chronicle of hardship and enduring perseverance.
With Soara-Joye Ross (Les Misérables, Dessa Rose), Charles Wallace (Miss Saigon, Smokey Joe's Café, Jekyll & Hyde)
Directed by Andrew Carl Wilk (Multi-Emmy award winner, National Geographic Channel)
Choreographed by Donna McKechnie (Tony award, A Chorus Line)
TBG Theater (312 West 36th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct. 12, 8pm; Oct. 13, 1pm; Oct. 14, 4:30pm; Oct. 16, 8pm; Oct. 17, 1pm; Oct. 18, 4:30pm
Added Performance Friday 10/16 at 11pm
F#@KING UP EVERYTHING
Book by Sam Forman and David Eric Davis; Music and Lyrics by David Eric Davis
Can Christian Mohammed Schwartzelberg stay true to himself and still get the girl? Or will he lose her to the guy in leather pants? Set against the backdrop of Brooklyn's indie music scene with a gallery of hipsters, stoners, artists, cougars, songwriters and puppeteers, F#@KING UP EVERYTHING is a rock musical comedy with heart. And ironic t-shirts.
With Neil Haskell ("So You Think You Can Dance," 9 to 5, Altar Boyz), Noah Weisberg (South Pacific, Legally Blonde), Jenna Coker-Jones (Little Shop of Horrors, Evil Dead, Fame on 42nd Street), Liz Larsen (Hairspray, Tony Award & Drama Desk Award nominee for Most Happy Fella, Damn Yankees), and Kate Rockwell (Legally Blonde, NBC's "Grease: You're The One That I Want.")
45th Street Theater (354 West 45th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct. 13, 4:30pm; Oct. 16, 8pm
Added Performance Wednesday, October 14th 11pm Hurricane
Book by Michael Holland and Eric Bernat; Music and Lyrics by Michael Holland
Napatree, Rhode Island, 1938: As the tourist season comes to a close, a young meteorologist's unconventional prediction of impending disaster goes unheeded by his superiors, resulting in one of New England's greatest natural catastrophes. With a vibrant score by award-winning songwriter Michael Holland which incorporates elements of Depression-era pop, folk opera, and contemporary song, this epic musical portrait captures an all-but-forgotten moment in American history, one that ultimately emerges as a testament to hope, endurance, rebirth, and survival.
With Joe Mahowald (Pirate Queen, Jekyll & Hyde), Steven Booth (Avenue Q, Glory Days), Rita Gardner (The Wedding Singer, The Fantasticks)
Directed by Michael Bush
Set and Light Design by Christopher Akerlind (Tony Award - The Light in the Piazza; OBIE for Sustained Excellence in Lighting Design)
Theatre St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues)
Added Performance Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 5pm
The Last Smoker in America
Book and Lyrics by Bill Russell; Music by Peter Melnick
In a world where smoking has recently been outlawed, Pam is having an impossible time trying to quit. Her husband Ernie dreams of being a rock star and relentlessly practices his electric guitar in the basement. Their teenage son Jimmy listens to so much rap music he's convinced he's black. Their nosy, anti-smoking zealot neighbor Phyllis lurks around trying to catch transgressors mid-puff. Will Pam kick the habit or fight for the right to light up as The Last Smoker in America?
With Natalie Venetia Belcon (Avenue Q), Felicia Finley (Catch Me If You Can, Happy Days), and Marcus Neville (The Full Monty)
Costume Design by Michael Macdonald (Tony nom - Hair)
45th Street Theater (354 West 45th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct. 12, 8pm; Oct. 13, 1pm; Oct. 14, 8pm; Oct. 16, 4:30pm; Oct. 17, 8pm;
Added Performances Wed. October 14th 1 pm & Fri. October 16th 11pm Lighter
Book, Music and Lyrics by Monica Bauer
What would YOU sacrifIce To get a killer body? Two diet-crossed lovers, Connie and Stevie, break up when Connie is humiliated searching for a wedding dress. Leaving her chubby would-be-hubby, she becomes a national singing weight-loss sensation on satanic Doctor Dan's show, American Weight Loss Idol. With the help of his nutty friends, can Stevie save Connie before she becomes the ultimate Skinny Bitch? A love story with a plus-size heart.
With Cicely Daniels (The Little Mermaid, Rent, All Shook Up) Willy Falk (Tony nominee for Chris in the original cast of Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, A Chorus Line), Marguerite Willbanks (Beauty and Beast)
TBG Theater (312 West 36th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct. 14, 8pm; Oct. 16, 4:30pm; Oct. 17, 8pmMo Faya
Book and Music by Eric Wainaina
Additional music by Joshua Mwai, Morris Otis Omollo and Helen Akoth Mtawali
DJ Lwanda's voice rings out daily on local radio, leading and inspiring the Nairobi community of Kwa Maji. But Anna Mali, an avaricious real estate diva, craves the land beneath their slum. She seduces the fiery young DJ away with a job at a top nationwide station, and organizes a violent campaign to terrorize the people of Kwa Maji. When the government and media turn a blind eye to the decapitated bodies in the streets, DJ Lwanda must return home to expose the truth. But at what cost?
Performed in English with Swahili
TBG Theater (312 West 36th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Added Performance Thursday Oct 15 at 11pm Open the Dark Door
Book, Music and Lyrics by David LeFort Nugent
When the local executioner's son, Skip, falls in love with the rebellious Luna, he and the other upstanding residents of Mortland, USA are shattered by a crisis of faith. Dangerous family secrets and festive beheadings are the norm in this haunting and darkly comic indie-rock musical examining a town crippled by fear and troubled by its past.
With Paul Kandel (Tommy), Laura Jordan (Cry Baby), and Mary Ellen Ashley (Annie Get Your Gun original Broadway cast)
American Theatre of Actors - Chernuchin Theatre (314 West 54th Street, between 8th & 9th Avenues)
Oct. 12, 5pm; Oct. 12, 9pm; Oct. 15, 8pm; Oct. 17, 9pmPlagued
Book and Lyrics by Vynnie Meli; Music by Casey L. Filiaci
Cinderella's daughter Dusty just wants to study science and cure the Plague with the help of Scoop, a flirtatious chronicler, but her grandmother the Queen wants to marry her off to a rich old prince instead. Odds are against Dusty and Scoop, while Cinderella and Prince Charming fight the odds to stay in love. Will a fairy godmother come out of retirement to show them the way out of the Dark Ages?
With Brenda Braxton (Tony nom - Smokey Joe's Café; Chicago), Natalie Bradshaw (Jersey Boys) and Lorraine Serabian (Tony nom - Zorba)
TBG Theater (312 West 36th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct. 13, 4:30pm; Oct. 14, 1pm; Oct. 15, 8pm; Oct. 18, 1pm Rainbow Around the Sun
Music and lyrics by Matthew Alvin Brown; Book and additional lyrics by Tom Stuart
Local rock hero Zachary Blasto struggles with personal demons as he relives both painful and joyous memories during a radio retrospective of his career. Based on the album and film of the same name, prog-rock concert meets musical theatre in this fast-paced dissection of broken hearts, life through a liquor bottle, and rebirth through loss.
With Matthew Alvin (film Rainbow Around the Sun), Jamie Buxton (film Rainbow Around the Sun), Janine DiVita (Grease), and Jefferson Slinkard (Mamma Mia)
45th Street Theater (354 West 45th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct. 13, 8pm; Oct. 17, 4:30pmSeeing Stars
Book by Shelley McPherson; Music by Don Breithaupt; Lyrics by Jeff Breithaupt
Eddie "Bare Knuckles" McSorley and "Gentleman" Joe Sullivan are two rival boxers in love with Jean, a feisty reporter, in this tough and tender original musical set in Hell's Kitchen in the '30s. A black-and-blue romance with a bruising climax and a colorful cast of pugs, thugs, and dames, Seeing Stars explores the world of "boys being boys" and the women who love them.
With Kevin Earley (A Tale of Two Cities, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Les Miserables),
Michael Halling (A Tale of Two Cities, In My Life, Pajama Game, The Boy From Oz and The Scarlet Pimpernel)
Choreographed by Liza Gennaro (Once Upon a Mattress, The Most Happy Fella)
Theatre St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct. 13, 9pm; Oct. 16, 9pm; Oct. 17, 1pm Street Lights
Book by Joe Drymala and Akin Salawu; Music and Lyrics by Joe Drymala
Monique is going to be the next Alicia Keys. Her brother is on track to be bigger than Thurgood Marshall. But none of this matters when their world is filled with violence, apathy, and broken promises. Can they keep faith when there's no reason for hope? From writer/composer Joe Drymala and director Ryan J. Davis, the creators of the Broadway-bound 2006 NYMF hit White Noise, comes Street Lights, mixing pop, R&B and hip-hop to crank up the volume on the voice of a new generation saying yes, we can.
With Carla Duren (110 in the Shade, Hairspray), Jay Garcia (Altar Boyz), Gayle Turner (The Wiz), Jim Stanek (Story of My Life, Lestat, Little Women)
American Theatre of Actors - Chernuchin Theatre (314 West 54th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct. 13, 8pm; Oct. 14, 8pm; Oct. 16, 7pm; Oct. 17, 1pm; Oct. 17, 5pm; Oct. 18, 1pm The Toymaker
Book, Music and Lyrics by Bryan Putnam
When Sarah's marriage falls apart after two failed pregnancies, stories of a childless toy maker of the past propel her on a desperate search that spans the globe and time itself. In this tale of enduring passion and hope, Sarah's quest to find a missing toy and solve the mysteries of a village destroyed by war lead her to a destiny of fulfillment she once thought impossible.
With Rosena M. Hill (The Color Purple, Spamalot, Ragtime), Rob Richardson (A Tale of Two Cities), Greg Stone (The Pirate Queen, Oklahoma!, Les Miserables) Dale Soules (Grey Gardens) and Joan Barber (Man of La Mancha)
Theatre St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues)
Oct. 12, 9pm; Oct. 13, 1pm; Oct. 17, 9pm; Oct. 18, 4pmUnder Fire
Book and Lyrics by Barry Harman; Music by Grant Sturiale
Set in the late 1970s during the bloody revolution in El Mirador, a Central American country lies
under the heel of the ruthless dictator Tacho. Russell Price, a young American photojournalist, is swept up in the maelstrom and embarks on a search for the mysterious rebel leader Rafael-whom no one has ever photographed. As Price makes his way into the heart of darkness, he encounters people working on both sides of the struggle, all with different and shadowy agendas...
With Jack Noseworthy (Sweet Smell of Success, Jerome Robbins' Broadway), John Herrera (Drood), James DePaiva ("One Life to Live")
Theatre St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues)
Oct. 12, 5pm Special Events, Concerts & ReadingsCount To Ten
Book by Michael Blevins; Lyrics by Michael Blevins and Beth Clary;
Music by Michael Blevins, Scott Knipe, Bruce Sacks and David Wollenberger
A tap-dancing writer's Broadway ambitions are thwarted because his new musical lacks a real love story. Forced to develop the show at a performing arts camp full of spoiled, rich, and (in some cases) neglected stars of tomorrow, he finds he can no longer dance around his issues and learns to open up his heart. A cross-generational, all-dancing, upbeat musical everyone can "tap" into!
Theatre St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues)
Oct. 15, 8pm; Oct. 16, 1pm; Oct. 17, 5pm
Added performance: October 16, 5 PMDeep Cover
Book, Music and Lyrics by Michael Wolk
There's love, laughter, rock ‘n' roll and murder on Bleecker Street! Rex Ryan is a has-been rocker with a struggling bar and a volatile romance with Broadway and cabaret veteran Melody Reinhart. One night, a young, talented singer walks in, igniting long dead hopes and passions. But with her comes a hustler who sees Rex as his ticket to the big time. For the scheme to succeed, though, Rex must die...
With Andy Kelso (Mamma Mia)
Musical direction by Larry Pressgrove ([title of show]
Sweet Caroline's (322 W. 45th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct 12, 8:30pm; Oct 15, 8:30pm; Oct 16, 8:30pm; Oct 17, 2pm; Oct 17 6pm Live! Nude! Girl!
Book and Lyrics by Donna Kaz; Music by Wayne Barker
What if a 1950's Midwestern housewife got so sick of making meatloaf every Tuesday night that she snapped and ran away to Las Vegas? What if her mother could drink like Dean and her daughter could entertain like Sammy? And what if this housewife went from the silent and submissive bottom to the tough, impulsive and calculated top of the heap? Live! Nude! Girl! tells the story of a once-in-a-lifetime chance to break out of a rut into something original and cool.
