Photo Flash: Write Act Repertory's Producing Artistic Director John Lant to present LILI MARLENE

Write Act Repertory's Producing Artistic Director John Lant is pleased to present the off-Broadway East Coast premiere of LILI MARLENE, a new musical about a family's escape from the rising tide of Nazism, with book, music and lyrics by Michael Antin and directed and choreographed by Mark Blowers.

The production will preview on Tuesday, July 25 at 7:00 p.m. and open on Tuesday, August 1 at 7:00 p.m. Performances then run Tuesdays at 7 p.m. through October 10 at St. Luke's Theatre, located at 308 West 46th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues). Tickets cost between $20 and $99 and can be purchased through Telecharge at https://www.telecharge.com/Off-Broadway or by calling (212) 239-6200. For more information, please visit https://stlukestheatre.com or www.facebook.com/writeactrepertory.

The musical love story of Rosie Penn, a famous, Jewish cabaret singer, and Count Hans Wilhelm von Kleister Graff, LILI MARLENE is set in Berlin during the last year of the Weimar Republic and at the beginning of the Third Reich period. As the dark clouds of Nazism loom, the Count, as the head of the passport bureau of the German foreign ministry, helps the German cultural and scientific elite escape from the country, and he, his family and Rosie must decide where their futures lie.

Michael Antin (Composer, Bookwriter, Lyricist). Retiring after 45 years of practice as a tax lawyer, Michael has devoted himself to music and the theatre. His teaching experience, as a Visiting Professor of law, at Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California Berkeley, and in numerous countries of central Europe, brings a special perspective to his playwriting. Michael played five instruments and student conducted the All-Southern California High School Orchestra before even getting to high school. Upon entering UCLA he joined the choir conducted by Rodger Wagner and moved on to the Chorale. He was the only non-music major admitted to the music honorary fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Michael left music behind when he enteRed Law school. When he retired in March 2008 from the practice of tax law, he resumed piano lessons and joined a choir. His piano teacher motivated him to write lyrics and to compose, resulting in a proliferation of songs. A cabaret singer heard some of his work and motivated Michael to write what became his first musical, Answer the Call. Additional experiences in getting to know people led to the further development and productions of the musicals Butterfly, Sophia, Renewal, and Pillars of New York.

John Lant (Producing Artistic Director) is a 35-year veteran in the entertainment industry and has been involved in over 600 television, film, music tours, and theatrical productions as a creative director, consultant, and/or above the line entity. An award-winning producer, director, writer, lighting and set designer, John has mounted productions at Cal Arts, Ricardo Montalban, Powerhouse, Glendale Center, Hollywood Playhouse, Long Beach Playhouse, the Jewel Box Theatres and Write Act Repertory. His work and productions garnered DramaLogue, Diamond, ADA Awards, and Garland, ADA and NAACP nominations, as well as LA Weekly and Backstage Picks of the Week. John worked with Jonathan Sanger at Chanticleer Films, on two shorts that won an Emmy and an Oscar, and mentored under Howard Storm. Scripts he has developed include Children's TV Pilots "Symphology," "Carrot Talk," and cable-themed "Anonymous Confessions", and several adapted musicals. John received the California Service Award from the State Legislature for his Community Outreach and Service to the Arts in 2000, 2001, 2008 and 2009. In NYC, he is current Production Manager at Carnegie Hall, and on down time redesigns, redevelops and refurbishes theatres including the upstairs Davenport Theatre, Elektra Theatre, Times Square Arts Center Theatres, the Richmond Shepard, and a new exciting project Summer 2017, refurbishing an old off-Broadway in the Theatre District to its old glory. John's 30-week off-Broadway production of FABULOUS! The Queen of Musicals! was recently licensed through Steele Rights. This past year he produced 2 off-Broadway Shows at St. Luke's Theatre: Equity production of 2 By Tennessee Williams and the new musical Pillars of New York. Current Producing Artistic Director of Write Act Repertory and Founding Member of newly formed N.M.C.L.O. (New Musical Civic Light Opera), concentrating on the development of Second Stage full musical workshop / productions for off-Broadway shows, and is also the Director of Development for Twisted Media NYC.

Featured in the cast are Charles Baran, Louie Bartolomeo, Rebecca Brunelle, Nicholas-Tyler Corbin, James David Dirck, Audrey Federici, Alexandra Gonzalez, Clint Hromsco, Rachel Leighson, Amy Londyn, Matt Mitchell, Kevin Paley, Jacob Rice, Elle Rigg and Stephanie Michele Toups.

Music Direction and Arrangements are by Rocco Vitacco. Jim Blanchette is the production's Dramaturg, Krista Swan is Associate Producer, and Liz Howell the Production Manager. Casting by Tamra Pica Casting. Additional Producers: Tamra Pica & Write Act Repertory.

The Los Angeles production of the musical in March/April 2017 was nominated for a total of eight VAlley Theatre Awards (Best Play Musical; Best Director of Musical; Best Writing of a Musical; Outstanding Actor in a Musical; Outstanding Actress in a Musical; two for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical and Featured Actress in a Musical) and won for Outstanding Actress in a Musical - Amy Londyn.

Photo Credit: Lou Vitacco