New York Theatre Barn's The Choreography Lab Continues Tonight

In the September installment of New York Theatre Barn's The Choreography Lab, three choreographers will present new production numbers created in conjunction with three composer/lyricists. The salon begins at 6:30pm at ART/NY Studios, Spaces @ 520 (520 8th Avenue, 3rd Floor, Studio B). Doors open at 6:15pm tonight. This event is free, but kindly RSVP to: ChoreoLab@NYTheatreBarn.org

Featured choreographers and songwriters include: Lisa Kuhnen and Jay Alan Zimmerman, James Harkness and Michael Cooper, and Rachel Lauria and Jared Field. The evening is conceived and curated by Avital Asuleen.

In a salon atmosphere, The Choreography Lab will create an opportunity for choreographers to present choreography at all stages of development to a group of peers. We wish to support and offer emerging musical theatre choreographers an arena to develop their storytelling abilities. The Lab also aims to build working relationships between choreographers and musical theater composers, librettists, and directors. Ultimately, these relationships will enable choreographers to collaborate with other emerging artists at early stages of the creative process.

AVITAL ASULEEN (Conceiver/Curator) Is so pleased to be collaborating with New York Theatre Barn on the development of The Choreography Lab. Favorite recent projects include Jasper in Deadland (Associate Choreographer, Prospect Theater Company), RatPack Undead (Choreographer, Cooper Jordan Ent.), Rags (Choreographer, Beautiful Soup Theater Company), Teacher From The Black Lagoon (Assistant Director, Theatreworks USA), and Nymph Errant (Assistant Director/Choreographer, Prospect Theater Company). She also observed choreographer Randy Skinner on his production of Gentleman Prefer Blondes (Encores!, City Center). Concert Dance: Steps on Broadway, Dance New Amsterdam, Green Space Studios, and in the Undertoe Dance Festival, Avital has also performed at Westchester Broadway Theater, Surflight Theater, La Comedia Theater, The Broward Stage Door, and at Reagle Music Theater. Avital is currently creating Ephemera - a new site-specific piece of dance theater, and will be in the upcoming national tour of A Christmas Story. www.Asuleen.com

MICHAEL COOPER (Composer/Lyricist) is a MAC Award nominee, 2005 Jonathan Larson Award Winner. Sunfish (Co-Book/Lyrics), top honors at DIMF, South Korea; Stoneham Theatre, MA (Broadwayworld Award Best Musical); 2010 ASCAP Workshop; 2006 NAMT Festival. It Shoulda Been You (Additional Lyrics), George Street Playhouse. Rites of Passage, Museum Pieces, The Dome (Prospect Theater Company). NEO5, ASCAP Johnny Mercer Songwriting Project, Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals, NYTB New Works Series. www.michaelcoopermusicandlyrics.com

JARED FELD (Composer) is a composer, music educator and clarinetist. He wrote the music for Always, Rachel, which was an official selection of the New York Musical Theatre Festival's developmental reading program this past summer. Jared received his BA in Music Composition from Brandeis University, where he earned Highest Honors and graduated Summa Cum Laude. He currently teaches composition lessons to non-majors at Teachers College, where he is pursuing a Masters in Music Education. www.jaredfieldmusic.com

JAMES HARKNESS (Director/ Choreographer) Is ecstatic about being able to take another step along his artistic journey. He has worked as a choreographer on many platforms from Las Vegas with Billboard chart topping recording artist Kristine W, stage revue shows, music videos, to his first independent film "The Mend". He has choreographed productions of The Color Purple and The Wiz regionally. He has had the amazing opportunity to assist on Broadway shows Leap Of Faith and Memphis. . Also is an accomplished performer with several Broadway shows, national tours and regional performances under his belt, currently on Broadway in "Beautiful." To view more of his work, visit his YouTube channel Jklh37.

RACHEL LAURIA (Choreographer) is an up and coming choreographer, singer, actor, dancer, and songwriter here in NYC. She is an active member of the creative team and one of the choreographers of the Command Performance Broadway Intensive. She recently acted as the assistant choreographer with Steven Cardona on a new workshop production. Other choreography credits include Legally Blonde the Musical, The Sound of Music, and The Wiz.

JAY ALAN ZIMMERMAN (Composer-Author-Multimedia Artist) JAY ALAN ZIMMERMAN'S INCREDIBLY DEAF MUSICAL-MSD Little Theater & The Duke on 42nd (NAMT finalist 2014, Theater League Award); ART/SONG-chashama Times Square; WINDOW MUSIC-NY Academy of Medicine. New Dramatists Composer-Librettist Studio resident 2013, NY Theater Workshop Fellowship finalist 2014. Upcoming: ROBOTICUS w/NY Theatre Barn in Times Square.