With Mary Testa (Tony noms for 42nd Street and On the Town; Xanadu), Bradley Dean (Spamalot)
A NYMF Developmental Series Reading Presentation
45th Street Theater (354 West 45th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct. 15, 1pm; Oct. 15, 4:30pm
Punk Princess
Book and Lyrics by Yasmine Lever; Music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald
When rebellious blue blood Clare can't get accepted into the early ‘80s London post-punk music scene, she escapes to Manhattan with American hustler Andy. Together, they reinvent her past as a "Watford slumdog" and launch Clare into musical stardom. But as things spiral out of control, she risks losing everything when Andy finally threatens to expose the Punk Princess's true roots.
With Our Lady J
Directed by Jackson Gay (The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow)
A NYMF Developmental Series Reading Presentation
Theatre St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues)
Oct. 14, 4pm; Oct. 14, 8pmEducational SeriesNext to Normal: A Journey from NYMF to Broadway
Moderator: Isaac Robert Hurwitz (Executive Director & Producer, NYMF)
Guests: Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey (Next to Normal)
The hit musical Next To Normal has taken Broadway by storm, but the road to success has not always been easy for creators Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey. After numerous revisions and workshops, Next To Normal has evolved into the heart-wrenching story of a dysfunctional suburban family struggling in the face of psychological illness, love and loss. Join the Tony-award winning team in an exclusive interview discussing Next To Normal's journey from a bold idea to a Broadway smash.
Barnes & Noble (1972 Broadway)
Oct. 15, 5pmNYMF @ NITE
In Therapy With Celine
Book by Evan Storey; Featuring the Music of Celine Dion
Join in the hilarity of a 50-minute therapy session of woe and heartache with a sex-starved head case (played by Christina Cataldo) belting hits such as "All By myself," "I Drove All Night," "The Power of Love," "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" and many, many more.
Sweet Caroline's (322 W. 45th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct 13, 8:30pm
TICKETS: $15 plus a 1-drink minimum Sing, But Don't Tell
Words by Sam Carner; Music by Derek Gregor; Directed by Igor Goldin
Irreverent, soulful, and insightful, Sing, But Don't Tell explores the many eccentricities of isolation and connection in the modern city. An evening of original songs by Carner and Gregor and directed by Igor Goldin (Unlock'd, NYMF 2007 - "Best In Fest," Talkin' Broadway "Best Original Theatrical Score" and "Best Musical"), Sing, But Don't Tell combines glorious harmonies and musical comedy with elements of progressive rock to weave together the musical stories of five New Yorkers, as they struggle to break habits, get out of ruts, and shed their urban armor.
Sweet Caroline's (322 W. 45th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct 18, 6pm
TICKETS: $15 plus a 1-drink minimumROOMS Album Launch Party
Straight from its critically acclaimed Off-Broadway run at New World Stages, we bring you the ROOMS A Rock Romance album promo party. Enjoy live performances of songs from ROOMS and hear tracks from the forthcoming Time-Life cast album. ROOMS features music and lyrics by Paul Scott Goodman (Bright Lights Big City) and book by Paul Scott Goodman and Miriam Gordon. www.RoomsMusical.com
Sweet Caroline's (322 W. 45th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues
Oct 14, 8:30pm
TICKETS: $15 plus a 1-drink minimum ?
NYMF Closing Night
Hoist a glass or three as we toast an unforgettable three weeks of new musicals at our free closing night party. The 2009 festiVal May be ending but the fun lives on as you mingle with new friends and old.
Sweet Caroline's (322 W. 45th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Oct 18, 8:30pm
TICKETS: Free for NYMF Members and PatronsPartner EventJim Caruso's Cast Party
Jim Caruso's Cast Party, the wildly popular weekly soiree, brings a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and glamour to the legendary Birdland in New York City. Every Monday night showbiz superstars hit the stage alongside up-and-comers, creating an impromptu variety show with jaw-dropping music and general razzle-dazzle. The buoyant, sharp and charming Caruso guides the entire affair, and the audience is invited to participate in the musical fun. It's the party that would happen if somehow David Letterman and Ed Sullivan threw a hip house party around a nine-foot concert grand piano. CBS-TV called it "Extreme Open Mic!" For more information, go to www.CastPartyNYC.com.
Birdland (315 West 44th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues)
WHEN: October 12 at 9:30pm
TICKETS: $10 cover plus a 1-drink minimum
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