New York Theatre Barn Will Live Stream Excerpts From New Musicals MOMMIE DEAREST and I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT

New York Theatre Barn will host another live streaming of a New Works Series presentation on April 7, 2020 at 7PM EDT. The show will go on with pre-premieres of the new musicals Mommie Dearest and I Don't Want to Talk About It. This installment will be free of charge.

When it was released in 1978, Christina Crawford's Mommie Dearest made an indelible impression on America's cultural landscape: it enjoyed 42 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list, spawned a cult film classic based on the book, and placed the issue of family violence in the national spotlight. Issues of family violence brought to light then have yet to be resolved today and the book still stands as a catalyst for change.

Now: Mommie Dearest is a new musical with a book by Christina Crawford, music by David Nehls (The Great American Trailer Park Musical), and lyrics by Crawford and Nehls. Told primarily from the coming-of-age point of view of a brother-sister pair as they grow up, struggle with adversity and try to remain family even as they are forced down different paths, the musical explores three decades of American culture. The writers will present two songs from the show led by director Joe Barros and performed live by Tina Scariano and Charlie Levy who play Christina and Christopher Crawford.

Ben Caplan's I Don't Want to Talk About It takes a deep dive into the complex world of mental health as told by a troupe of mercurial performers to an unnamed protagonist. Through fourth-wall breaking sketch and song, the protagonist explores the subjects and stigmas of this taboo topic alongside the audience. But as the show goes on, the fourth wall begins to close, and the narrator realizes that the troupe isn't here for the audience: they're here for him. Through humor, empathy, and brutal honesty, this rock musical pushes the boundaries of how society discusses mental health. Caplan, who wrote the book, music and lyrics, will present two songs from the show performed live by Phil Sloves (SpongeBob SquarePants) and Brynn Williams (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, SpongeBob SquarePants).

The 30-minute live stream presentation will begin at 7PM EDT on New York Theatre Barn's YouTube channel: NY Theatre Barn. Now in its 13th season, New York Theatre Barn's New Works Series presents exclusive pre-premieres of new musicals in the early stages of development. For more information, visit New York Theatre Barn's website: www.nytheatrebarn.org. The New Works Series is produced by Jen Sandler, Sam Strum and Joe Barros.

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