Andrew Rannells to Host Ars Nova's Fall Benefit, 10/3

Ars Nova has just announced Fall Into the Nova, a benefit to support emerging artists. The concert features the music of emerging composers Justin Levine (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Shaina Taub (The Daughters), and Daniel Zaitchik (Picnic at Hanging Rock), and will be hosted by The Book of Mormon's Andrew Rannells. The music will be performed by a host of Broadway and Off-Broadway stars, including Jeannette Bayardelle, Matt Doyle, Demon Green, Grace McLean, Kathy Voytko, Teal Wicks and Betsy Wolfe. The concert will take place in the Ars Nova theater on Monday, October 3 at 7:00pm. Proceeds from the evening will help support Ars Nova?s extensive artistic development initiatives and programming. Tickets to the concert are scaled at $250 general admission, and $500 reserved admission, and both tickets include an invitation to an exclusive artist cocktail party in the Ars Nova Loft immediately following the performance. Tickets are available at www.arsnovanyc.com or by calling (212) 352-3101 .

This intimate evening of new songs offers Ars Nova the opportunity to showcase talented emerging composers who have participated in various development programs at Ars Nova, as well as the chance to introduce the audience to three rising stars of the contemporary musical theater world. Sonny Paladino will Musical Direct the evening, and Kerry Whigham (Ars Nova's 2009 Director-in-Residence) will direct.

Justin Levine works as a writer, composer, actor and musician in New York City and around the country. His musical Bonfire Night was workshopped at New York Stage and Film with director Alex Timbers and musical director Kim Grigsby. Justin was musical director as well as performer in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, a rock musical written by Alex Timbers (book) and Michael Friedman (music and lyrics), at The Public Theater and then on Broadway. He is the co-creator of the downtown musical comedy duo Pepper and Sam. Upcoming projects include Tell Me Tomorrow, a Naked Angels commission, with a book by Kara Lee Corthron. When not working on theater, he spends most of his time playing music, both solo and with the Clinton Curtis Band.

Shaina Taub is a Vermont-raised, New York-based performer and songwriter. She writes for and performs in Political Subversities, a long-running, hit weekly musical sketch show at the People's Improv Theater, whose music video of her song, "Political Wife" was featured on Huffington Post Comedy. She has also performed in Ars Nova's Uncharted series. Her original folk-funk opera, The Daughters, has been produced at CAP21 Theatre Company and the Yale Institute of Music Theater. She's currently writing a new musical commissioned by the Tony-Award winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Daniel Zaitchik is a singer-songwriter and theatre writer/composer. His first full-length original musical, Ula, which follows the magical adventures of the curious son of lighthouse keeper, was first mounted at Boston University, later played at the 45th Street Theatre, and was developed further by Ars Nova. His musical adaptation of Picnic at Hanging Rock had its first workshop and staged reading at Lincoln Center Theatre and was most recently developed at the 2009 National Musical Theatre Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center. Daniel's current music and Theatre Projects include Suprema, a collaboration with playwright Jordan Harrison, and Summer of the Soda Fountain Girls, a concept album for his band The Blue Bottle Collection. Grants and Awards include The Ester B. Kahn Career Entry Award from Boston University, the Frederick Loewe Award from New Dramatists (for Suprema with Jordan Harrison) and The Georgia Bogarduz Holof Lyricist Award (for Picnic at Hanging Rock.) www.myspace.com/danielzaitchik

Ars Nova is committed to developing and producing theatre, comedy and music artists in the Early Stages of their professional careers. Our unique development programs are designed to support outside-the-box thinking and encourage innovative, genre-bending work. By providing a safe environment where risk-taking and collaboration are paramount, Ars Nova gives voIce To a new generation of artists and audiences, pushing the boundaries of live entertainment by nurturing creative ideas into smart, surprising new work. For more information on Ars Nova's programs, visit www.arsnovanyc.com. Ars Nova was founded in memory of Gabe Wiener.

Producing credits include: ANT Fest, 54/10, Now Circa Then, Bloodsong of Love, Missed Connections NYC, Sax & Dixon: We Thee Wed, Mel & El: Show & Tell, Two Girls for Five Bucks and the Ten Dollar Heartbreakers, Playlist, Jollyship the Whiz-Bang, Boom, From Up Here, Dixie?s Tupperware Party, At Least It?s Pink, 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, Holy Cross Sucks!, Freestyle Love Supreme and The Wau Wau Sisters.

 

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos