Hansen, Ephraim, Arcilla and More Cast in NYMF's 'College'

After a twice-extended world-premiere engagement at the Hippodrome State Theater this summer, COLLEGE The Musical is set to make its New York City professional premiere September 18 - 28 at ATA Chernuchin Theater as part of the New York Musical Theater Festival. 

The cast will include: Marie-France Arcilla, Juliana Ashley Hansen (Saved), Molly Ephraim (Fiddler on the Roof, Into the Woods), Brandon Espinoza (Gypsy, Les Miserables, Big, Will Rogers Follies), Casey Ford Alexander (Andrew Lippa's A Little Princess and COLLEGE The Musical world premieres), Damon Gravina, Rob Hancock (Mamma Mia! National Tour), Emily Klein (Parade), Kyra Lorraine Selman, Michael Jennings Mahoney, Eric Petersen (Spelling Bee 1st National), and Sandy Rosenberg (Mamma Mia!, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Candide). 

Directed by Jeremy Dobrish (Election Day (Second Stage), Spain (MCC)), COLLEGE The Musical features music direction by Mark Hartman (Avenue Q), choreography by Boo Killebrew (Speech and Debate), casting by Mark Simon Casting ("13", Lovemusik), lighting by Emmy Award winner Michael Gottlieb, scenic design by Steven Capone (A Wonderful Life), sound by Michael Eisenberg ("13"), and costumes by David Kaley (Newsical).

COLLEGE The Musical is a tuneful and honest look at modern campus life penned by recent Princeton graduates Drew Fornarola and Scott Elmegreen.  The show explores the ridiculousness and pure fun of life in a dorm room, as well as offering a more serious reflection on growing up and trying to find oneself amid the chaos and insanity of the college experience.  Prior to its premiere at the Hippodrome this summer, the show previewed at Princeton in May 2006, and was developed and performed at the University at Buffalo (February 2007), and at the Schaeberle Theater as the winner of the "PACE New Musicals" competition (January 2008).  In March 2008, COLLEGE The Musical received an award from MTV for Casey Ford Alexander's music video of the song "You're Good Enough for Now."

COLLEGE The Musical is being performed at ATA Chernuchin Theater (314 W 54th Street) and will play the following performance schedule: Thursday, Sept 18th (8pm); Friday, Sept 19th (10:30pm); Saturday, Sept 20 (1pm); Friday, Sept 26th (10:30pm); Saturday, Sept 27th (1pm); Sunday, Sept 28th (9pm).  Tickets can be purchased at www.nymf.org.  More information about the show is available at www.nymf.org/show-880.html or by emailing collegemusical@gmail.com.

Hailed as "the Sundance of Musical Theatre," The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) exists to revitalize one of America's greatest art forms by discovering, supporting and promoting new musical theater artists, producers, and projects, and by introducing a diverse audience to the vibrancy of contemporary musical theater. Since its inception in 2004, the three-week annual festival has premiered more than 130 new musicals - many of which have gone on to award-winning productions in New York, in regional theaters and on tour in 38 states, and nine countries worldwide.  NYMF 2004 hit Altar Boyz has played well over 1,000 performances off-Broadway and is now in its fourth year at New World Stages; fellow NYMF alum [title of show] recently began performances at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway.

Widely regarded as the essential source for new material and talent discovery, NYMF is the flagship program of The National Music Theater Network, a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization, and is presented in association with BroadwayWorld.com and TheaterMania.com, and is supported by am NewYork, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, BroadwayBox.com, BroadwayInsider.com, King Displays, Panasonic Astrovision, and TheMENEvent. NYMF is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

Photo Credit Genevieve Rafter Keddy