Carrafa Directs Kane, Boardman, Bridges & More In Maltz Jupiter Theatre's ACADEMY At NYMF 10/6-17

The Maltz Jupiter Theatre is excited to announce the all-star cast of Academy, part of the 2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF)'s Next Link Project. Originally part of the Maltz Jupiter Theatre's inaugural Emerging Artist Series in Musical Theater Playwriting, Academy will perform for six performances in New York from October 6 - 17, 2009 at NYMF.

Starring as the three leads will be Steven Kane as Benji, Corey Boardman as Amory and Wilson Bridges as Michael, along with F. Michael Haynie as Regan, Joseph Medeiros as Conrad, Antonio Addeo as Gert, Jason Edward Cook as Pete, Lyle Mackston as Phil and Gabriel Violett as Will.

Academy, seen at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre in October 2008, was conceived and developed by Andrew Kato, Maltz Jupiter Theatre's Artistic Director, with book, music and lyrics by John Mercurio. The story takes place at St. Edward's Academy where two senior boys make a harmless bet on whether they can influence an unsuspecting freshman to break a few rules in order to succeed. However, when the deal goes recklessly out of control, the boys become entangled in a fight for their own academic and personal survival. Inspired by Goethe's Faust, Academy is a pop chamber musical about boys learning to become men and remaining true to themselves.

"John Mercurio has written a musical that require an ensemble of young actors that can put across a wide-range of emotions. They must also be great vocally. We have found that in this group of actors," says Kato.

John Carrafa, the two-time Tony nominated choreographer of Into The Woods and Urinetown The Musical on Broadway, will lead the Academy creative team that will include: Alexander Rovang, Music Director; John Mercurio and Glenn Rovinelli, Orchestrators; Jeff Croiter and Grant Yeager, Lighting Designers; Michael Schweikardt, Scenic Designer; Michelle Eden Humphrey, Costume Coordinator; Bob Cline, Casting Agent; and Andrew Tucker, Stage Manager.

Since its inception in 2004, The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) has premiered more than 175 new musicals - many of which have gone on to award-winning productions on and off-Broadway, in nearly every state, and in over a dozen countries. NYMF alumni include the Tony Award-winning musical Next to Normal, currently playing at the Booth Theater on Broadway and Altar Boyz, now in its fifth year off-Broadway at New World Stages.

Hailed as "the Sundance of Musical Theatre," the three-week annual festival works to revitalize one of America's greatest art forms by discovering, supporting and promoting new musical theater artists, producers, and projects and by introducing a diverse audience to the vibrancy of contemporary musical theater. Widely regarded as the essential source for new material and talent discovery, NYMF is the flagship program of National Music Theater Network, Inc., a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization.

NYMF is the flagship program of National Music Theater Network, Inc., a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. NYMF 2009 is presented in association with BroadwayWorld.com, Production Resource Group and TheaterMania.com, and is supported by Back Stage, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, BroadwayBox.com, BroadwayInsider.com, Broadway.TV, Clear Channel Spectacolor, DFD-TV, Frank & Camille's Fine Pianos, King Displays, Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, New World Stages, NASDAQ OMX, Next Magazine, PMD Promotions, Queerty.com, Reuters, Sweet Caroline's, Tekserve, TheMenEvent.com, The Tank, and Times Square Squared. Major supporters include The ASCAP Foundation, BMI Foundation, Inc., The Broadway League, The BWF Foundation, The Nathan Cummings Foundation with the support and encouragement of Jamie Mayer, The Charlie & Jane Fink Charitable Fund, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and The Theater League. NYMF is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. NYMF's programs are made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

Tickets to individual festival events are on sale to NYMF Members and will be available to the general public on September 1, 2009. NYMF Memberships, which combine charitable contributions with valuable, flexible ticket packages and perks like early seating, are currently available for purchase at (212) 352-3101 or www.nymf.org.

The Maltz Jupiter Theatre is an award-winning professional not-for-profit regional theatre dedicated to the performing arts whose mission is to entertain, educate and inspire our community. The Theatre is a member of the prestigious League of Resident Theatres and is located east of U.S. Highway 1 at 1001 East Indiantown Road and State Road A1A in Jupiter.

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