New York Musical Theatre Festival 2015 Launches Today; Full Lineup!

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) recently announced its full lineup of productions, readings, and concerts for NYMF 2015. From today, July 7, to July 27, NYMF 2015 will present almost two dozen productions of new musicals, including the newly announced Passing By and Summer Valley Fair. In addition, NYMF 2015 will also feature staged readings and the debut of brand new concerts.

Visit nymf.org/tickets for tickets and more information.

Recently announced selections for NYMF 2015 productions are:

PASSING BY

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Patrick Thompson

Sometimes you have to leave home to find home. Set in the small rural town of Jacksonia, Wisconsin, PASSING BY follows the relationship of Jenny Zimmermann, an ambitious writer, and Edison Wolters, a young man who works on his family's farm. The two have grown up together and now, as they are graduating from high school, they must decide what comes next. Will they plan a life together or follow their own separate dreams? Backed by a contemporary folk band, PASSING BY is rich with floating melodies, lively rhythms, and memorable songs.

SUMMER VALLEY FAIR

Created by Dylan Frederick

Does a tree fall if no one uploads it? At Summer Valley Fair you can be anyone you want to be... right? Aching for more than the blue glow of 432 friends, one sixteen-year-old girl trades the safety of her attic for roller coaster screams, laser light nights, boys who might be real, and supermoon girls who definitely aren't. SUMMER VALLEY FAIR is the great hope that even without uploading, we can sing ourselves into existence.

In addition to full productions, NYMF 2015 will host the following staged readings:

BALLOON BOY: THE MUSICAL

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Billy Recce

They built the balloon. We inflated it. Inspired by the infamous media sensation known as the "Balloon Boy," this musical, written by 17-year-old Billy Recce, imagines the answer to the timeless question of "Why did a Colorado father say his son was in a homemade weather balloon that soared across the state?" This tale of irreverent, celebrity-spoofing, sky-high hilarity looks at how far a man will go to achieve fame in a country obsessed with the spotlight, and just how bright that spotlight can be before it burns a hole in his family.

DAUGHTER OF THE WAVES

Book by Eileen Connolly, Music and Lyrics by Kat Blackwood, with traditional folk music

The world fell apart. Love put it back together. On the windswept coast of Ireland, a traveling circus troupe smuggles Jewish refugees out of Nazi Europe. DAUGHTER OF THE WAVES is a true untold tale of survival and hope, traditional Irish music, popular big band radio classics, and original indie-rock and folk songs. The heart of the show is a love story cut short by war, mirrored in a rehearsal of the Selkie myth - a magical seal who transforms for the love a girl, and pays with his life.

DAY OF WRATH

Book, Music and Lyrics by Eric B. Sirota

Without love, what is life? Based on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, DAY OF WRATH is a musical with a sweeping romantic score, about the human need for love and companionship. God's creation is not perfect; Man's creation is even more flawed. What is our responsibility for the consequences of our work and its effect on humanity? What is Victor Frankenstein's responsibility to his creation, itself a living, feeling and thinking being?

ILLA, A HIP HOP MUSICAL

Book and Lyrics by Ronvé O'Daniel; Music by Jevares C. Myrick

iLLA: /il?/ adjective. Exceedingly ill. Greater than. More superior. "His beat is ill, but mine is illa." Robert Perry's quest for swagger and self love while overcoming struggle. As a classically trained dancer with dreams of becoming a rap star, he is battling against today's racial climate while navigating relationships with his dysfunctional family. He strives to be better. He strives to be cooler. He strives to be ILLA.

INTO THE SUN

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Michael Gubser & Paolo Prandoni

Beyond war, love endures. INTO THE SUN follows the saga of three young English friends as they go off to the trenches of World War I, and the impact of that war has on them, their families, and their lovers. The characters move from initial enthusiasm for war to disillusionment - and for the male and female protagonist, open protest. A number of the songs feature lyrics from famous poets who fought as soldiers in the Great War. Coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the war, INTO THE SUN dramatizes conflicts as potent in today's time of war as they were a century ago.

RAILS

Music and Lyrics by Tom Kenaston; Book and Lyrics by Tom Paitson Kelly

Sometimes to move forward, you have to backtrack a little. Memories fade, days disappear, and dreams get shelved. But none of that matters...if you have the right storyteller. Hours before her move to a nursing home, Maggie's grandson conducts her on one last fantastical journey through the stories of her own life. Brimming with humor, heart, and soaring melodies, RAILS is at once a sweeping tale of four generations of an American family, and an intimate portrait of two people trying to remember who they are.

