2014 New York Musical Theatre Festival Announces More Productions and Readings, 7/7-27

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) has announced additional productions and readings for its 2014 Festival. This year's Festival will begin July 7 and continue through July 27. An additional slate of concerts and other events will be announced shortly.

The 2014 Festival's productions will be housed at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre, and the Ford Foundation Studio Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street) as well as other venues to be announced.

"We were fortunate to have a bumper crop of very high quality shows this year," said NYMF Executive Director & Producer Dan Markley. "Whether it's your first time at the Festival or you've been joining us for years, you're in for a great musical theatre experience in July."

Since its inception in 2004, The New York Musical Theatre Festival has premiered hundreds of new musicals - 90 of which have gone on to award-winning productions in New York, in regional theaters in almost every state, and in over 20 countries worldwide. Over 20 NYMF alumni shows have gone on to enjoy off-Broadway runs, and three NYMF shows have gone on to Broadway productions, including Chaplin, [title of show] and the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal.

"NYMF audiences will have a chance to experience a wide range of stories told in fresh and inventive ways for a contemporary audience, from a steam-punk inspired Hans Christian Andersen tale for a family audience, to an R&B infused depiction of the lives of Sally Hemings and Marie Antoinette," added Director of Programming Mary Kate Burke.

Memberships for the 2014 New York Musical Theatre Festival (July 7 - 27) are on sale now and members can book tickets beginning June 2. Single tickets will go on sale June 16. To purchase a membership, please visit www.nymf.org/member.

The newly announced productions and readings are as follows:

BAYONETS OF ANGST
Book by Rick Kunzi & Justin Zeppa; Music by Rick Kunzi & Adam Barnosky; Lyrics by Rick Kunzi

It ain't ya' great-great-great-grandpappy's kinda musical.

BAYONETS OF ANGST is an original musical comedy set to a bluegrass soundtrack and narrated by the last remaining veterans of the American Civil War. These old codgers detail the behind-the-battlefield exploits of President Lincoln, the madness of General Tecumseh Sherman, and the pickled promiscuity of General Ulysses S. Grant in a dizzying sequence of events that changed the course of history. And because they were the ones who was there - you just listen and hush up 'bout it!

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/bayonetsofangst.

CLINTON THE MUSICAL
Book by Paul Hodge & Michael Hodge; Music and Lyrics by Paul Hodge

It's history. Sort of.

It's hard enough being president by yourself. Bill Clinton's problem is that there are two of him. Literally. CLINTON THE MUSICAL follows two Bill Clintons and Hillary on their quest to save their presidency, change America and prove that "politics is show business for ugly people." Nominated for Best New Musical at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and transferred to London's King's Head Theatre in 2013.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/clintonthemusical.

COMING OF AGE
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jon Provan

Are you waiting for your turn to come alive?

COMING OF AGE is a theatrical song cycle - a collection of short stories about growing up. Each member of the dynamic ensemble cast - Girl, Boy, Young Woman, Young Man, Woman and Man - plays multiple roles, spanning the globe and the whole of human history. They are rebels, warriors, dreamers and innocents, confronting life and leaping into the unknown. A rock-infused contemporary score, evocative lyrics and inventive staging join forces to chronicle the joys and fears of becoming yourself.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/comingofage.

DEPLOYED
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jessy Brouillard

Two unlikely friends bound by the tragedy of war.

Needing to prove she's a worthy soldier and at war with her inner demons, Emily sabotages her relationship with Lieutenant Anthony Wilkes before she's deployed to Iraq. Assigned to train Iraqi women, she feuds with her interpreter Laila, a local girl with a mission of her own. Just when the lovers finally reunite and Laila and Emily's quarrel has evolved into a deep friendship, Anthony's past comes back to wreak its revenge. Our heroes' emotional journey has just begun. Not everyone can let go of the past!

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/deployed.

MADAME INFAMY
Book by Jp Vigliotti; Music and Lyrics by Cardozie Jones & Sean Willis

How will your story be told?

MADAME INFAMY tells the story of Marie Antoinette, last Queen of France, and Sally Hemings, the American slave known for her intimate ties to President Thomas Jefferson. Though their circumstances could not be more different, their paths are parallel, and footsteps intersect as they navigate the complexities of freedom, destiny, and choice. Through promises to men, mothers, children, country, and themselves, each woman must come to terms with who she is and who she is meant to be.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/madameinfamy.

MR. CONFIDENTIAL

Book and Lyrics by Samuel Bernstein; Music by David Snyder

The scandal starts here.

Before TMZ and Gawker, there was Bob Harrison's "Confidential Magazine." Its scandal and showbiz fizz went viral, fab 50s style, outselling "T.V. Guide" and "Time Magazine." But scrape away the hype, whipped cream, and dirt, and what do you have? A mostly true story about heart, innocence, and family loyalty, set to a sexy, swinging, Big Broadway beat. But sshhh! Keep it confidential...

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/mrconfidential.

PROPAGANDA! THE MUSICAL
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Taylor Ferrera & Matt Webster

Ignorance may not always be bliss.

Rookie doesn't know much about his family business - neither does the American Public - but covering up political scandals is in his blood. And now it's up to him to cover up the biggest scandal since Watergate! Armed with a clever idea, Rookie must fight the evil Agent X and save the bureau from doom. With an energetic, catchy score and maybe even a tap dancing president (though you didn't hear it from us...) PROPAGANDA! THE MUSICAL is the ultimate tribute to the power of musical theatre.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/propagandathemusical.

THE GIG
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Douglas J. Cohen; Based on the motion picture THE GIG by Frank D. Gilroy

When was the last time you did something you really wanted?

A used car salesman, a dentist, a real estate agent, a financial advisor, a deli owner, and a teacher put their careers and families on hold to pursue their passion - jazz - with their first professional "gig" in the Catskills. The results are funny, touching, and unexpected. Written by Douglas J. Cohen (No Way to Treat a Lady) and based on the film by Pulitzer Prize winner Frank D. Gilroy, THE GIG won a prestigious Richard Rodgers Grant and the inaugural Noël Coward Prize.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/thegig.

THE SNOW QUEEN
Book by Kirsten Brandt & Rick Lombardo; Music by Haddon Kime; Lyrics by Kirsten Brandt, Haddon Kime, & Rick Lombardo; Additional music by Rick Lombardo

How far would you go to save a friend?

Be spirited away by this new musical adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's fantastical coming-of-age adventure. Join Gerda on a dangerous and whimsical quest to save her best friend Kai before he is trapped forever in the Snow Queen's palace. Dare to enter a world where flowers sing, animals talk, and riddles yearn to be solved. With an original pop rock score, alluring ballads, urban steam punk flair, and the enigmatic Snow Queen, you'll soon see this is not your average bedtime story.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/thesnowqueen.

WIKIMUSICAL
Book and Lyrics by Frank Ceruzzi & Blake J. Harris; Music by Trent Jeffords

Your search starts here.

WIKIMUSICAL tells the epic story of two estranged brothers who find themselves, quite literally, trapped in cyberspace. To get back home, they will need help from allies like the Cuddly Kittens (who may or may not have created the Internet) and an omniscient Narrator (who may or may not be Morgan Freeman). Can the brothers reconcile their differences and defeat the evil Spam King? This satirical new musical features eleven original songs, a cast of ten, and one dial-up modem.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/wikimusical.

The newly announced 2014 readings include:

210 AMLENT AVENUE
Book by Becky Goldberg; Music and Lyrics by Karl Hinze

Secrets, loss, desire... Welcome to the Hamptons.

Welcome to the Hamptons. Guests are gathering in the summer sun at 210 Amlent Avenue, a regal beachfront property, to visit retired actress Mrs. Jordan, and to pay their respects to her recently-deceased husband, the famous Broadway director. Everything changes when Judah, a young friend of the family, shows up seeking answers about his own dead parents. Attractions form, schemes intersect, secrets are revealed, and no one will get away unchanged.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/210amlentavenue.

ALWAYS, RACHEL
Book and Lyrics by Jessie Field; Music by Jared Field

She couldn't stay silent.

