Kevin 'Elmo' Clash And Others Join Children's Theater Festival

Cheryl Henson (President, The Jim Henson Foundation); Kevin Clash (Elmo's Emmy-winning creator and Muppet veteran); and Carole Demas (Broadway star, children's television icon from The Magic Garden) have joined the advisory board of The New York Children's Theater Festival, it was announced today by Michael Shawn Lewis, co-founder of The Festival.

The New York Children's Theater Festival which began accepting submissions last week for its inaugural season, will provide a birthplace in New York City for new live children's entertainment from around the globe, and serve as a platform for writers and producers who are passionate about developing innovative theatrical experiences for children.

Henson, Clash and Demas join previously announced advisory board members Michael Jung (Vice President, Theatrical Development, Walt Disney Imagineering) and John Tartaglia (Emmy Award nominee for Disney Channel's Johnny and the Sprites; Tony Award nominee for Avenue Q); Drama Desk Award nominee for John Tartaglia's ImaginOcean). Additional board members for The New York Children's Theater Festival will be named in December.
According to Lewis, "The festival is devoted to the development of children's theater in New York City and who better to serve as advisors to our mission than these amazing, successful professionals from children's entertainment. We are grateful for their involvement and all look forward to seeing the submissions coming our way."

The New York Children's Theater Festival will premiere April 20, 2012 and run through May 5, 2012. It will feature three winning submissions who will produce their works for the New York City stage. Submissions are being accepted now through December 20, 2011. Musicals, plays, puppetry, event presentations, and any other live theatrical form of children's entertainment are encouraged and welcome. Work that has been previously produced may also be submitted for consideration. For submission details, visit www.newyorkchildrenstheaterfestival.org. Every submission will be read by a team of 30 industry professionals including artists, writers, producers and designers from leading national theaters, Broadway, and children's television.

The New York Children's Theater Festival is filing as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. More at www.newyorkchildrenstheaterfestival.org.

About the founders:
Michael Shawn Lewis received a 2011 Drama Desk Award nomination as producer of John Tartaglia's ImaginOcean, the internationally- acclaimed children's musical Off-Broadway and on an international tour. He has co-created and produced family entertainment for Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Lines and serves as a consultant to Walt Disney Imagineering. As an actor his credits include The Phantom of the Opera and The Woman in White on Broadway; Elisabeth - the Musical, Les Miserables, and numerous productions of Phantom in Europe; and a number of Off-Broadway productions including This Side of Paradise.

Chelsey Shannon was the marketing manager of Play Me a Story, a New York children's storytelling company, and co-founded Rumpus Children's Theatre in Manhattan. As a performer, she worked around the country and in NYC in numerous productions for Theatreworks USA, Working Man's Clothes Productions, The New School, The Sam French Festival, The New York Theatre Workshop, Columbia Stages, Prime Stage, and The City Theatre, among others.

Renee Barnett has toured with ArtsPower National Touring Theater in several children's productions and has worked as a music teacher with a variety of children's centers throughout the city. She is also a piano teacher for children with special needs. She co-founded Rumpus Children's Theatre.

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