Musical Theatre Initiative to Present New Works Featuring Groff, Walsh, and More at Joe's Pub, 11/16

The Musical Theatre Initiative will present a selection of new works at an upcoming concert at Joe's Pub on November 16th. The shows to be presented will include Like Water for Chocolate, A Thousand Words Come to Mind, and Kansas City Choirboy. The cast will include Broadway veterans Barbara Walsh and Jonathan Groff, as well as Betty Gilpin.

The Music Theater Initiative continues its Songwriter Showcase, with a sneak preview of our musical adaptation of LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE, by Quiara Alegria Hudes, Paul Cohen and Joe's Pub favorite Lila Downs. The evening will also present A THOUSAND WORDS COME TO MIND by Scott D. Richards and Michele Lowe, performed by Barbara Walsh, and excerpts from KANSAS CITY CHOIRBOY by Todd Almond will be performed by Jonathan Groff and Betty Gilpin. MTI Director Ted Sperling will host the night of new musical theatre.Jonathan Groff received a Tony nomination for playing Melchior in the hit Broadway musical Spring Awakening and starred as Claude in The Public's 2008 Shakespeare in the Park production of HAIR. He recently appeared in the New York premiere of Craig Lucas' THE SINGING FOREST at The Public Theatre and Craig Lucas' A PRAYER FOR MY Enemy at Playwrights Horizons. His other credits include In My Life on Broadway and regional productions of The Sound of Music, Fame, Honk!, and Bat Boy. Groff was last seen in the big screen Taking Woodstock and on the New York stage in THE BACCHAE at the Delacorte Theater.

Barbara Walsh has appeared in several prominent Broadway productions. Walsh is best known for her Drama Desk Award winning and Tony nominated role as Trina in the Broadway production of Falsettos. She appeared on Broadway in the short lived musical Big, based on the Penny Marshall film starring Tom Hanks. Recently, Ms. Walsh was in the 2007 Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Company, playing the role of Joanne. This production was also taped for television and aired on PBS in February 2008. She has also appeared on Broadway in Rock 'n Roll! The First 5,000 Years, Nine, Blood Brothers, and Hairspray. Her Off-Broadway credits include Birds of Paradise (1987), Stars in Your Eyes (1999) and the Transport Group musical Normal (2005).

Regionally, she has been seen in A Little Night Music as Desirée Armfeldt, (2008 CenterStage, Baltimore, Md), The Most Happy Fella, Houdini (1997 Goodspeed), Exactly Like You (Goodspeed), and A Streetcar Named Desire among others. Walsh also originated the role of "Mother" in the Chicago Cast of Ragtime. She is playing the dual roles of Edith Beale and her daughter Little Edie in Grey Gardens at the Studio Theatre (Washington, DC), from November 12, 2008 through December 21.

The show will take place Monday, November 16 at 7:00pm at Joe's Pub. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door.