O'Connell, Hickok, Etc. Set for Love Kills at NYMF

Kyle Jarrow's Love Kills, "a new emo musical," takes a shot at the New York Musical Theatre Festival beginning performances at the 45th Street Theatre beginning September 18.

The show will star Deidre O'Connell (New York Shakespeare Festival 'Tis Pity She's a Whore) as Gertrude Karnopp, John Hickok (Little Women) as Merle Karnopp, Marisa Rhodes (2006 "American Idol") as Caril Ann Fugate and Eli Schneider (Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone at BTF) as Charlie Starkweather.

"Nebraska, 1958: the world is closing in on Charlie Starkweather and Caril Fugate, teenage lovers charged with committing eleven murders in the course of a week," describe press notes, "Under pressure to confess by dawn, facts blur and loyalties shift, and the question remains: how far will you go for someone you love? Based on the true story that inspired the films Badlands and Natural Born Killers, this world-premiere emo rock musical by OBIE Award-winning playwright Kyle Jarrow explores the intersection of love and desire."

Kyle Jarrow (music, lyrics, book) is a Brooklyn-based writer and musician. He won an OBIE Award at age 24 for his Off-Broadway hit A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant, which also had a successful run in Los Angeles in fall 2004 and returned to NYC (as well as productions in Boston, and Atlanta) in winter 2006. Kyle's follow-up play Armless won the Overall Excellence Award at the New York International Fringe Festival, and productions of his plays President Harding is a Rock Star and Gorilla Man played in NYC to critical acclaim.

Joining Jarrow are Jason Southerland (director, producer), Nathan Leigh (musical director, arranger, sound design), James Williston (set, technical director), Matt Guminski (lighting) and Sydney Maresca (costumes).

The New York Musical Theatre Festival is the enormously popular three-week celebration that features the works of the newest generation of musical theatre writers and takes over midtown each fall with a slate of more than 30 full productions and some 100 special events, including readings, workshops, concerts, parties, seminars and master classes.  The largest musical theatre event in the world, the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) has, in three short years, presented a total of 99 new musicals, many of which have gone on to subsequent productions at Off-Broadway and regional theatres around the country. 

The New York Musical Theatre Festival runs September 17 through October 7.  For more information or tickets, calls 212-352-3101 or visit www.nymf.org or visit the TheatreMania booth at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square.

Love Kills performances at the 45th Street Theater are: Tuesday, September 18 at 8PM; Friday, September 21 at 1PM; Sunday, September 23 at 4:30PM; Wednesday, September 26 at 8PM; Friday, September 28 at 1PM; and Saturday, September 29 at 8PM.  For more information visit www.lovekillsthemusical.com.