HELL'S BELLES to Open Off-Broadway at Elektra Theatre Next Month

Tweiss Productions and Nicholas James Opalenik/Event Horizon Productions will present a helluva show in Times Square this October, the original musical Hell's Belles, with book and lyrics by Bryan D. Leys and music by Steve Liebman. Hell's Belles will begin performances at The Elektra Theatre at The Times Square Arts Center (300 West 43rd Street) on October 3, opening October 24 for a limited run through December 27, 2015. The show features direction by John Znidarsic, music direction by Mary Feinsinger, and musical staging by Eugenio Contenti. Tickets are $39, $69, $99 and can be purchased by visiting HellsBellesTheMusical.com or by calling 866.811.4111. Cast to be announced soon.

A fallen pop star lands in Hell and joins some of history's most notorious ladies in a new musical comedy. See Salome shimmy, Lady Godiva let her hair down, Janis Joplin belt some wicked blues, and an epic showdown between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. These are some of the hell-raising belles in the fast-paced, razor-sharp musical satire, Hell's Belles.

Creative team includes: Josh Iacovelli (Set and Lighting Design), Dustin Cross (Costume Design), Michael Cassara (Casting), Dean A. Carpenter (General Manager), Erica Whelan (General Management Accountant).

BRYAN D. LEYS (Book & Lyrics) provided the book and lyrics for Dick Denning, Murder on Broadway; How to Marry a Divorced Man; The Forgotten Film of Dorian Gray (Michael Stewart Award winner); Acting, the First Six Lessons (Luna Stage, TRU Voices Musicals); The Union and Crystal Ann McKay (Barter Theatre Festival of Appalachian Plays and Playwrights). His musicals Hoodwinked and Midsummer Nights have been published by Samuel French. Bryan has also written several plays including, The Second Life of Gideon Finn (Horse Trade Theatre) and A Long Night in The Short Reign of Didius Julianus. New works include the musicals Argentina Rumpus, Black Crook, and La Ribalta. Bryan received his BFA in Drama from SUNY-Fredonia and his MFA in playwriting and directing from The University of Connecticut.

STEVE LIEBMAN (Composer) contributed music, book and/or lyrics to eight published shows including two based on Newbery Medal winners: The Great Gilly Hopkins, which played to sold out houses at the New Victory on 42nd Street, and Bridge to Terabithia (Kennedy Center). Steve co-authored The Wonder Years, which won 12 Drama-Logue Awards in Los Angeles, and was produced Off-Broadway and in many regional theatres. With Mr. Leys, he co-authored Hoodwinked and a musical version of Dorian Gray (Michael Stewart Award winner). He composed the score for Tiny Tim's Christmas Carol with Dr. Steven Tay.

JOHN ZNIDARSIC (Director) has dedicated a great deal of his theater career to the nurturing and development of new plays and musicals. The majority of his work is done through Arts and Artists at St. Paul where he serves as Artistic Director. There he has been able to institute a variety of successful programs - including the popular Broadway's Future Series - free monthly concerts (held at The Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center) featuring music of today's newest and most exciting songwriters. John has also served as Stage Director of the Merkin Concert Hall Broadway Close-Up Series where he has been fortunate enough to have worked with such musical theater legends as Jerry Bock, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Martin Charnin, Cy Coleman, Sheldon Harnick, Jerry Herman, Alan Menken, Charles Strouse, Lee Adams, Maury Yeston, and David Zippel. As Producing Director of The National Music Theater Network, he launched the extremely successful Broadway Dozen Series. For seven years, he produced, directed, and hosted the popular "In Celebration of Life" concerts where Broadway's top writers and performers collaborated to debut over 125 new songs. These concerts, benefiting Broadway Cares, also resulted in a popular CD. He has also directed and/or choreographed productions and workshops at Second Stage Company, The Culture Project, SoHo Playhouse, Sanford Meisner Theater, American Jewish Theater, Village Theater Company and Manhattan Class Company. Regionally, he has worked at the Old Globe Theater, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, Two River Theater Company, Hampton Playhouse, Maine Stage Theater, and The New Hope Performing Arts Festival (where he served as director-in-residence for four years). He has also served on the faculties of New York University, Marymount Manhattan College, The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, New York High School of Performing Arts, and Manhattan School of Music. At these schools he has taught everything from acting and dance to literature and creative writing.

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