Planet Connections Presents WYSIWYG The Musical

Colorado composer, April Alsup, announced today the selection of WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) the Musical, for the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. The work represents her first Off-Broadway performance run.

WYSIWYG is the story of a transgender woman who can live online as she truly is, without the ridicule she feels in society. With help from her therapy group, she must choose between the safe life she has created online and the unknown possibilities found in the real world.

"A lot of people navigate the world defined by others and feel empowered behind the anonymity of the internet", said April Alsup, who created the work. "Our show suggests that 'authenticity' is the key to a happier, healthier and more meaningful existence".

The show is being directed by Brandon Bill and staged in Colorado using Denver area talent. The cast consists of Randy Chalmers, Jessica Sotwick, Thomas Ilalaole and Tyler Gable. The Denver based team travels to Manhattan in mid-July to compete with a select group of theater companies from around the world.

"What an amazing opportunity! Not only is it a spectacular occasion for the troupe to be sharing our art with such a wonderful festival, but to be presenting a piece that makes audiences take a step back and really focus on a group of humanity that is heavily marginalized is truly something to celebrate", said Brandon Bill, who is directing the work.

"We find ourselves in a social climate that lifts up certain groups of people while pushing others under the societal rug. Our show not only brings this deprecated group into the light, but it also allows us to experience their trials, joys, and heartbreaks. We feel honored to add our encouragement and support of LGBTQ+ through our art."

The New York debut will be this Summer at the 10th annual Planet Connection Theatre Festivity. The festival and competition starts on July 11th and ends on August 5th, 2018.

Thursday, July 19th at 7:45pm
Saturday, July 21st at 9:30pm
Th¬ursday, July 26th at 9:30pm
Saturday, July 28th at 5:15pm
Sunday, July 29th at 5:30pm

All performances will be at the Teatro LATEA Theater in the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center, at 107 Suffolk St, New York, NY 10002.

The WYSIWYG cast and crew are proud to support the Ackerman Institute for the Family during the New York performance run. The Ackerman Institute's Gender & Family Project (GFP) empowers youth, families and communities by providing gender affirmative services, training and research. GFP promotes gender inclusivity as a form of social justice in all the systems involved in the life of the family.

Additionally, the WYSIWYG cast and crew are promoting a variety of eco-friendly practices before, during and after the festival. Reducing costs by using minimal sets and repurposing props has been built into the Off-Broadway theater mentality since its beginnings. Our production will supplement these traditional concepts through technology, including paperless scripts and musical scores, available electronically on a variety of devices and platforms.

Planet Connections Theatre Festivity is New York's premiere socially conscious and eco-friendly non-for-profit arts festival. Fostering a diverse cross-section of performances, the Festivity seeks to inspire artists and audiences both creatively and fundamentally, in a festive atmosphere, to form a community of like-minded artists. At the heart of the Festivity are individuals striving to create professional, meaningful theatre, film, music, and art, while supporting organizations that give back to the community at large.

Please see these websites for more information:
www.wysiwygthemusical.com - www.planetconnections.org - www.ackerman.org