Ten Musicals Chosen For SOUND BITES 6.0

Theatre Now New York (TNNY) is pleased to announce the top 10 musical finalists chosen for SOUND BITES 6.0, the Sixth Annual Festival of 10-Minute Musicals. The SOUND BITES 6.0 Adjudication Committee selected the top 10 finalists for this year's festival from a record-breaking number of submissions. This one-night only event, now in its sixth year, will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 7:00pm at Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center, 129 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023, and showcases 10 new musicals by up-and-coming musical theatre writing teams.

SOUND BITES 6.0 grants composers, lyricists, and librettists the unique opportunity to showcase their work in front of a live audience of theatre-goers and industry professionals. These 10 finalists will compete for top festival honors, including Best Musical, Best Direction, Best Book, Best Choreography, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Music, and Best Lyrics. The award winners will be determined by votes from a judging panel of industry professionals. The audience will also vote for their favorite musical, which will earn the coveted Audience Choice Award. A musical is not limited on the number of awards it can receive.

Finalists will also join an alumni network of musical theatre writing teams, actors, directors and choreographers from festivals of years past. Each SOUND BITES 6.0 finalist may also receive further development opportunities in the future.

Tickets are $25, $35, and $45. TNNY Members receive exclusive access to the Member Pre-Sale for SOUND BITES 6.0 now through March 4 only and 30% off their ticket purchase (with no service fees). To become a member, visit www.tnny.org. Tickets go on sale to the public on March 5 at www.tnny.org or by calling 855-254-SHOW [7469]. SOUND BITES 6.0 proceeds will go toward the creation, development and production of new musicals.

SOUND BITES 6.0 TOP 10 FINALISTS:
Ant and Grasshopper
Book & Lyrics by A. J. Freeman, Music by Dimitri Landrain
Ant and Grasshopper (from Fables) is based on the classic tale by Aesop. Hardworking, miserable Ant meets fun-loving, irresponsible Grasshopper. Together they learn that everyone needs both discipline and creativity, and that life is better shared with a friend!

Behind The Bar
Book & Lyrics by Audrey Martells, Music by Audrey Martells & Etienne Stadwijk
A single mother struggles to raise her two sons in the middle of the civil rights era. One son is at the forefront of the fight for justice, while the other has huge dreams of being a dancer and changing the world through art.

Bittersweet Lullaby
Book by Will Lacker, Music & Lyrics by Dylan Glatthorn
Two struggling songwriters live in the same apartment decades apart. In one magical night, their voices connect through time and they begin a collaboration that leaves them forever changed.

Bleeding Kansas
Book by Anderson Cook, Music & Lyrics by Ben Lapidus & Amanda D'Archangelis
In 1856, John Brown, the rage-filled, anarchistic abolitionist, personifies punk rock. He's tired of debates, marches, and protests to end slavery - so he's taking his family to Kansas and going to drive the pro-slavery Border Ruffians from its borders, by any means necessary. But his fervor ignites conflict quickly - leading to the death of one of his children, and a violent rampage across the territory that sets the stage for the brutality of the Civil War.

Book Lovers
Book & Lyrics by Talaura Harms, Music by Jonathan Bauerfeld
Charlotte is secretly in love with the librarian. She rejects the idea of romance until three of literature's "greatest" lovers escape from their books to convince her to take a chance on love.

Eighth Grade President
Book & Lyrics by Jacey Powers, Music & Lyrics by Ashkon Davaran
Madison is an eighth grade girl who wants to change the world, but worries she needs literal balls to do it. In a world of Tamagotchis and Trapper keepers, Madison wrestles the familiar eighth grade demons-an uncertain self-identity, low-self esteem, popular girls, gym class, periods and of course, boys who work half as hard to get twice as much.

Gollum Owned a Tropical Smoothie
Book, Music, & Lyrics by Ethan Crystal & Garrett Poladian
Gollum Owned a Tropical Smoothie tells the story of Ian (a regular high school kid) and Kyle (a stoner college dropout) working at a Tropical Smoothie in Panama City Beach, Florida. Together, along with Ian's older sister Gabby, they explore love, life, weed, smoothies, and what it means to grow up. Oh...and their boss is Gollum.
Jack & Jill
Book & Lyrics by Zackry Childers, Music by Patrick Thompson
Frustrated with their small cottage and strict parents, Jack and Jill run away from home; wishing for a life free of rules and full of adventure. But, when they stumble upon a wishing well in the darkest part of the forest, they quickly realize they should be careful what they wish for...

Maya & Me
Book & Music by Cheeyang Ng, Book & Lyrics by Kathy Ng
Maya & Me is an exploration of one Chinese-American girl's relationship with an iconic piece of public art. As she digs deeper for answers she may never find, her connection with Maya Lin blossoms into something she has never expected.

The Only Thing That Matters
Book, Music, & Lyrics by Chris Kerrigan
Three adult sisters have dinner together at one of their homes in the suburbs. Kerri, the middle child and black sheep of the family is determined to not be undermined by the judgments and critiques of her two more well-adjusted and successful sisters. But as soon as alcohol and discussions of social issues descend upon the evening, all bets are off.

Producing SOUND BITES 6.0 is Theatre Now New York Producing Artistic Director, Thomas Morrissey, who 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, Chris Giordano, Theatre Now New York Producing Director, who co-produced SOUND BITES 4.0 and 5.0 and TNNY's Rotating Rep Series, which included musicals: We Have Apples, Kragtar: An American Monster Musical, and Thicket & Thistle's What's Your Wish?, and Liz Doyle, Theatre Now New York Managing Director.

Theatre Now New York provides emerging, mid-career and established writers with on-stage opportunities to further artistic growth, critical resources, as well as advocacy, promotion, and organizational support during and well beyond production. TNNY strives to promote new works by engaging theatre-going audiences, industry professionals and the theatrical community at large by facilitating the creation, development, and production of new theatrical works, specifically the production of fully staged works.

For more information about Theatre Now New York, visit www.tnny.org.