13th Street Rep to Celebrate IRVING BERLIN'S AMERICA Publication This Sunday

Steele Spring Stage Rights officially publishes ASCAP Award-winner Chip Deffaa's musical play "Irving Berlin's America"--which successfully premiered in 2014 at the 13th Street Repertory Theater in New York City--on Monday, April 20th. The 13th Street Rep will celebrate the publication on 5 pm Sunday, April 19th.

The first copy of the published script will be presented to Michael Townsend Wright, who starred as Berlin; he will say a few words and sing a couple of Berlin specialties. (His costar, Giuseppe Bausilio, who also starred on Broadway in "Billy Elliot" and "Newsies," is currently in Europe; Bausilio will be presented with his copy of the script at the theater, after he returns to the US.) Both Wright and Bausilio are eager to do more with the project.

"Irving Berlin's America"--the first musical play telling the life story of America's most successful songwriter, and packed with two dozen of his songs--is one of five shows about Berlin that Deffaa is developing. "Berlin wrote more hits--and made more money--than any of his so-called competitors," Deffaa notes. "Audiences love his music. We think there's an audience for this show all across the US. And I'm creating other shows about Berlin, for different sized casts." (The author of 16 published plays and eight published books, Deffaa has often, in his writings, explored the roots of American show business and popular music.)

The newly published script is jointly dedicated to Wright and to the other performing artists who've helped writer/director Deffaa develop the show in New York City: Giuseppe Bausilio, Matt Nardozzi, Bailey Cummings, Jack Saleeby, Ben Orlando, Tyler DuBoys, Peter Charney, Max Galassi, and Richard Danley. The show has had two cast albums, one featuring Jack Saleeby along with Wright; the other featuring Bausilo (who succeeded Saleeby and is now attached to the project) with Wright). Producer Ted Kurdyla aims to develop the property further, for film as well as theatrical use.

Coinciding with publication of the script, filmmaker Max Galassi is releasing a brand new video to promote "Irving Berlin's America," which may be seen HERE.

Wright, a veteran of such motion pictures as "The Rat Pack" and "Lansky," and of such television shows as "Rescue Me," "The Naked Brothers Band," and "The Uncle Floyd Show," notes: "I was very happy to be asked by Chip Deffaa to play the part of Irving Berlin I was a lifelong fan of Berlin--even before I saw him being saluted on the 'Ed Sullivan Show,' on his 80th birthday. To play this man--who epitomized the great popular standards I've enjoyed all my life--is an honor. He wasn't a very public person, though, so I didn't have much to draw on in creating my characterization--but I imagined, and created the way I thought he might be." Wright, who's appeared in productions of "Irving Berlin's America" in New Jersey as well as in New York (and hopes to play many other locales), notes: "Chip's show has been so well received--and plays so well--I think it's worthy of a television or film adaptation." The 13th Street Rep hopes to bring the show back later this year.

The show is now available for licensing from Steele Spring Stage Rights (www.stagerights.com) anywhere in the country.

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