DAMES AT SEA's Randy Skinner Helms GOTTA GETTA GIRL Readings This Week

Amas Musical Theatre and The Amas Musical Theatre Lab will present further staged readings of Gotta Getta Girl, a 1930s musical romp with book and lyrics by Peter Charles Morris and music by David Caldwell.

Directed by Randy Skinner (Dames at Sea) with musical direction by Mr. Caldwell and a cast of three - Max Clayton (Gigi, Something Rotten), Tessa Grady (Dames at Sea, Cinderella) and Michael LaMasa (That Golden Girls Show, Gotta Getta Girl), the staged readings will be held today, January 10 @ 5pm and Wednesday, January 11 at 1pm & 4pm, at Pearl Studios (500 Eighth Avenue - Room 404 - between 35th & 36th streets).

The readings are free, although reservations are required. Visit www.amasmusical.org or email boxoffice@amasmusical.org

In Gotta Getta Girl, Gene and Don, a Vaudeville tap dancing duo are forced to re-evaluate their unsuccessful career in show business when they decide they "gotta getta girl" into the act -- even if it means keeping Don from the one thing he's always wanted: Gene! When their new and adorable tap dancing beauty, Debbie, turns out to be more than what meets the eyes, Don is forced to take drastic steps to win back his man. The MGM Movie Musical that never was - on stage!

"Part of the joy of working on a new show is witnessing its development," notes Donna Trinkoff, Amas' Artistic Producer. "We are looking forward to seeing our new director and choreographer Randy Skinner's vision of Gotta Getta Girl since our initial readings in 2014."

These presentations are part of the ongoing Amas Musical Theatre Lab, a development series for writers, lyricists and composers to mount public readings of their new musicals. This Lab presentation is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Coalition of Theatres of Color Initiative of the New York City Council (via the Department of Cultural Affairs), the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and by the Actors' Equity Association Foundation, the BMI Foundation, the Barbara Bell Cumming Foundation, the Friars Foundation, the Yip Harburg Foundation, the Dubose and Dorothy Heyward Foundation, the Lucille Lortel Foundation, the Shubert Foundation, and the generous contributions of many individuals.

Peter Charles Morris (Book & Lyrics) Off-Broadway: Shout! The Mod Musical, Howard Crabtree's Whoop-Dee-Doo! (1994 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical Revue), The Remarkable Ruth Fields. London: Escape from Pterodactyl Island; Frankly, Scarlett; Listen to the Wind; and The Rose and the Ring. Short works include: "The Adventures of Mottel," "The World's Longest Kiss," "The Heartbreak Tour," "Pancakes". Mr. Morris is an alumnus of the BMI Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop.

David Caldwell (Composer/Music Director) has been the music director of Forbidden Broadway since 2004. He composed music and lyrics for All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten and Uh-Oh Here Comes Christmas, both based on the writing of Robert Fulghum. He also composed music for Fulghum's novel Third Wish. Recently he composed music for Gotta Getta Girl, with lyrics by Peter Charles Morris. He conducted the American premiere of Stephen Schwartz's Children of Eden. He recently music-directed Murder For Two Off-Broadway, as well as two shows in China, with Inner Mongolian authors and casts. He arranged and orchestrated Marvin Hamlisch's song "I'm Really Dancing" for Career Transitions for Dancers' 25th Anniversary Gala, featuring Angela Lansbury, Chita Rivera and Bebe Neuwirth. He is interviewed at length in Oliver Sacks' book about music and the brain, Musicophilia.

Randy Skinner (Director/Choreographer) Shows include: 42nd Street (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Astaire nominations), Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Tony, Drama Desk nominations), Dames at Sea, (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Astaire nominations), Ain't Broadway Grand(Tony, Outer Critics nominations), State Fair (Outer Critics nomination), After the Night and the Music (MTC/Friedman Theater), Lone Star Love(Lucille Lortel nomination). City Center Encores: Do Re Mi, Of Thee I Sing,Face the Music, No No Nanette, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Lady Be Good. He played the role of Phil Dolan in Encores On Your Toes. Los Angeles: Garry Marshall's Happy Days. London's West End: Lend Me Tenor The Musical, Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Lincoln Center/PBS: Show Boat.

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Artistic Producer) now in its 48th year of continuous operation is New York City's award-winning pioneer in diversity and multi-ethnic casting in the performing arts since 1968. Amas ("you love" in Latin) is devoted to the creation, development and professional production of new American musicals through the celebration of diversity and minority perspectives, the emergence of new artistic talent, and the training and encouragement of underserved young people in the New York area. In recent years, Amas has emerged as a leading not-for-profit laboratory for new musicals, the most recent being Broadway and the Bard, starring Len Cariou and Red Eye of Love, which was awarded the Joseph A. Callaway Award for Outstanding Choreography. Its production of The Other Josh Cohen received six 2013 Drama Desk nominations including Outstanding Musical, a 2013 Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Musical, and a 2013 Off-Broadway Alliance nomination for Best New Musical. Other shows that Amas has developed include A Taste of Chocolate, Triassic Parq, The Countess of Storyville, Distant Thunder, Marry Harry, Me and Miss Monroe, Aesop & Company, Signs of Life, Wanda's World, Shout! The Mod Musical, Lone Star Love, From My Hometown, Zanna, Don't!, 4 Guys Named Jose and Stormy Weather: Reimagining Lena Horne. Amas education programs include the Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy, Lens on Live Theatre and in-school theatre arts residencies designed in partnership with elementary, middle, and high schools.

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