Lucille Lortel Theatre Announces New Musical Theatre Development Program: IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCES

With the recent announcement of Lucille Lortel Theatre's purchase and renovation of a new theater space in Chelsea and its appointment of two new Co-Artistic Directors of New Work, Lucille Lortel Theatre has announced the launch of: Immigrant Experiences, a new musical theatre development program focused on the works of immigrant playwrights and composers in partnership with The New School's College of Performing Arts.

Created in collaboration with the New School by Michael Heitzman, Lucille Lortel Theatre's Artistic Director of New Musical Development, this program showcases Lucille Lortel Theatre's commitment to the development of new musical theater, the fostering of new artists, and creating a larger, more diverse community of theatre makers and audiences.

Current graduate students of the College of Performing Arts were invited to submit a statement of intent to develop a musical theatre composition based on the immigrant experience. The selected emerging artists were then tasked with creating musical theatre songs based on their personal experience or subjects close to them. For many of the artists, this was their first-time writing story-telling songs in the genre of musical theatre. The songs are diverse, bold, and heartfelt, a shining example of the melting pot of cultural influences that reflect America and its complex story.

The 15-week program is led by Jaime Lozano, a known multi-hyphenate musical theater composer, storyteller, and director and the classes are hosted at The New School. Known Broadway award-nominated and award-winning guest teachers such as Helen Park, Nathan Tysen, and others have helped mentor and advise participants in the development process. The participants span the globe with representation from China, Mexico, Philippines, Spain, the United States of America.

The 7 composers and playwrights include: Giancarlo Abrahan, Xiaokang Deng, Chicahua Zipactonal Martínez, Manel Paret, Cassie Shao, Carrie Shao, and Anamaria Willars Vargas.

The program culminates with a concert presentation of the story-telling songs on May 15 at The Lucille Lortel Theatre at 7pm. These works will be performed by a cast of Broadway performers and a three-piece band. With this methodology, participants will collaborate with performers, a music director, and a director, bringing the songs to life on the stage for the first time. Adrian Alexander Alea is the director,

Ben Moss is the Music Director/Pianist, along with Yahir Montes (Guitar/Bass) and Joel E Mateo (Drums/Percussion). Performing in the presentation will be Broadway artists: Kathryn Allison, Robi Hager, Kendyl Ito, Jeigh Madjus, Marina Pires, Imani Russell, and Alex Vinh.

All tickets are FREE. To reserve tickets, please visit: https://forms.gle/zz2E6UohgGqy3Mfx5

"Immigrant Experiences is a part of Lucille Lortel Theatre's mission to create a larger, more diverse community of theatre makers and was made possible due to our partners at The New School. We are thrilled to have Jaime Lozano shepherd this inaugural program given his expertise as a composer and lyricist and his experience teaching at the Mexico at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. We are excited to present the material created during this semester by these talented graduate students and the newest generation of theatre artists," said Michael Heitzman, Lucille Lortel Theatre's Artistic Director of New Musical Development.

"Musical theatre saves and changes lives. As an immigrant musical theatre writer myself, it has been an honor and a great learning experience to be part of this program and help these writers in their journey to find their voices. We need more diverse stories. We need those stories to come from those related to them. I am grateful for the support from the Lucille Lortel Theatre and The New School for making this unique class a reality and one of a kind, just like every single one of the participants," said Jaime Lozano.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. The Lucille Lortel Theatre would like to thank Councilman Bottcher's generous Cultural Immigrant Initiative allocation to support this program.

Michael Heitzman (Artistic Director of New Musical Development) is a longtime Lucille Lortel Theatre collaborator, and acclaimed writer and director. His musical Genius will receive an industry reading produced by Ogunquit Playhouse this spring. Recent directing credits: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Tuacahn Center for the Performing Arts (currently running), Beauty and the Beast and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, 42nd Street at The Ordway and Drury Lane Theater (Jeff Award nominee, Best Director), Beauty and the Beast PCLO, North Shore Music Theater, La Mirada. Newsies, Big River and Legally Blonde at Broadway at Music Circus. SHREK and Disney's The Little Mermaid (IRNE Award nominee, Best Director) at North Shore Music Theater and VICES (Jeff Award nominee, Best Director). He is a proud member of The Dramatists Guild, BMI, WGAe, and SDC.

Jaime Lozano is a Mexican multi-hyphenate musical theatre storyteller considered by Lin-Manuel Miranda as the "next big thing" on Broadway. Joe's Pub Working Group 2020-2022. The Civilians R&D Group 2020-2021. JACK Resident Artist 2021. Selected works: El Otro Oz -formerly The Yellow Brick Road- (Off-Broadway & National Tour), Carmen La Cubana (European Tour), Children of Salt (NYMF 2016 "Best of Fest" Production), A Never-Ending Line (Comédie Nation in Paris, France & Off-Broadway), Savage (UAB at Birmingham), Present Perfect (Live & In Color), Desaparecidas (JACK). Albums: "A Never-Ending Line," "Jaime Lozano and the Familia: Songs by an Immigrant" released by Broadway Records. Film: "In The Heights" (orchestrations), "Tick, Tick... Boom!" (cameo in Broadway composers scene). His project "Jaime Lozano & The Familia" has performed sold out concerts at venues such as Joe's Pub, 54 Below, The Green Room 42, Two River Theater, and more recently as part of the prestigious Lincoln Center's American Songbook Series. Currently working on: "Songs by an Immigrant Vol. 2," "Broadway en Spanglish," and Frida, The Musical. BFA: Music & Composition, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León; MFA: NYU/Tisch, Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program (Full Tuition Scholarship); part of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America, AFM Local 802, BMI and GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY member.

The Lucille Lortel Theatre's mission is to foster both new and established artists, increase awareness and appreciation of Off-Broadway, and uphold fair and equitable business and artistic practices in service of creating a larger, more diverse community of theatre makers and audiences. The Theatre most recently produced "Dangerous Acts" in partnership with Howard University, currently streaming on All-Arts' House Seats program. This season the company also produced Four Saints in Three Acts, performed by David Greenspan, and co-produced Kate Berlant's sold-out one woman show Kate, both New York Times Critic's Picks. Its programs include NYC Public High School Playwriting Fellowship, now in its fourth season, Fellowships in NYC Theatre at Bennington College, The Lortel Theatre Music Theatre Lab: Immigrant Experiences at The New School, Lucille Lortel Awards and Playwrights' Sidewalk, Internet Off-Broadway Database (IOBDB.com), and Non-Profit Theatre Strategic and Management Services. Under the direction of its two new Artistic Directors, Caridad Svich and Michael Heitzman, the company will be announcing more new programs in support of playwrights, composers, and other theatre artists in the near future. For more information, please visit www.lortel.org.

Formed in 2015, the College of Performing Arts at The New School brings together the iconic Mannes School of Music, the legendary School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and the ground-breaking School of Drama. With each school contributing its unique culture of creative excellence, the College of Performing Arts is a hub for cross-disciplinary collaboration, bold experimentation, innovative education and world-class performances.

As a part of The New School, students across the College of Performing Arts experience a supportive and rigorous environment that provides abundant opportunities for collaboration with students and faculty in a wide array of disciplines, including the visual arts, fashion, design and technology, architecture, philosophy, psychology, public policy, advocacy, and more. The college has over 1100 students seeking degrees and diplomas in performance, composition, acting, writing, as well as arts management and entrepreneurship. New York City's Greenwich Village provides the backdrop for the College of Performing Arts, which is housed at Arnhold Hall on West 13th Street and the historic Westbeth Artists Community on Bank Street. For more information, please visit www.newschool.edu/performing-arts/.

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