Photo Flash: Sneak Peak - In Rehearsal with NYMF's ACADEMIA NUTS

The hysterical new musical Academia Nuts has been selected to kick off the first week of the celebrated New York Musical Theatre Festival with performances from July 9-13, 2014 at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street). Academia Nuts has book and lyrics by Becca Anderson & Dan Marshall, and music by Julian Blackmore, with direction by Thomas Caruso, musical direction by Martyn Axe, and choreography by Ryan Kasprzak. It is produced by Charissa Bertels in association with CAP21 Theatre Company. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal!

It's the National High School Quizbowl Championship! Dreamy-eyed brainiac Maggie McCutter hopes to win a scholarship so she can escape her controlling mother. Maggie's world is hilariously turned upside down when she falls for Tyler O'Neil, a football-loving opponent from rival team, the Walla Walla Walruses. As she's torn between the family she's got and the friendship she's found, will Maggie's trivial pursuits be in jeopardy? Academia Nuts is the uproarious nerd-rock musical everyone will be buzzing about!

Academia Nuts is the recipient of the coveted Kevin Spacey Foundation: America grant (www.kevinspaceyfoundation.com) which supports emerging artists to develop creative projects in the performing arts or film.

The cast includes: Alyse Alan Louis (Broadway: Mamma Mia!; Encores: Bells Are Ringing), Alison Lea Bender(NYMF's Requiem for a Lost Girl), Todd Cerveris (Broadway: South Pacific; Twentieth Century), Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q: Tony/Drama Desk nominations, Theatre World Award, OCC Ensemble Award), Khris Davis (Tour: Motown: The Musical), Alexander Ferguson (NYMF's Swiss Family Robinson; National Tour: Teacher from the Black Lagoon), Melody Madarasz (Mr Chickees Funny Money, Atlantic Theater); Will Roland (The Black Suits); andJennifer Simard (Drama Desk Nomination Disaster!. Broadway: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; Shrek; Sister Act). Creative team includes: James J. Fenton (Scenic Design), Sam Gordon (Lighting Design), Patricia Doherty (Costume Design), Andrew Keister (Sound Design), and Bryan Prywes (Props Design).

The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center is located at 480 West 42nd Street. Performances run: Wednesday, July 9, 2014 at 8:00 pm; Thursday, July 10, 2014 at 1:00 pm; Friday, July 11, 2014 at 9:00 pm; Saturday, July 12, 2014 at 5:00 pm; Sunday, July 13, 2014 at 8:00 pm. Running Time: 120 Minutes. Tickets, which are $25, are available now for NYMF Members and Patrons and will be on sale to the general public beginning June 16. For more information on Academia Nuts, visit academianutsthemusical.com or nymf.org.

Photo Credit: Micah Joel