WPIX TV to Air NYMF Special on September 24th at 7 PM

WPIX Channel 11, Tribune Broadcasting's WB Television Network affiliate (a.k.a. The WB11), has begun shooting "The 2005 New York Musical Theatre Festival," a half-hour special report on the ambitious efforts of the eponymous annual festival, now in its second year. "WB11 News at Ten" entertainment anchor Toni Senecal will be host of the special program, which is scheduled for broadcast on Saturday, September 24, at 7 pm, midway through the Festival's three week run (September 12 through October 2).

The TV program, sponsored by Cadillac, will chronicle the Festival's freshman and sophomore efforts, using interviews with past and present Festival participants and musical selections from Festival shows.

The 2004 New York Musical Theatre Festival spawned the current off-Broadway hit, "Altar Boyz," the soon to open "The Great American Trailer Park Musical," and [TITLE OF SHOW], as well as the recently wrapped Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked") musical, "Captain Louie." This year's festival will include such high profile projects as "Feeling Electric" by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, directed by Peter Askin ("Hedwig and the Angry Inch"); "Reluctant Pilgram," a new musical revue featuring the songs of Stephen Schwartz; and "The Big Time" with book by Douglas Carter Beane ("As Bees in Honey Drown," "To Wong Foo…"), music and lyrics by Douglas J. Cohen ("No Way to Treat a Lady," "The Opposite of Sex"), starring Tony Award winner Debbie Gravitte.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival will be seen September 12 through October 2 in various Off-Broadway theaters in the Times Square area. Scheduling and ticketing information is available at www.nymf.org or by phone at 212-352-3101.