Off-Broadway Songwriter Mike Hadge Debuts Songs From Internet Musical

The Internet appears live on stage at New York West Village venue, The Duplex, on Sunday, June 4th as award-winning comedy songwriter Mike Hadge hosts a debut showcase concert for his new musical, MUSICAL DOT COM: A NEW MUSICAL (DOT) COMEDY. The showcase, MUSICAL DOT COM: THE OUT-OF-CONTEXT SONG SPECTACULAR, will feature a selection of songs from the new musical making their stage debut, each song exclusively dealing with the Internet, from a dial-up gospel number to a musical comments section fight to an ode to '90s lists and (too) much more! The showcase will feature a roster of powerhouse singers from New York City and beyond.

MUSICAL DOT COM centers around Durstin, an indoor kid. That's putting it mildly, as Durstin has spent more time on the Internet than any human in history. As a result, Durstin gets sucked inside the Internet by its mild-mannered citizens, who seek his "expertise" in saving their land from trolls and growing negativity. Unfortunately, it turns out Durstin is one of the Internet's biggest trolls himself. The show is DEAR EVAN HANSEN meets THE WIZARD OF OZ meets BOOK OF MORMON; an exploration of what the Internet is doing to us and in turn, what we're doing to the Internet.

Expected to perform are powerhouse vocalists Keara Benton, Adam Blotner (Pop Filter), Michael Fisher (ELF THE MUSICAL), Tatum Harvey (STAND BY YOUR MAN National Tour), Jason Peter Kennedy (110 IN THE SHADE), Jenny Pinzari (Pop Filter), Paul Rescigno (THE RESCIGNOS, MOZART IN THE JUNGLE), Robbie Rescigno (THE RESCIGNOS, THE UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT), BOBBY ROWE (FORDHAM: THE MUSICAL), Magnus Tonning Riise (BBC'S ROCKET ISLAND), Micah Shepard (HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL), with John Anderson (30 ROCK) as former Vice President and creator of the Internet Al Gore.

Mike Hadge attended Fordham University in the Bronx, NY, where he founded their current sketch group, Free Pizza, and wrote and directed two musicals - NAZARETH HIGH and FORDHAM: THE MUSICAL. He has served as head songwriter for award-winning Off-Broadway and touring variety show THE RESCIGNOS since 2009, for which his work has won numerous awards. Hadge also wrote for and co-produced THE RESCIGNOS for a limited Broadway run with The Araca Group (WICKED, ROCK OF AGES). Hadge's one-man show, THE Mike Hadge TRIO'S 7TH REUNION CONCERT has been selected for the NYC International Fringe Festival. Off stage, Hadge has written for David Letterman, TruTV, Howard Stern, and VH1, in addition to contributing work to THE DAILY SHOW, Sesame Street, and BEST WEEK EVER. He currently writes for long-running Off-Broadway comedy, NEWSICAL: THE MUSICAL. His songs have been recognized by the Nightlife, Bistro, and MAC awards, and been featured on A LITTLE NEW MUSIC, Buzzfeed, Mandatory, and Funny or Die, among others. He has trained and performed extensively at the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater in both New York and Los Angeles. @hadgetunes www.mikehadge.com.

Musical direction will be from Bryan Blaskie. Bryan is a composer and music director from Columbus, Ohio. Music director: THE BOY FROM OZ, 110 IN THE SHADE, THE MAX FACTOR FACTOR, TONYA HARDING: THE MUSICAL (Upright Citizens Brigade). Composer: ASSISTANTS (StageScene Best World Premiere Musical, NYMF Selection), iWISH (ANMT, UC Irvine, Studio C Artists), VICTORIAN COURTING & ZOMBIES (UCB, iO West, Hollywood Fringe). He is currently enrolled in NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. @bryanblaskie www.bryanblaskie.com

Tickets are $10 at the door, $5 online. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7:00 p.m on Sunday, June 4. Tickets can be purchased here.

The Duplex is located at 61 Christopher Street, New York, NY.

Poster credit: Kelsey Guiette

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