New York Theatre Barn in the D-Lounge Announces November Guests

On Monday, November14, 2011, New York Theatre Barn will present NYTB in the D-Lounge, a monthly platform for emerging musical theatre writers (now in its 4th year), at the Daryl Roth Theatre. The featured writers for the November 2011 installment of NYTB in the D-Lounge are James D. Sasser who will present selections from his new musical CUBAMOR, and Cody Wymore who will present selections from his new musical The Music of Erich Zann. Sasser and Wymore are both recent graduates of NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing program. Performers include Doreen Montalvo (In the Heights), Robi Hager (Bye, Bye Birdie, Spring Awakening), Gwen Hollander (Little Women), and more. Singer/Songwriter Zoe Sarnak performs between sets. Executive Producers for NYTB in the D-Lounge are Laura Brandel and Jason Najjoum.

The first set of the evening, Selections from The Music of Erich Zann and Other Songs by Cody Wymore, will feature selections from Wymore's new musical and more. The set features music & lyrics by Cody Wymore, with additional Lyrics by Jake Brandman, Jamie Cowperthwait, Rebekah Melocik, Jenny Stafford, and Liana Stillman. The presentation features Brad Giovanine, Robi Hager (Spring Awakening, Bye, Bye Birdie), Katie Lee Hill, Gwen Hollander (Little Women), Kenneth Kyle, Lorinda Lisitza (The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks), Shanna Richey, James D. Sasser (Forbidden Broadway, River Dance), and Rhett Wheeler. Cody Wymore's work stretches across a variety of styles and genres and does not limit itself to the traditional idea of what "Broadway" music has to be. He is as comfortable writing pop as he is writing classical, and always tries to bring out the dramatic tension in whatever piece he is working on. Most of the songs in the presentation reflect his ever-growing collection of cabaret pieces; some of the songs are world premieres! His new show, The Music of Erich Zann, with book by Jake Brandman and lyrics by Jamie Cowperthwait, is a genre-bending, psychological horror thriller based on an H.P. Lovecraft short story.

The second set of the evening, Selections from CUBAMOR and Other New Musicals by James D. Sasser, will feature selections from Sasser's new musical CUBAMOR, in addition to selections from First Flight: The Story of the Wright Brothers, Analoguy vs. Digitalworld, Hell's Kitchen Requiem (Lost City), & Olympus. The set features music and lyrics by James D. Sasser, with additional music by Kevin Velez and Charles Vincent Burwell and additional lyrics by Lt. Col. James Dilda (USAF-ret.). The presentation features Nabiyah Bashir, Charles Vincent Burwell, Sally Eidman, Doreen Montalvo (In the Heights), James D. Sasser (Forbidden Broadway, River Dance), Kevin Velez, and Nik Walker. Sasser's new musical CUBAMOR, based on the film of the same name by Joshua Bee Alafia, is the story of two American graduate students travel to present day Cuba, and despite differences in social, religious, and political ideologies, fall in love with two native Cubans. The lovers are challenged by each side's personal misconceptions and stereotypes about the other, and are guided by the spiritual presences of Elegua and Oshun, the Afro-Cuban Orisha of the crossroads and of love, respectively.

The November 2011 installment of NYTB in the D-Lounge will take place on Monday, November 14, 2011 at 7:30pm at the D-Lounge, located at the Daryl Roth Theatre, 101 East 15th St. (just east of Union Square). There is a $10 cover plus a 2-drink minimum. For more information and to learn more about New York Theatre Barn, visit: www.NYTheatreBarn.org.

Under the direction of Joe Barros (Producing Artistic Director) and Joy Lanceta (Managing Diretcor), New York Theatre Barn is a non-profit theatre company founded in 2007 and is dedicated to the investigation, development, and advancement of new works. Productions include the all-female musical I Married Wyatt Earp (59E59 Theaters/in partnership with Prospect Theater Co.) with Heather Mac Rae and Carolyn Mignini, the musical Wood (New York Musical Theatre Festival/Emily Miller) with Cady Huffman, and Bridget Bailey's award winning solo play Child of Hungry Times. New York Theatre Barn has been instrumental in the development of Adam Gwon's Ordinary Days, I Married Wyatt Earp, the musical parody Hey, You Know What Movie Would Make A Good Musical?, Hot Mess in Manhattan, R.R.R.E.D., and Welcome to My Life. NYTB is currently developing Speargrove Presents, a new musical conceived by the company about a conservative Texas high school's planned production of the musical Rent. New York Theatre Barn is a proud member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre.