Matthew Puckett's REBEL GENIUS To Play Forestburgh Playhouse

Peabody Award-winning composer, Matthew Puckett will present his new musical Rebel Genius as part of Forestburgh Playhouse's (39 Forestburgh Road, Forestburgh, NY 12777) 4th Annual “In the Works – In the Woods” Festival this Saturday, September 7 and Sunday, September 8, 2024.

The new musical featuring book, music and lyrics by Puckett will be directed by Noah Himmelstein (Harvey Milk) with musical direction by Nicholas James Connell (Titaníque). Tickets are available online here.

Physics and love collide in Rebel Genius as a young, and highly ambitious, Albert Einstein falls madly  in love with Mileva Maric and risks everything he has to find the perfect Unified Theory. The acclaimed  new musical is an exploration into the heart and mind of a flawed icon and scientific genius. Max  Planck, Niels Bohr and the Atomic Bomb all play a part in the journey and choices of a brilliant human  being who is torn between a passionate love for the people in his life and a wild ambition to understand the universe.  

The Forestburgh Playhouse cast of Rebel Genius will feature Nathan Salstone (Sweeney Todd), Rachel Gold (The Phantom of the Opera), Kyle Scatliffe (Les Misérables), Robert Anthony Jones (Finding Neverland), Emily Esposito, Richard Brundage, Kyle Hendricks, Max Boone, Bryan George Rowell, and Nicole Fragala. 

Programming for the Festival will run September 6 – 8 at the New York venue, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Franklin Trapp and Festival Artistic Director and Director of Creative Development Matt Lenz.

Rebel Genius was a finalist for the Jonathan Larson Grant presented by The American Theater Wing. Readings of the musical have been presented by Atlantic Theater Company in New York City, IAMA Theater Company in Los Angeles, University of Southern California's School of the Dramatic Arts' LIVEREAD series, ASCAP Workshop at The LIED Center in Lincoln, Nebraska and Zipper Hall/Colburn School in Los Angeles; directed by BT MacNichol. Rebel Genius has been presented in full productions at Wagner College directed by Ella Martin, and at UCLA directed by Brian Kite.

Matthew Puckett (book, music and lyrics) is an award winning songwriter and film composer based in Los Angeles, California. Originally from New York City, Matthew is an alum of CMU, Berklee College of Music and has a BFA in Theater from NYU. Matthew has worked with bands and artists such as: Rogue Wave, The Mowgli's, Jillea, Marsha Ambrosius, Jeremy Jordan and Garrison Starr. Matthew won a Peabody Award for his songs and score for the seven-part documentary ABC Series “Hopkins” and was the recipient of an ASCAP Film/TV Award for his song “Skyline,” the theme to the critically acclaimed ABC series “NY Med.” Matthew's new musical Rebel Genius was a finalist for the Jonathan Larson Grant presented by The American Theater Wing. Rebel Genius was produced at UCLA (Directed by Brian Kite) and has been presented at the Lied Center/ASCAP workshop and The Atlantic Theater Company in NYC. Matthew's unique film scores include: “Guidance” (Dreamworks / AwesomenessTV), Caught (Anna Camp), Before I Go (Annabella Scoirra), Best Friends Forever (Brea Grant, Selection SLAMDANCE), Dial A Prayer (Brittany Snow, William H. Macy) and Some Boys Don't Leave (Jesse Eisenberg, Winner TriBeCa Film Fest) and TV scores for “Gravity” (STARZ) and “Still Single” (Showtime). Matthew is currently developing a new musical TV series for WB/Brownstone Entertainment. 

For more information, please visit RebelGeniusTheMusical.com.

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