SCARLET

Book, Music and Lyrics by Michelle Horgen

Sometimes we find ourselves when we lose our way. Soaring melodies weave this story of star-crossed lovers, betrayal, guilt and the search for redemption. Inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Michelle Horgen's SCARLET retells the classic story through the eyes of the lovers and their child. Lauded for music and book alike at Merry Go Round Theater's 2014 Festival "The Pitch," SCARLET is a timeless story of the search for meaning in a complicated world, and the unquenchable human capacity to love.

THE GOLD

By Andrea Lepcio & Philip Yosowitz; Music and Lyrics by Philip Yosowitz

Joseph Cohen is a man who is fighting for the gold. In this sweeping historical fiction, THE GOLD, A New Musical, Joseph is a Jewish German boxer whose ambition is to win the Munich Olympics of 1936. However, the gold for which Joseph fights transforms from an Olympic medal into the fight for everything he values in life. THE GOLD is testimony to the resilience of the human spirit. Its title alludes both to the coveted Olympic prize and to the journey of self-discovery that each of us take in our quest for purpose and value in our lives.

THE GUIDE TO BEING SINGLE

Book by Kaitlin Gilgenbach; Music and Lyrics by Alexi Kovin

Rule #24 -- You can't have your wedding cake and eat it too. Unlucky in love twenty-somethings conclude the solution to their relationship problems is to stay single, as they mingle through the bars of Wrigleyville. THE GUIDE TO BEING SINGLE, a new book from an anonymous author, gives you twenty-five simple rules for screwing without getting screwed: You never call or text. You always go to their place. And most importantly, you never break the rules. But what if the fun of rules is breaking them?

THE RUNAWAY CLONE

Book and Lyrics by Pam Eberhardt; Music by Jonathan Brenner

A futuristic adventure for the battle of clone justice. Welcome to the year 2250 where our beloved Agency has perfected cloning to fill the void inside your hearts. Single and lonely? Dead loved one got you down? Fear not...there are a ton of clones for you to choose from! They're right in your backyard and they take Mastercard.

WINDYWOO AND HER NAUGHTY NAUGHTY PETS

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Wendy Ann Gardner

WINDYWOO AND HER NAUGHTY NAUGHTY PETS is a children's musical that will delight viewers of all ages. In this jazz-infused show, Windywoo is devastated to learn that her beloved apartment building is being sold to a huge real-estate developer. Their neighborhood is changing fast, and the building owner wants them out! But where will they go? With The Big Apple as their background, Windywoo and her Pets learn that change is inevitable, but against all odds they band together to stand up for themselves, their town, and what's really important.

NYMF 2015's concerts will include:

ARE YOU THERE, MORGAN FREEMAN?

Created by Brittany Velotta

The voice of God never sounded so good. The Mo Show chronicles one woman's journey with reincarnation as she finds the meaning of self love. She is accompanied by the dulcet tones of Morgan Freeman, her Jiminy Cricket-esque conscience. The show is a unique compilation of a song cycle and cabaret act, but more than anything, it tells a great story of self-acceptance. She journeys from a 1920's serial killer burlesque dancer, into a hopeless romantic living a grim fairytale in the 1950's, followed by a 1970's hippie lesbian drummer chick on a mission to find free love.

JOEY CONTRERAS IN CONCERT

Music and Lyrics by Joey Contreras

A musical pop event. Award-winning and iTunes Pop Charting songwriter Joey Contreras brings his brand of musical pop to NYMF. Inspired by the spectacle of award show performances, this one-night only concert will present Joey's catchy and emotionally charged music in a way it's never been heard before. The evening will also feature a host of special guests including Broadway's Natalie Weiss & Ben Fankhauser. Don't miss out on experiencing this exciting new voice on the scene!

THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE

Book by Jeremiah Parker Hobbs & Jessica De Maria; Music and Lyrics by Jeremiah Parker Hobbs

THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, an intimate new folk rock musical, transports us to a world of dimly lit bars in which a single moment can be transformed into a lingering memory by no more than a guitar and a mic. Jacob, a singer-songwriter on a path toward superstardom, struggles to make sense of the big moments in his life - most notably the end of his relationship with Grace, a passionate woman fascinated by a romance from the past. Two other performers weave the stories of other couples into this powerful blend of music, love letters and poetry.

TIM REALBUTO: WUNDERKIND

Conceived and Written by Tim Realbuto

Life happens, right? Former child "star" and current NYC-based award-winning writer and performer Tim Realbuto (The Sopranos, The Emperor's Club) returns to NYMF in this deeply personal, hilarious, and poignant show based on his life growing up in showbusiness. After touring WUNDERKIND throughout NYC (including sold out runs at Joe's Pub and 54 Below) and across the country, Tim brings his newest (and final) version of the show to NYMF, where his musical Ghostlight premiered in 2011. Expect an evening full of original songs, covers, and special guests.

TO HELL AND BACK

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Joel B. New

Inspired by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, this indie-rock album musical follows a broken songwriter on a madcap cab ride into a soundless world to save his muse from the hands of a lonely fangirl. Set in a heightened version of late 90's Nebraska, TO HELL AND BACK is a story of love stronger than death, exploring such themes as loss, the hero complex, finding inspiration, and the wonderful fear of taking that first new step forward.

TO MARZ AND BACK: THE MUSIC OF STEVE MARZULLO

Music by Steve Marzullo, lyrics and poems by various writers

A cosmic musical trip. Join Marzullo and friends as they musically explore life, love, sex, and other worldly things in this staged concert of Steve Marzullo's music, with lyrics and poems by Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, W.B. Yeats, Katherine Lench Meyering, Amanda Yesnowitz, and many others. Directed by Joe Langworth.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: NYMF'S NEXT BROADWAY SENSATIONS IN CONCERT

Created by Kathryn Allison, Paul Ianniello, Joey Murray & Andrew Wheeler

NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation winner Kathryn Allison (Broadway's Aladdin) and 1st runner up Paul Ianniello team up for a one-night only concert event, UNDER CONSTRUCTION. An outrageously funny and diverse evening of song and stories, UNDER CONSTRUCTION celebrates what it is to be a living work in progress, both on and off the stage. Kathryn and Paul share the stage with surprise musical guests and a full band. Creative team includes director Joey Murray (The Broadway Dolls, Can-Can), and Musical Director Andrew Wheeler (Naked Boys Singing), who are both returning to The New York Musical Theatre Festival.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Book by Karen Mason & Barry Kleinbort; Music by Brian Lasser, Lyrics by Brian Lasser, Gary Gardner, Geoff Leon & Edward Dunne

Time heals all wounds...or almost. In her revelatory show, Broadway's Karen Mason offers a different riff on the age-old question, "Is it the singer or is it the song?" Namely: "Is it the singer...or is it the accompanist?" In this funny, tuneful and deeply moving portrait of friendship and recovery, Karen explores her sixteen-year relationship with her musical director/arranger, Brian Lasser, whose life was tragically cut short in the 1990s. Co-written with Barry Kleinbort, UNFINISHED BUSINESS is an unforgettable theatrical experience set to a throbbing musical beat.

WENDY'S SHADOW

Book by Jason Cannon; Music and Lyrics by David Maglione & Tomas Ruiz

The mischievous and magical adventure of Peter Pan is retold from Wendy's modern-day perspective with a contemporary folk/rock score. With Book by Jason Cannon and Music and Lyrics by David Maglione & Tomas Ruiz, WENDY'S SHADOW takes the audience back to the Neverland - where dreams are born, and time is never planned - and asks if it's ever possible to leave the one you loved.

WHERE ALL THE RIVERS GO TO SLEEP

Book and Lyrics by Kate Manning; Music by Jesse Gelber

If love is a transaction, can it be given freely? In Storyville, New Orleans, young prostitute Cora Covington falls in love with Apolline Albert, a beautiful Creole woman, and draws her into a life of prostitution. When Apolline's husband returns from up North and wants her back, a desperate Cora will do anything to keep her from leaving. This special concert event will feature a 12-piece orchestra playing a score reflective of American music as operetta, ragtime, tango, and blues meet in a brothel at the dawn of jazz.

The previously announced lineup for NYMF 2015 includes twenty new musicals: 210 Amlent Avenue, Acappella, Claudio Quest, Deep Love: A Ghostly Rock Opera, Foolerie, HeadVoice, Held Momentarily, Manuel versus the Statue of Liberty, Moses Man, Napoleon, Pope! An Epic Musical, Real Men, a musical for guys and the women who put up with them; Single Wide, Songs for the Fallen, Spot on the Wall, The Calico Buffalo, The Cobalteans, Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera, Wearing Black, and What Do Critics Know? NYMF 2015 will take place from July 7, 2015 to July 27, 2015.

Tickets for NYMF 2015 go on sale June 15. NYMF Passes are now on sales and offer discounted tickets, early ticket booking, and priority seating. NYMF Passholder ticket booking will begin June 1. Visit nymf.org/tickets for more information.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival nurtures the creation, production, and public presentation of stylistically, thematically, and culturally diverse new musicals to ensure the future vitality of musical theatre.

Now in its twelfth 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 theatre fans. More than 90 Festival shows have gone on to productions on and Off-Broadway, in regional theaters in all 50 states, and in more than 20 countries worldwide. Festival alumni have received a wide array of awards including the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize. In 2013, NYMF received a special Drama Desk Award in recognition of its work "creating and nurturing new musical theatre, 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 is supported, in part, 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. For more information, visit www.nymf.org.