MITFP Presents MITF Commercial Division

With the coming of its ninth annual summer program of varied and eclectic works, the Midtown InterNational Theatre Festival is proud to unveil the MITF Commercial Division, featuring shows staged with a specific eye toward a future existence, be it on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theatre or touring worldwide.

There will be three participating shows in the first outing of the Commercial Division: the one-woman show EXIT CUCKOO, and the musical comedies OPA! and LOVE, INCORPORATED. All three will be performed at the TBG Theatre, located at 312 West 36th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenue) on the 3rd floor. These are the only MITF works being presented at the TBG Theatre; they will be running in repertory from July 18th - August 10th.
 
"The Commercial Division is an idea we've had for some time," said MITF executive producer John Chatterton. "I have often seen wonderful works at the MITF and elsewhere off-off-Broadway and it frustrated me that so many of them never went anywhere else. The idea behind the Commercial Division is to take shows that want to go to that next level and give them a place to do so. The three participating works in this 'Rolls Royce' of Festival programs have advantages such as extra rehearsal time, extra storage space and MITF staff members working only on the productions in that theatre. Additionally, there is often only one show performing per night (never more than two), allowing the productions extra setup and break-down time."
 
The three shows in the MITF's Commercial Division are as follows:

Exit Cuckoo
Written and Performed by Lisa Ramirez
Lotus Productions, Producer
David Roberts, Associate Producer
Directed by May Adrales
Running time: 75 minutes
Exit Cuckoo is a one-woman show that explodes the myth of motherhood.  How is a busy parent expected to produce offspring, rear young, build her nest, and still find time to forage for food and a decent living?  In nature, the cuckoo bird solves this problem by leaving its egg in another bird's nest and the host bird then assumes responsibility for the unborn hatchling.  Answers for the modern, diverse and driven women of New York City are more difficult to uncover…

In the jungle of Manhattan, Ramirez takes us into the homes of, and sits us on park benches with, nannies, mothers, and the children they both leave and care for.  Exit Cuckoo is an incisive glimpse into the lives of drastically different women that challenges the viewer to never look at "that woman" with the stroller in the same way again.

In a review of the show, New York Magazine noted, "Lisa Ramirez performs her new work, Exit Cuckoo, inspired by her years as a Manhattan nanny, that delivers a hilarious (and frightening) running commentary on your child-rearing neighbors – but not you, of course."  Of the show, writer/activist Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues) said,  "Lisa Ramirez gives us an inside look into the complicated, disturbing, often overlooked world of mothers, nannies and children. Both brave and funny, Exit Cuckoo deserves our attention."

Show Times for Exit Cuckoo are as follows:

Friday, July 18th at 8pm               Saturday, July 19th at 2pm

Monday, July 21st at 7pm            Saturday, July 26th at 8pm

Sunday, July 27th at 2pm                 Thursday, July 31st at 8pm

Sunday, August 3rd at 2pm          Friday, August 8th at 8pm

Saturday, August 9th at 8pm

 
Love, Incorporated (musical comedy)
Book, music, & lyrics by Marc Castle
Directed by Igor Goldin
Musical direction by Phillip Kirchman
Presented by Tzipora Kaplan in association with Katherine Heberling
Featuring: Jennifer Blood, Jonathan Rayson, Hollis Scarborough, and Tally Sessions
An Equity Approved Showcase
www.loveincmusical.com
Running Time: 2 hours with intermission
Faith Stillman is an average NYC businesswoman. Smart, sweet…and seriously single. So, she did what any ordinary gal would do: create a business plan and incorporate.

Phase 1:           "Research & Development." Rent a Midtown office. Hire assistants.

Phase 2:           "Determine strategic initiatives." Generate a dossier on Dream Man. Dye hair blonde & buy heels.

Phase 3:           "Dinner Date." Finesse the buyer. Sing a musical number.

To close the deal on Love, Faith can't leave anything to chance. Love, Incorporated: Why leave your future up to fate?

Show Times for Love, Incorporated are as follows:

Friday, August 1st at 8pm                             Saturday, August 2nd at 8pm

Sunday, August 3rd at 7pm                               Monday, August 4th at 7pm

Wednesday, August 6th at 2pm                        Thursday, August 7th at 8pm

Friday, August 8th at 4pm                                 Saturday, August 9th at 2pm
Sunday, August 10th at 2pm

OPA! (Musical/comedy)
Book by Mari Carras & Laurel Ollstein
Lyrics by Mari Carras & Nick Kitsopoulos
Music by Nicholas Carras & Nick Kitsopoulos
Choreography by Wendy Waring
Assistant Choreographer: Margaret Liston
Greek Dance Consultant: Athan Karras
Directed by Spiro Veloudos
Musical Direction by Micah Young
Presented by Double Play Connections, LLC and Wild Bird Productions, Inc.
Featuring: Demetri Bonaros, Joseph Callari, Michael Dionissiou, Carolee Goodgold, Abigail Hardin, Jan Leslie Harding, Michael Alan Jacobs, Costa Nicolas, Patrick Riviere, Eric Ruben, Louis Michael Sacco, and Natasha Tabandera

An Equity Approved Showcase
http://www.OPAtheMusical.com
Running Time: 2 Hours

A new musical about life and love on a forgotten Grecian isle.

The tiny Greek island of Elia has been left off the national map since…forever. Costa, the newly elecTed Mayor, tries to reinvigorate the dispassionate villagers by announcing his recent discovery of the island on a globe. When a cruise ship is spotted from a distance heading straight for the island, the villagers band together in a desperate attempt to gain recognition from the outside world, and from each other. The mayhem that ensues ends up helping the villagers "see" their hidden selves along the way - the main message being to never hide your true self and to always to live a life of "OPA!"  Let the singing and dancing begin!

Show Times for OPA! are as follows:

Saturday, July 19th at 8pm                                Sunday, July 20th at 2pm

Wednesday, July 23rd at 4:30 pm                     Friday, July 25th at 5pm          

Saturday, July 26th at 2pm                                Monday, July 28th at 7pm

Wednesday, July 30th at 7pm                           Saturday, August 2nd at 2pm

Wednesday, August 6th at 8pm

 
EXIT CUCKOO; LOVE, INCORPORATED and OPA! will all be performed in repertory from July 18th - August 10th at the TBG Theatre, located at 312 West 36th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues), 3rd floor, as part of the Ninth Avenue Midtown InterNational Theatre Festival.  (Please note that the theatre is wheelchair accessible.)

Tickets to all MITF shows are $18.00, $15.00 for students and seniors. Reservations can be made by calling 212-279-4200 or by going to www.ticketcentral.com. Additional information on the shows in the Commercial Division can be found at their individual websites  or at www.midtownfestival.org.