NAMT Report: Duncan Sheik and Kyle Jarrow's NOIR Inspired by Film Noir Mystery Thrillers and Radio Plays

BroadwayWorld's Michael Dale reports on seven musicals being presented in 45 minute readings at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre's Annual Festival of New Musicals. These musicals are being presented before an audience of over 600 industry professionals and are in different stages of development, not to be reviewed. For more information on all of the musicals, visit namt.org.

NOIR

Music and Lyrics by Duncan Sheik
Book and Lyrics by Kyle Jarrow

Duncan Sheik and Kyle Jarrow's new musical is inspired by film noir mystery thrillers and radio plays. It may be the first musical to have sound effects created by on-stage Foley Artist written into the score. Jeremy S. Bloom supplies sounds like door slamming, heavy breathing and loud footsteps.

The plot has a heartbroken Kevin Mambo living alone after Scarlet (Lilli Cooper) leaves him for another man. Scarlet is the only character with a name and while she's no longer around, the actress sings from a perch above the other actors.

Through the thin walls of his apartment, Mambo can hear his new neighbors, a married couple (Theo Stockman and Adrienne Warren) that's in big trouble with a loan shark (John Schiappa) and his hulking thug (Daniel Everidge). Mambo not only hears the husband remark that killing the shark may be the only way out of the situation, but he also hears the wife having an affair.

Emily Skeggs has a brief appearance as a neighborhood kid, and she, Schiappa and Everidge sing backup harmonies for some numbers.

Of course, the 45 minute presentation ended just when the plot started bubbling over.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre, founded in 1985, is a national service organization dedicated exclusively to musical theatre. Their mission is to advance musical theatre by nurturing the creation, development, production and presentation of new musicals, and to provide a forum for musical theatre professionals to share resources and exchange information. Our 200 members, located throughout 34 states and abroad, are some of the leading producers of musical theatre in the world and include theatres, presenting organizations, higher education programs and individual producers. Among the 228 musicals launched by NAMT's annual Festival of New Musicals are Thoroughly Modern Millie, Children of Eden, Honk!, The Drowsy Chaperone, It Shoulda Been You, Songs for a New World, I Love You Because, Striking 12, Vanities, Ordinary Days and many others, representing 420 writers.

NAMT's FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS is the cornerstone of NAMT's mission to nurture the creation, development and production of new musicals. The Festival highlights eight musicals in 45-minute presentations before an audience of over 600 industry professionals. In the short run, the Festival's goal is to connect producers with writers, so that their shows can continue their development trajectory. The long-term goal is to expand the musical theatre repertoire, bringing new musical theatre to thousands of audience members around the world.

The 27th ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS is overseen by NAMT New Works Director and Festival Producing Director Branden Huldeen and Festival General Manager Lisa Dozier King.