Jessica Grove, Donna Vivino & More Set for 11th Annual NEO Concert at York Theatre Company, 6/15

The York Theatre Company presents a one-night only benefit concert celebrating up and coming musical theatre writers, with NEO 11 on Monday, June 15, 2015 The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). Festivities begin at 7:30 p.m. followed by a champagne and dessert reception to toast the evening.

The NEO 11 concert will feature songs by this year's NEO writers: Christie Baugher (The Fitzgeralds of St. Paul), Kathryn Hathaway and Benjamin Velez (Afterland), Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop), and AnnMarie Milazzo (Pretty Dead Girl). The evening will be directed by Jennifer Paulson Lee (NEO 7) and Michael Unger (York's Associate Artistic Director), with music direction by Matt Castle (returning for his ninth NEO).

Performers will include Wilson Bridges (York's A Time for Singing), Saum Eskandani (Disaster!), Kayla Foster (Spring Awakening ), Jessica Grové (A Little Night Music), Darius Harper (Kinky Boots), Anne L. Nathan (It Shoulda Been You), Tyley Ross (Finding Neverland), Aaron Serotsky (York's A World to Win), Jen Tullock (York's Leni Riefenstahl Is Going to Tell You the Truth), Emily Walton (Peter and the Starcatcher), and Donna Vivino (Wicked).

York's NEO program seeks to connect emerging writers with established artists and producers and affords participants a number of opportunities to gain insight, advice and awareness from industry leaders. NEO mentors making special appearances include Kirsten Childs, Tom Kitt, Michael John LaChiusa, and Stephen Schwartz. Past NEO concert mentors have included Maury Yeston, Stephen Flaherty, Ted Sperling, Adam Guettel, and Sheldon Harnick.

NEO (an acronym for "New, Emerging, Outstanding") celebrates songwriters primed to pen the next generation of musicals. Since the first NEO concert in 2003--recorded by England's JAY Records-musical theatre fans and York supporters eagerly anticipate each incarnation.

In this new NEO format, which began in 2012, the concert kicks off a year of activity for each writer. NEO artists receive a developmental reading during the course of the year and are assigned an established producing mentor for the selected project. Past producing mentors have included Eva Price, John Pinckard, Janet Brenner, Deborah Taylor, Patrick Catullo, and Alan & Barbara Marks.

Tickets for NEO 11 can be purchased by calling 212-935-5824 (x213) or via the York's website: www.yorktheatre.org.

For additional information, please visit the website at www.yorktheatre.org.

The York Theatre Company is the only theater in New York City-and one of very few in the world-dedicated to developing and fully producing new musicals and preserving neglected, notable shows from the past. For over four decades, York's intimate, imaginative style of producing both original and classic musicals has resulted in critical acclaim and recognition from artists and audiences alike. Under the guidance of Producing Artistic Director James Morgan since 1997, the York has focused on new musicals in its Mainstage Series-most of them world, American, or New York premieres-by some of the field's most esteemed creators, and has also helped launch the careers of many talented new writers. Over 35 cast recordings from York Theatre Company productions are now available on CD, including its acclaimed revival of Closer Than Ever (2013 Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Revival); commercial transfers of such York premieres as The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), Souvenir (Tony Award Nomination for actress Judy Kaye), and Jolson & Company, and revivals of Pacific Overtures and Sweeney Todd (four Tony Nominations including Best Revival) have all showcased the importance of the York and its programs.

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