Antonio Cipriano and Basit Shittu Lead New York Theatre Barn's New Works Series

New York Theatre Barn will host a free live stream of its New Works Series on Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 at 7PM EDT, featuring excerpts from the new musicals Salem and Shapeshifters: A Queer Comic Book Musical. The live 45-minute presentation will also feature a conversation with the writers and creative team.

The new musical Salem has book, music and lyrics by Kira Stone, and is directed by Sarna Lapine (Sunday in the Park with George). In Salem, Susannah, Bridget, Miriam, Martha, Rebecca, & Mary are held hostage in a modern day courtroom for their collective trial by judge and jury. We marvel at the mass hysteria, we deliberate, and we ultimately are a part of deciding the fate of these six women. Follow the twists, switchbacks, and real-life discoveries that are made as we speculate: Why did this happen? How did this happen? And, heaven forbid, could it happen again now? Featuring performances by Antonio Cipriano (Jagged Little Pill) and writer Kira Stone. This is the first time that material from Salem will be presented publicly.

The new musical Shapeshifters: A Queer Comic Book Musical has music and words by Truth Bachman (Chasing Fear, Farmed), and was developed with its director Zhailon Levingston (TINA: The Tina Turner Musical). In Shapeshifters, High school bully and comic book genius, Mel, discovers a hidden plane of existence called Queer Time, simply by drawing scenarios with pen and paper. In Queer Time, Mel joins the ranks of an underground network of Queer and Trans superheroes called The Shapeshifters. As Mel and the Shapeshifters sprint toward uncertain futures, this tribe of queer heroes must rely on community to persist, resist, and survive their living nightmares. Based heavily in music and image, Shapeshifters synthesizes epic musical theatre, LGBTQ history, and visually arresting graphic novels to create a universe of queer superheroes all its own. Featuring performances by Truth Bachman and Basit Shittu (MTV's Are You The One?). Shapeshifters is the inaugural recipient of the Denovan Grant (commissioned in 2018 for The Duplex), with development by Musical Theatre Factory and the Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, and was performed as part of an ongoing residency at Joe's Pub.

The 45-minute presentation will be available on New York Theatre Barn's YouTube channel and Broadway on Demand, and is hosted and produced by Jen Sandler and Joe Barros. For more information, visit New York Theatre Barn's website: www.nytheatrebarn.org.