MTM Presents Midwest Premiere of 35MM: A MUSICAL EXHIBITION, Beginning Tonight

Music Theatre of Madison (MTM), a nine year old professional musical theatre company focusing on lesser-known musicals, will present the Midwest premiere of Ryan Scott Oliver's 35MM: A Musical Exhibition. The production will be staged at the Goodman Community Center, 149 Waubesa St., tonight, May 7, and May 8, 9, 14, 15 & 16. Performances will be at 7:00pm each night, with the exception of May 9, when the performance will be at 8:00pm. Tickets will be available beginning April 1st via the MTM's website, www.mtmadison.com.

35MM is a cycle of songs based on the photographs of Matthew Murphy, a New York based professional photographer. Each song tells a story: A vampire's love affair. A frustrated male nanny's woes. A vengeful ghost. A ruthless candidate for prom queen. And more. Infused with an innovative, all-encompassing score, 35MM has recently become a popular staple on the east and west coasts, but has yet to appear in the Midwest. MTM will perform the show before companies in larger theatrical markets like Minneapolis, Chicago, and Milwaukee.

MTM's production will continue to explore the idea of inspiration. In addition to having Murphy's photographs displayed, a gallery exhibit featuring the work of Dane County photographers will be on display in the Goodman Center's Diane Endres Ballweg gallery from May 1 - 31. The locally created photographs are each inspired by one of the songs from the show. The exhibit will debut on Madison's city-wide gallery night on May 1st.

"I fell in love with 35MM because of its extraordinary music. The stories are wonderful, funny, thrilling, and, in a couple of cases, utterly terrifying. Ryan Scott Oliver is not afraid to make his own rules, and his work is perfect for us," says MTM Executive Director and founder Meghan Randolph.

MTM's production will be directed by the company's Co-Artistic Director, Catie O'Donnell. Music direction will be by Patrick Christians. The cast features Kate Davis, Zachary Dean, Paige Hutchison Fecteau, Andrew Lonsdale, Krystal Lonsdale, and Meghan Randolph. Photographers featured are Jason Atkins, Ron Curran, Claudia Guy, Erin McConnell, Dan Myers, Vince Padilla, Kat Steinnon, Alex Tande, and Sharon White.

In their new initiative to keep local theatre financially accessible, MTM will hold two "pay what you can" performances of the show on May 7 and 14. "It's important to us that as many people as possible are able to see our work. We don't ever want anyone to feel like they can't be part of our audience because they can't afford it."

35MM is presented with support from Dane Arts, American Family Insurance, and Door Creek Orchard, with in-kind printing services for the exhibit provided by Advertising Creations.

The 2015 season will continue with a production of Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit's Nine from July 23- August 1, and a series of readings of new musicals from September 3 - October 3. The 2016 season will be MTM's 10th anniversary season, in which all shows will follow the theme "Heart and Music."

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