2014 SOUND BITES Musical Finalists Announced

Theatre Now New York has announced the ten musicals that will be featured in the 2nd Annual SOUND BITES 10-Minute Musical Theatre Festival to be performed on December 8, 2014 at 7:00PM at the 47th Street Theatre in Manhattan. Tickets go on sale to the public October 27 at www.tnny.com and 855-254-SHOW [7469] and start at just $25.

The musicals span the genre and feature diverse talent from Broadway veterans to recent college graduates. "Adding to the excitement of seeing of these rare ten gems on stage, all in one night, the musicals will compete for top festival honors like Best Musical and Best Music!" said Thomas Morrissey, Artistic Director of Theatre Now New York. The audience votes for their favorite musical to receive the coveted Audience Choice Award.

Theatre Now New York is a non-profit organization that facilitates the creation and development of new theatrical works as well as the re-imagining of previously produced known titles and the reinterpretation of classic works through productions, readings, workshops and work-in-progress presentations. SOUND BITES is a chance for artists of all theatrical disciplines, at any point in their careers, to get their work seen and possibly developed further, or even produced.

The ten musicals that will be performed at this year's SOUND BITES are...

THE ANSWERING MACHINE, with book & lyrics by Kevin Hammonds (KISS AND MAKE UP, BRENDA BLY: TEEN DETECTIVE), and music by Andy Roninson (creator and host of Take a Ten, an innovative 10-minute musical podcast), is an epistolary romance set in the answering machine of a party guy's college dorm room.

AVAC MEMORIES, book and lyrics by John Herin, music by Frederick Alden Terry. The team that created THE PASSION OF GEORGE BUSH (Prospect Theatre Company, New York Fringe Festival, and Joe's Pub), will present a musical about five pieces of household waste that are tossed into a garbage can and, together, go on a thrilling journey through Roosevelt Island's unique AVAC sanitation system.

THE BOY, THE KING, AND THE FLOWER, book and lyrics by Maggie Herskowitz, music by Neil Douglas Reilly (ROCKY, THE GERSHWIN'S PORGY & BESS, SCANDALOUS): Inspired by the fable "The Emperor and the Seed," The Boy, The King, and The Flower tells the story of David, a young boy whose lack of talent is made up for by his honesty, kindness, and love of gardening. This comes in handy when it comes time for the King to choose an heir.

COOKIE SOIRÉE: A SWEET NEW MUSICAL SHORT (Winner, Ken Davenport's 10-Minute Play and Musical Contest), with book and Lyrics by Justin Anthony Long, Music by Garrit Guaden, Concept by Jonathan Lee: Raquel, Sandy and Gretl are so close to selling enough cookies to earn their cookie badges when two local thugs steal their cash box. They may just be kids, but these three scouts prove that even the smallest packages can pack a huge punch!

DUST with book and lyrics by Maggie Herskowitz, music by Douglas Makuta (co-founder, Violet Records): After the dust bowl of the 1930s, two teenaged girls struggle to balance hope and realism, loyalty to family and desire to form new friendships, and how to hold onto their past while moving forward into their future.

GILGAMESH & THE MOSQUITO with book and lyrics by Sam Chanse, music by Bob Kelly: A genetically modified mosquito and legendary king are confronted with an unthinkable truth. Fantastical, mythic, and everyday collide as tiny and titanic alike seek answers and solid ground in a world offering neither.

GRINDR! THE MUSICAL, with book by Bryce Cutler, music and lyrics by Jacob Tischler, directed by Benjamin Viertel: When Jesse decides to find his true self, he logs onto Grindr - the gay geosocial networking and hook-up app. With the help of a chorus of Grindr boys, he delves into an underworld of anonymous sex, promiscuity, and general male horniness.

PELLETS, CHERRIES & LIES: THE PAC-MAN STORY by Erik Przytulski. In this heart-wrenching tale of addiction, a legendary video game golden boy must struggle to keep his family together while dealing with his late night binges. With the help of his wife, Ms. Pac-Man and his son, Junior, can Pac-Man free himself of his disease, or will he succumb to the seductions of Sue and her fellow ghosts?

TAKE ME AMERICA, with book and lyrics by Broadway veteran Bill Nabel (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, A CHORUS LINE, WEST SIDE STORY), music by Bob Christian (TV Composer: Sex and The City, Winter Olympics; arranger for Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross) is about seven refugees applying for asylum in the United States. Asylum is granted with a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, sex, nationality, political belief or social class. Denial of asylum means deportation, for many, death.

WHAT'S YOUR WISH? by Thicket & Thistle (Kyle Acheson, Sam De Roest, Corley Pillsbury, Nyssa Duchow & Jonathan Eric Foster) is a devised folk musical in the style of Grimm's Fairy Tales. It's about two boys who are sucked into a magical storybook and try to make it out alive!

At the inaugural SOUND BITES Festival in 2013, Festival Judges awarded A RELATIVE RELATIONSHIP by Timothy Huang Best Musical and THE OEDIPUS PROJECT: ANTIGONE, with music and lyrics by Kyle C. Norris, was awarded Best Music. The festival included a wide variety of topics, styles, and stories such as the hip hop graffiti musical SLAM!, by Danielle Trzcinski and Jonathan Lynch, JEALOUS HUSBAND RETURNS IN FORM OF A PARROT, by Nathan Brisby and Matt Patrick Walsh, and A PLACE CALLED HOME by Adam Gwon. The Audience Choice award went to SINGING DIXIE: A COUNTRY JUKEBOX MUSICAL by Caitlin Gallo.

Theatre Now New York Artistic Director, Thomas Morrissey, has helped develop and produce new plays and musicals including the East Coast Premiere of KINGDOM, the world premiere of THE LAST SUNDAY IN JUNE, and the East Coast Premiere of THE BREAK-UP NOTEBOOK. Stephen Bishop Seely, Literary Manager of Theatre Now New York and Producer of SOUND BITES, has helped develop several Off-Broadway and Broadway shows including Disney's TARZAN, Rock WILK'S BROKE WIDE OPEN, and 8 MILLION PROTAGONISTS.

Theatre Now New York is a professional theatre company whose history originates with two established companies - the Genesius Theatre Guild in New York City and ReVision Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ. Theatre Now New York brings together the founding principles of both these companies; developmental work and main stage theatrical productions. The mission of Theatre Now New York is to facilitate the creation and development of new theatrical works, the reimagining of previously produced known titles and the reinterpretation of classic works through readings, productions, workshops and work-in-progress presentations and to promote the understanding and appreciation of live theatre and its process by the general public and provides opportunities for emerging, mid-career and established theatre professional in their ongoing creative process. In keeping with this mission, SOUND BITES' goal is to seek out and cultivate new writers and composers and develop new musicals. For more information on Theatre Now New York and to join their mailing list visit their website at www.tnny.org.