Musical Theatre Factory Announces 7th Season

Musical Theatre Factory is back for a seventh season and continues to support new musical theater development in familiar and innovative ways. After moving the well-established Assembly Line to a digital format this spring, MTF will offer online versions of the People of Color, Women/Trans/Gender Non-Conforming, and new Youth Roundtable affinity spaces; curated Factory Salons; and all-access community programming. New to the lineup of offerings is MTFxR-a new initiative to explore musical theatre with augmented, virtual, and extended realities.

Artistic Director Mei Ann Teo recently spoke about the creative potential at the meeting of tech and art. "Musical theatre makers have much to contribute to the growing immersive technology industry which is in desperate need of an inclusive creative force. By providing our groundbreaking artists who exist in the intersection of underrepresented groups, opportunity, education, and access to new AR and VR technology, MTFxR empowers and arms these innovators to push the form of musical theatre beyond the stage with socially conscious and changemaking art," Teo said.

"MTFxR is all about sparking inspiring collaborations across technology and the arts to build the future of musical theatre," says Brandon Powers, a seasoned XR theater creator and associate producer at MTF. "XR allows us to create innovative immersive experiences that have never before been possible by taking us to new worlds or transforming how we view the physical world around us. I believe this program builds the necessary bridge between artists and technologists to expand how we collaborate, create new work, and shift culture."

"We're entering a new world post-COVID," Aaron Salley, Managing Director of MTF said. "We not only must elevate and promote more diverse storytellers and dreamers, but we also need to think of ways to experience this art safely. Exploring extended reality is not just theatrical innovation for its own sake, but is a timely way forward for our industry and craft to continue."

For more information on the Assembly Line and MTFxR programming, visit mtf.nyc.