Seventh Annual Midtown International Theatre Festival Open

With the roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd and the hope of a multitude stampeding the box office begging for tickets - not to mention numerous standing ovations at every performance - the Midtown International Theatre Festival is back for its seventh incarnation (MITF7). Presenting all the work that's fit to stage - or at least all the work that will fit the stages of four separate venues (all on the same block) - MITF7 comes to town with a wide variety of offerings from plays looking at real people in real situations to internet fantasies to introspective examinations of historical figures, along with some very funny and powerful solo performances.

The curtain will rise on MITF7 on Monday, July 17th and descend late on the evening of Sunday, August 6th. During that time the MITF will play host to over 45 separate productions, taking place at the MainStage and Jewel Box spaces at the WorkShop Theater, located at 312 West 36th Street on the 4th floor, and also at the Where Eagles Dare Theatre and the WED Studio Space, located at 347 West 36th Street on the ground and 12th floors respectively. All theatres are located on 36th Street between 8th & 9th Avenues. Tickets to all shows are $18.00; $15.00 for students and seniors. Reservations can be made by calling 212-868-4444 or by going to www.smarttix.com. All venues are wheelchair accessible. Members of the Press are invited to all performances.

"It's always exciting when we get to this point," John Chatterton, executive director of the MITF, noted. "The shows are coming together, the venues are booked and you have this great feeling of anticipation that you're going to see something wonderful happening on stage. Hopefully many such somethings." Additional information on the Festival is available at www.midtownfestival.org.