92YTribeca Hosts BEHIND THE MUSIC-AL: TEENAGE DREAMS 2/22

92YTribeca is set to host BEHIND THE MUSIC-AL: TEENAGE DREAMS, moderated by Steve Fickinger, Vice President of Creative Development for Disney Theatrical Group on Wed, Feb 22, 8pm, tickets from $10 adv / $12 door.

About the event: "In this installment of the Behind the Music-al series, see how the next generation of hot musical theater composers are exploring youth culture. How can contemporary musical theater speak to a younger audience? What makes a compelling tale out of a teenage dilemma? Join Nick Blaemire (writer, Glory Days, actor Godspell on Broadway), Kerrigan & Lowdermilk (The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown), Ewalt & Walker (Bromance: the Dudesical, The Making of Madeline Moore), and moderator Steve Fickinger (VP of Creative Development for Disney Theatrical Group) as they reveal their teenage dreams. Learn how songwriting teams collaborate, hear exclusive new songs performed by some of Broadway's hottest young stars and get the back-story on your favorite musical numbers. With a cross-section of three dynamic musical theater writing teams, Behind the Music-al lets you in on the process of putting together tomorrow's next big hit."

About the guests:

Steve Fickinger is the Vice President of Creative Development for Disney Theatrical Group. Under Steve’s supervision, projects in production and development include Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, Father of the Bride, Newsies, Aladdin, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Freaky Friday and Jungle Book. Steve started his career at Walt Disney Company in 1994 in Feature Animation on the production team of the Oscar® nominated short film Runaway Brain, and for the next 6 years worked on more than a dozen animated films including Mulan, Tarzan and Lilo & Stitch. In 2000, Steve was named the Vice President of Special Projects for the Walt Disney Studio where he supported then-chairman Peter Schneider. Prior to joining Disney Theatrical Group, Steve worked at Hollywood Records where he served as the Executive Producer of the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Caroline, or Change.

Kyle Ewalt and Michael I. Walker are co-creators of Behind the Music-al with 92YTribeca. Most recently, their show Separate: Battle Songs of Youth was seen at Ars Nova, and their latest musical, Bromance: the Dudesical, was shown at Caroline's on Broadway. Together, they have completed four musicals and their music has been seen around NYC and the country, notably at 92YTribeca, Joe's Pub and Playwrights Horizons. Kyle studied songwriting at Berklee College of Music and Michael received his bachelor's degree from Yale and his master's degree from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and King's College in London. Michael's play, Letter from Algeria, just completed an Off-Broadway run at the Abgindon.

Nick Blaemire is a performer and songwriter living in New York City. His first musical, Glory Days (book by James Gardiner), received its world premiere at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA (dir. Eric Schaeffer) and transferred to Circle in the Square Theatre on Broadway. It also closed the same day it opened, but it was very fun and he wouldn't trade it for anything. Currently, he's writing the book, music and lyrics to two original musicals: After Robert Hutchens, which was workshopped this past summer at the Williamstown Theatre Festival (dir. Sheryl Kaller), and When the World Ends, which received its first reading at Ars Nova last spring (dir. John Simpkins). As a performer, screen credits include The Big C, Law & Order: CI, Guiding Light, and the upcoming films "Damsels in Distress" (dir. Whit Stillman) and "Gods Behaving Badly" (dir. Marc Turtletaub). His theater credits include Cry-Baby (Original Broadway Cast), Altar Boyz (1st National Tour), Bring It On (ALLIANCE THEATRE), Lil's 90th (Long Wharf Theatre), The Black Suits (SPF @ The Public Theatre) and The Last Goodbye (Williamstown). He is currently a member of the Broadway Revival cast of Godspell, and regularly performs with his band, The Hustle (EP out this February!).

Kait Kerrigan (words) and Brian Lowdermilk (music) (www.kerrigan-lowdermilk.com) made their off-Broadway debut with their adaptation of Henry and Mudge for TheatreworksUSA in 2006, now touring nationally. This year, they released their first album Our First Mistake, which charted at #1 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart. Other musicals include The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown, Tales from the Bad Years, The Woman Upstairs, Wrong Number, and The Freshman Experiment (www.freshmanexperiment.com). Their work has been developed at theaters and festivals across the country including the La Jolla Playhouse, Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival, ASCAP/Disney Workshop, Manhattan Theatre Club, York Theatre, NAMT, Penn State New Musical Festival, and Primary Stages. They are the recipients of a 2006 Jonathan Larson Award and a 2004-2005 Dramatists Guild Fellowship. Kerrigan received the 2009 Kleban Award for libretto-writing and has authored plays Imaginary Love (Hapgood Theatre 2011) and Transit (Lark Playwrights Week 2010). Lowdermilk received the Alan Menken Award and composed the music for Red(2005 Richard Rodgers Award) and The Amazing Adventures of Dr. Wonderful and Her Dog (Kennedy Center 2011). Both are alumni of the BMI Musical Theatre Writing Workshop, co-founders of the digital sheet music company NewMusicalTheatre.com, and proud members of the Dramatists Guild and ASCAP.

About 92YTribeca:
92YTribeca is 92nd Street Y’s downtown arts and culture venue in New York City. Opened in October 2008, 92YTribeca presents music, comedy, film, theater, talks, classes, family events, and Jewish community and holiday programs in a versatile, street-level, modern space at 200 Hudson Street. In addition to the mainstage and screening room, the venue houses an art gallery, lounge, bar, café, seminar and meeting rooms, and free Wi-Fi around the space. With programs developed by a professional curatorial team in partnership with staff, local artists and arts organizations, new-media companies, fellow presenters, and community and cause-based organizations, 92YTribeca aims to engage a diverse community of young people from around the New York area with smart, relevant programming that encourages participation and conversation. For more information, visit www.92YTribeca.org.

92nd Street Y is a world-class nonprofit community and cultural center that connects people to the worlds of education, the arts, health and wellness, and Jewish life.

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