New York Theatre Barn's Signature New Works Series to Launch with JOHNNY & THE DEVIL'S BOX and BURNED

The 13th season of New York Theatre Barn's signature New Works Series launches on Monday, February 3rd, 2020, with exclusive pre-premieres of the new musicals Johnny & the Devil's Box and Burned. New York Theatre Barn is a home for new musicals during incubation.

With book, music, and lyrics by J. Douglas Waterbury-Tieman (a member of The Lobbyists, co-writer of the Drama Desk Award nominated musical SeaWife), Johnny & the Devil's Box tells the story of Johnny Baker, a young man who believes he's the best fiddler that ever was, and aims to prove it. However, another fiddler who haunts the hills of North Georgia disagrees, the Devil himself. Now, Johnny must contend with the threat of the law, the hypocrisy of the church, young love and tempting fame as he navigates the balance between responsibility and pride. When Johnny meets the Devil at the Crossroads, which way will he go? Johnny & the Devil's Box proclaims the immense power of music to heal broken communities and relationships when we put aside our pride and join hands in jubilant song and dance. Music direction is by Stephen Elkins, the music supervisor is Scott Wasserman, choreography is by Jennifer Jancuska, and the dramaturg is Anika Chapin.

Johnny & the Devil's Box has been developed in the Johnny Mercer Writers' Colony at Goodspeed Musicals, the Drama League Rough Draft Residency, Belmont University Musical Theatre Program (workshop), and is the recipient of a Frank Young Fund's Writers Retreat Grant with Goodspeed Musicals.

The new musical Burned has a book by James Armstrong, music and lyrics by Joshua H. Cohen (Tamar of the River), and is inspired by the play The Lucky One by A.A. Milne. Two brothers' tense relationship comes apart when one of them is arrested for financial fraud and the other can't help, or won't. Set against the 2007-08 financial crisis, Burned asks what we owe each other, and what we are owed. The presentation will be directed by Aaron Simon Gross. Songs from Burned have been presented by the In the Works series at The Duplex, and by Golden Fleece's Saturdays at Square One.

The 70-minute presentation will begin at 7PM at Improv Asylum (307 West 26th Street) in New York City. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, and can be purchased on New York Theatre Barn's website: www.nytheatrebarn.org. Seating is limited. Jen Sandler and Sam Strum are the line producers, and casting is by Eisenberg/Beans Casting (Daryl Eisenberg,CSA; Ally Beans, CSA).

To post a comment, you must register and login.