Author of "Silent Spring," which sparked the modern environmental movement, Carson led an extraordinary life. Struggling to find her place in the world as a scientist and a woman, her skill as a writer eventually brings her success and critical acclaim. However, when the destructive nature of DDT is brought to her attention, Carson jeopardizes her success, her health, and most importantly the deep relationship she shares with her neighbor Dorothy Freeman to take a stand for the earth.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/alwaysrachel.

AT BUFFALO
Book by Amma Y. Ghartey-Tagoe Kootin & Joshua Williams; Music by Khalil Sullivan; Lyrics by Khalil Sullivan, Amma Y. Ghartey-Tagoe Kootin, & Joshua Williams; Co-Conceived with Jim Augustine

All the world's a minstrel show.

It's 1901. Lynch mobs swarm the South, Emma Goldman's anarchist movement hits the streets, and W.E.B DuBois' NAACP is on the rise. All set the stage for the spectacular World's Fair at Buffalo. Guided by the alluring and witty "Non-Magical Negro," AT BUFFALO takes you on a haunting and evocative musical journey through the turbulent discoveries and performances of race in post-Civil War America.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/atbuffalo.

FOR TONIGHT
Book by Whitney Rhodes, Spencer Williams, & Shenelle Williams; Music and Lyrics by Shenelle Williams & Spencer Williams

Time stands still with melody...

When their parents die of a mysterious illness in their small Welsh village, surviving children Thomas, Haydon, and Nettie are forced to fend for themselves. Inspired by the gypsies who once shared their home, Haydon heads off to Liverpool, guitar in hand, to find what the world has to offer. There he meets Mirela who speaks to his wandering soul. When Haydon learns that his sister is ill, he is forced to choose between family and the life he left behind, or the freedom and love he has now found.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/fortonight.

HARRIET
Book by Colette Call Lofgren & J. Michael Call; Music and Lyrics by Colette Call Lofgren

Every great dream begins with a dreamer!

Armed with faith, humor, and a hand gun, Harriet Tubman proves that anything is possible as she leads her people to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Featuring a vibrant, soulful score, this spirited new musical brings to life the remarkable story of an American heroine - a woman they called Moses. As she triumphs over tragedy, Harriet inspires with her courage, charms with her wit, and captures the hearts of generations to come.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/harriet.

HOUSEWARMING
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Belinda Jenkin & William Hannagan

When coming of age means burning down the house.

Tommy is a geek: he finds it hard to maintain a conversation, let alone a relationship, so when a chance inheritance leads him to shared-housing, he is in a total rut. This could be his chance to get the girl, or at least extend his circle of friends beyond one. But the walls are whispering; will returning rehash a trauma he thought he'd forgotten? Set to a catchy indie-pop score, HOUSEWARMING is an Australian musical about a diverse group of Gen Ys' first night in a shared house. The heat is on.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/housewarming.

MANUEL VERSUS THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
Book and Lyrics by Noemi de la Puente; Music by Howard Post

A musical comedy about illegal immigration.

Inspired by the true story of a Princeton Undergrad who was an illegal immigrant, and got a Rhodes scholarship to study Ancient Literature. The Statue of Liberty is revamping her image. Manuel wants to be a teacher. Thrown into the ring, they fight it out - who is more American? What is American anyway? Latin music and American pop, rock, and gospel infuse the score. No one is spared in this zany political comedy that pulls no punches (pun intended) about immigration.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/manuelversusthestatueofliberty.

THE CALICO BUFFALO
Book by EJ Stapleton; Music and Lyrics by Peter Stopschinski & EJ Stapleton

The greatest journey is the one you take to find yourself.

"We can always use a brand new legend in this old world and now we have one. The Calico Buffalo." Liz Smith, syndicated columnist - When the first-born son to the chief of all buffalo arrives covered with the markings of a calico kitten, the chief, his son, and the entire buffalo nation are catapulted into the adventure of a lifetime. THE CALICO BUFFALO is a compelling theatrical experience. From the first musical moment, Grammy Award-winning composer Peter Stopschinski lets us know we are in for one wonder-filled ride.

Learn more at http://www.nymf.org/thecalicobuffalo.

Photo Credit: New York Music Theatre Festival