Two Featured Musicals Come to New York New Works Festival

The New York New Works Festival presents promising pieces for adjudication by its panel and exposure to an enthusiastic audience. Two featured musical presentations this year are:

Based on fact, COMMON GROUND concerns a meeting between Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln regarding his responsibility toward a belief in political and social equality for African-Americans. COMMON GROUND, a musical presentation, also features a disgruntled John Wilkes Booth likening his current political issues and values as "Playing Brutus to His Caesar." It dramatizes the question that still haunts a nation founded on both slavery AND equality - for all: what is the answer to injustice? Vengeance or Common Ground? Book & Lyrics - and direction - by Granville Wyche Burgess with music by Stan Wietrzychowski, COMMON GROUND features Robert Mack, Gary Harger, Susan Stein, Denise Johnson, Benjamin McCormack, Maurio Brown, and Taj Dyami Bey. Its limited run is September 6 & 13 at 7:00 p.m.

The next centers on a young & divorced Mormon mom who fights against culture and security when she meets a destitute Scientologist who joyfully takes risks to live his dreams with the woman he knows is his soul-mate.

JILTED TO PERFECTION: A MORMOM'S LOVE
A SHORT MUSICAL ROMANCE WRITTEN BY AND FEATURING DEBRA COOK is the semi-autobiographical tale by acclaimed opera singer Debra Cook and is a musical love letter to her departed husband.

Debra, a shamed and divorced Mormon mother, recounts the first sight of a strange and older man, Fred, who seems to know her already. Both working as extras in an opera, Fred claims that Debra is his "true wife," and pursues her despite her fears, her missed dates, and her protestations. He steals a kiss that is like no other, and Debra's passion fights with practicality.

Her premiere run is Friday, September 7 @ 7 p.m.
Saturday, September 15 @ 2 p.m.

Both productions will be at the Acorn Theatre on Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, NYC.

Tickets available at www.nynwtheatrefestival.com