New Musicals to Tackle Eating Disorders and AIDS at NYTB's New Works Series

The tenth season of New York Theatre Barn's New Works Series continues on Monday, April 24, 2017 at The Cell with pre-premieres of two new musicals: Pretty to the Bone and Ryan White.

Winner of the Jonathan Larson Award, Pretty to the Bone is a dynamic, provocative and contemporary musical, based on a true story. When fifteen-year-old Polly develops an eating disorder, a "perfect and happy" American family is shaken to the core and embarks on the emotional roller coaster ride of a lifetime. Humorous, heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting, Pretty to the Bone is about family, survival and love. Pretty to the Bone has a book by Yvonne Adrian, lyrics by Cheryl Stern (Shoes and Baggage), and music by Drama Desk Award-nominee Tom Kochan. Joe Barros directs (Gigi, Cagney), with music direction by Karen Dryer, and a cast that includes George Dvorsky (Closer Than Ever revival), Erin Leigh Peck (Disenchanted; I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change), Evan Ruggiero (Bastard Jones), and Sydney Shuck (Annie). Pretty to the Bone was previously titled nor'mal and it was originally produced Off-Broadway at Transport Group Theatre Company, where it was directed by Jack Cummings III.

Ryan White is a new musical written/directed by Joe Barros (Artistic Director, New York Theatre Barn) and Ryan Haase (Artistic Director, Stillpointe Theatre). It's 1984 and Ryan White is a 13-year-old hemophiliac living with AIDS. When Ryan puts on the headphones to his walkman, he can escape into his own fantasy world where he is the the rockstar of his mind. But Ryan soon becomes a celebrity in the real world: America's first poster child for AIDS. All he wants to do is to return to school and be normal. It is in the great escape of his fantasy world that he is able to deal with the pressures, problems and hysteria of the real world. Maybe he can live in the fantasy world for eternity, even if his body eventually fails him. Ryan White is told through the eyes of an all-teenage cast that includes Blake Sheridan, Tais, Fontanez, Lucas Rosenblum, Brooklyn Shuck (Matilda, Les Miserables), and Raleigh Shuck (Beaches). Ben Shaver is the music director.

Both shows will be featured in the 7PM and 9PM presentations at The Cell, located at 338 West 23rd 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.

New York Theatre Barn, a Manhattan based non-profit theatre company founded in 2007, incubates, develops, and produces new musicals that tell untold stories. Our stories are inspired by the lives of real people and actual events that challenge our preconceived ideas, and promote inclusion and positive social change. In today's divisive political and social climate, we believe that now more than ever, these types of stories need to be seen and heard by more people. Theatre Barn's core program is, the New Works Series, presents bi-monthly "pre-premieres" of new musicals in the Early Stages of development. With each installment, two new musicals are showcased before a live audience and a worldwide virtual audience. Since the series' inception, the company has presented more than 350 writers in more than 80 pre-premieres, and have amassed a catalogue of more than 750 videos with 600,000+ views on our YouTube channel.