Perez Hilton and Leslie Kritzer Join Cast of NEWSICAL Today, September 8

Gossip columnist Perez Hilton and Broadway's Leslie Kritzer join the cast of Rick Crom's off-Broadway musical revue, NEWSical the Musical, for four weeks only beginning today, September 8th.

From John Travolta, Anderson Cooper, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes to the national fight for marriage equality and the 2012 Presidential Election, NEWSical the Musical sets all of today's biggest news and pop culture headlines to song.

With Hilton's and Kritzer's arrivals, award-winning composer-lyricist Crom will add new satirical spoofs to the show including a Chick-fil-A number and a song about the phenomenon of Perez Hilton that will be performed by the man himself. Preview performances begin today, September 8th. The opening night press performance will be Monday, September 17th.

"Dreams do come true, if you believe. And I BELIEVE, big time!" says Perez Hilton from his Los Angeles home. "I am beyond thrilled, nervous and zen about making my New York theater debut. It's gonna be a wild ride in a show that guarantees to put smiles on people's faces. It will be no holds barred Pure unadulterated fun I expect to have the time of my life and look forward to hugging happy theatergoers after each show " "What do you do when your show needs to sell tickets? You bring in a celebrity," says producer Tom D'Angora of his decision to add Perez Hilton to NEWSical the Musical. "Perez Hilton was the perfect choice because our show is basically the musical version of his highlarious website. If you are a daily reader of Perez like I've been since 2007, you know how funny and charismatic he is. We couldn't be more excited to welcome him as the newest member of our talented cast."

Leslie recently starred in the Kander/Ebb revue First You Dream at the Kennedy Center and A Letter to Harvey Milk at NYMF (Best Individual performance award). Broadway credits include Sondheim on Sondheim, A Catered Affair (Drama Desk Nomination), Legally Blonde (Clerence Derwent Award for Most Promising Performer) and Hairspray. She received critical acclaim and a Time Out New York Award for her sold-out Joe's Pub run of Leslie Kritzer Is Patti LuPone at Les Mouches (a performance she repeated at The Plush Room in San Francisco). Off-Broadway and regional credits include NEWSical, Every Tongue Confess (Arena Stage), The Memory Show and Guys & Dolls (Barrington Stage Company), Rooms (Outer Critic Circle Nomination), On The Town (Encores!), The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Drama Desk Nomination), Bat Boy, Godspell, Pop!, Broadway: Three Generations (Kennedy Center), Cabaret, Born Yesterday, the world premiere of Vanities, Urinetown (National Tour), Evita and an acclaimed "Fanny Brice" in Funny Girl. She has performed at London's Royal Albert Hall as a guest soloist honoring Tim Rice and Alan Menken and can be heard on several cast recordings. Film credits include "17 Photos of Isabel." Television credits include Law & Order SVU" (NBC) "3LBS" (CBS) and "Jason and Jessica"(HBO). She recently did her new solo show Beautiful Disaster at Joe's Pub.

NEWSical the Musical is the ever-evolving, completely un-sanitized musical mockery of all the news that's fit to spoof. The Associated Press calls it "The Daily Show set to music " The show was named Best New Musical of 2011 by the Off Broadway Alliance. Infectious melodies, razor-sharp lyrics, biting satire and more unpredictability than a Courtney Love tweet make NEWSical a laugh-filled, high octane musical revue of all the most talked-about headlines of the day.

In addition to Hilton and Kritzer, NEWSical the Musical features Christine Pedi (Forbidden Broadway, Talk Radio), Christina Bianco (Drama Desk nominee, Forbidden Broadway), Michael West (Forbidden Broadway, When Pigs Fly), Tommy Walker (Evil Dead The Musical), Amy Griffin (How the Grinch Stole Christmas) and Ryan Knowles (host of Nickelodeon's ME:TV). Composer Rick Crom has appeared on Broadway in Urinetown, Footloose and The Goodbye Girl and on FX's critically - acclaimed series "Louie" starring comedian Louis C.K.

NEWSical is directed by Mark Waldrop (When Pigs Fly, My Deah, Inventing Avi, Papermill Playhouse's Gypsy). Rounding out the creative team are Ed Goldschneider (music director), Jason Courson (set designer), Josh Starr (lighting designer) and Scott Delacruz (stage manager). NEWSical the Musical is produced by Tom D'Angora.

NEWSical the Musical plays at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). Tickets are $85 - $110 and can be purchased through Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 279-4200 or (800) 432-7250. For performance schedule and more information, visit www.NEWSicalthemusical.com.