New Musical CHARLESTON HARBOR Kicks Off Amas Musical Theatre's 'Dare To Be Different' Reading Series Today

Amas Musical Theatre presents Charleston Harbor, the first offering of Dare To Be Different, the previously announced series of new musicals and one-night only special events being held at A.R.T./New York Theatres (502 West 53rd Street - 10th Avenue & 53rd Street).

The three performances will be held today, November 30 at 3pm & 7pm and on Friday, December 1 @ 8pm. For tickets call (212) 352-3101 or visit www.amasmusical.org.

In Charleston Harbor, A True Civil War Adventure with Historical Music, by Scott Winfield Sublett tells the story of Robert Smalls, the slave who stole a Confederate gunship and inspired Abraham Lincoln to open enlistment for black soldiers in the Civil War.

"Robert Smalls is one of the unheralded heroes of the Civil War," Donna Trinkoff said. "He was born a slave even though his father was white and he fought both during and after the war to improve conditions for his race."

Directed by Christopher Scott (A Midsummer Night's Dream), the cast will feature Darryl Reuben Hall (Cinderella), Lauren Hooper (Ragtime, Beauty & the Beast), Vanessa A. Jones (The Lion King, Caroline or Change), Dana Watkins (EDWIN: The Story of Edwin Booth, My First Time), Richard E. Waits (The Color Purple) and Curtis Wiley (Attack of the Elvis Impersonators, The Total Bent).

In an earlier statement, Ms. Trinkoff said "For 49 years, Amas has been a pioneer in multi-ethnic casting and has been devoted to the creation, development and professional production of new American musicals through the celebration of diversity and minority perspectives, and the emergence of new artistic talent We wanted to present a series featuring new musicals being developed in our Lab and special one night events that explore the stories of people who dared to be different: the slave who stole a gunship from under the nose of the Confederate army; Hollywood's sepia goddess- the first black woman to be nominated for an Oscar; the Mexican immigrant who fought to unionize building janitors. And to give our audiences the chance to get in at the ground floor in the development process of our talent artists in an intimate and up-close and personal setting."

Tickets for Charleston Harbor are $20. Become an "Amas49er" member to receive a 50% discount. For tickets, call (212) 352-3101 or visit the brand new Amas web site at www.amasmusical.org.

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Artistic Producer) now in its 49h year of continuous operation is New York City's award-winning pioneer in diversity and multi-ethnic casting in the performing arts since 1968. Amas ("you love" in Latin) is devoted to the creation, development and professional production of new American musicals through the celebration of diversity and minority perspectives, the emergence of new artistic talent, and the training and encouragement of underserved young people in the New York area. In recent years, Amas has emerged as a leading not-for-profit laboratory for new musicals, the most recent being Broadway and the Bard, starring Len Cariou and Red Eye of Love, which was awarded the Joseph A. Callaway Award for Outstanding Choreography. Its production of The Other Josh Cohen received six 2013 Drama Desk nominations including Outstanding Musical, a 2013 Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Musical, and a 2013 Off-Broadway Alliance nomination for Best New Musical. Other shows that Amas has developed include Play it by Heart, A Taste of Chocolate, Triassic Parq, The Countess of Storyville, Distant Thunder, Marry Harry, Me and Miss Monroe, Aesop & Company, Signs of Life, Wanda's World, Shout! The Mod Musical, Lone Star Love, From My Hometown, Zanna, Don't!, 4 Guys Named Jose and Stormy Weather: Reimagining Lena Horne. Amas education programs include the Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy, Lens on Live Theatre and in-school theatre arts residencies designed in partnership with elementary, middle, and high schools.

The A.R.T./New York Theatres are a project of the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York (A.R.T./New York), which provide state-of-the-art, accessible venues at subsidized rental rates, plus free access to top-line technical equipment, so that the city's small and emerging theatre companies can continue to experiment, grow, and produce new works. Founded in 1972, A.R.T./New York is the leading service and advocacy organization for New York City's 375+ nonprofit theatres, with a mission to assist member theatres in managing their companies effectively so that they may realize their rich artistic visions and serve their diverse audiences well. We accomplish this through a comprehensive roster of real estate, financial, educational, and community-building programs, as well as research, advocacy, and field-wide initiatives that seek to improve the long-term health and sustainability of the industry. Over the years, A.R.T./New York has received numerous honors, including an Obie Award, an Innovative Theatre Award, a New York City Mayor's Award for Arts & Culture, and a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre. For more information, go to www.art-newyork.org.

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