Shows Announced for 'Bad Musicals Festival'

The Bad Musicals are back -- and with great devilish glee!  Just kidding, they're not bad -- they're really GOOD plays that are delightfully naughty -- politically incorrect, political satire, explicit, bad language/ puns, or utterly zany -- and don't we all need that in these times?  The Bad Musicals Festival, in its third year, is "movin' on up" to the Grand Theatre at the Producers Club in the Times Square/theatre district, July 21-August 10.  Mon.-Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2, musicals are huddled under a theme umbrella for one all-inclusive price per presentation.  And, the winners are:

POLITICS & POOPSY featuring:  The Virgin Dictator:  A Love Story starring Kim Jong Il by Itai Grunfeld and Daffodils in Deutschland by Dray Rigg.

FOREIGN & FAMILIAR BODIES featuring:  Falling in Love Again by J. Boyer, Too Much Love, lyrics by Douglas M. Parker, music by Denver Casado, and OBGYNia, a Sci-Fi Musical Romp!, book & lyrics by Justine Lambert & Kenneth Nowell, music by Kenneth Nowell.

IT AIN'T KANSAS ANYMORE! featuring:  Stranded!, book & lyrics by Raymond Bokhour, music by Ilann Maazel, The Moon, book & lyrics by Mark LaPierre, music by Jodi Eichelberger, and The Great Plastic Surgeon of Oz by Zurbon Gish.

IS THAT A GUN IN YOUR POCKET? featuring:  Charlie Chang and the Mysterious Salami, book & lyrics by Anne Berlin, music by Andy Cohen, and Henry & Hyde, book by James M. Eisenman & Thomas Adams, lyrics by James M. Eisenman, music by Thomas Adams.

CRIMINALLY INSANE PUPPETS featuring:  Pinokenstein, music & lyrics by Mark LaPierre, libretto/puppets/puppeteering by Chris McLaughlin, and The Dependents, book by Bebe McGarry, lyrics by Debra M. Gussin, and music by Michael Paul Girard.

 
There will be a Carmen Miranda opening benefit in the first week of the festival, honoring a luminary in the theatre community, and then there are surround events (costume parties, raffles, auctions), and closing night festivities.  Last fall, legendary director Tom O'Horgan (Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar) was presented with the Honorary Golden Pineapple. Several top name "bad" directors and writers will be honored on these nights, but we're not telling yet!   Throughout the festival, audiences vote for their favorite bad play.  Closing night brings presentation of the Fruit Cup Awards:  Golden Pineapple, Silver Tomato, and Bronze Banana by audience vote.  Wild and woolly comedy and singing acts entertain during set changes and intermissions, including Bronze Fondue, a rock band of NYU profs, naughty singer-songwriter Jessica Delfino, sound effects comedian Zero Boy, and others.

From the get-go, this festival has intrigued the press & media:  coverage has appeared in The New York Times Sunday Arts & Leisure section, New York magazine, TimeOutNY, and many more publications.  The coverage has provided tremendous exposure for a great number of artists:  50 in the first festival, 200 in the last one.  The house is packed nearly every night with producers, press/ media people, and a large/growing audience of locals and tourists.   Renowned writers, composers, directors, and actors take part and some have been with us for several festivals.

Directors, many returning from the fall festival, are:  Thomas Amici, Kenny Wade Marshall, David Sheppard Jr., Robyne Parrish, Diane Englert, Leslie C. Nemet, Marynah Harrison.

NY Artists Unlimited is a 25 year old nonprofit organization that provides theatre and art to under-served audiences.  The company is supported in part by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Nancy Quinn Fund, Puffin Foundation, Dramatists Guild Fund, corporate and individual contributors.  These festivals, in their own wacky way, lend a hand in supporting the mission to serve the community.  The movers 'n shakers behind this insanity are:  Melba LaRose, Artistic Director; Bill & Anita Brown, associate producers from Shooting Star Theatre; Elson de Faria, Managing Director; Courtney Sweeting, Technical Director, Kim Kopera, Administrative Assistant and co-chair with playwright Jean Hart of the Benefit Committee; plus myriad interns and volunteers that make the whole thing happen.

Tickets $25 at door; $20 advance sales (deadline July 1); $15 students with ID.  Reservations are strongly recommended.  For more information or reservations, call 212-242-6036 or visit www.nyartists.org.  For online ticketing:  www.theatermania.com.  Grand Theatre at the Producers Club, 358 W. 44 St., betw. Eighth/Ninth Aves., July 21-August 10, M-Sat. @ 8, Sun. @ 2.  The show runs 1¾ to 2 hours in toto, including a short intermission.

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