MADAME X Set for NYMF, 9/26-10/9

David West in Association with John Freedson will present MADAME X with book, music and lyrics Geard Alessandrini & Robert Hetzel and directed by Mr. Alessandrini at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. 

DATES OF PERFORMANCES:
Monday, Sep 26th, 2011 at 8:00 pm
Wednesday, Sep 28th, 2011 at 8:00 pm
Friday, Sep 30th, 2011 at 7:00 pm
Sunday, Oct 2nd, 2011 at 1:00 pm
Wednesday, Oct 5th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
Sunday, Oct 9th, 2011 at 7:00 pm

OFFICIAL OPENING DATE: Monday, Sep 26, 2011 at 8:00pm

47th Street Theatre (304 West 47th Street)

From Gerard Alessandrini, the creator of the Tony-Award-Winning Forbidden Broadway, and Robert Hetzel, comes an over-the-top new musical: Madame X, a melodramatic yet comic take on the Douglas Sirk films of the 1950s, and the ever-durable genre of the altruistic, self-sacrificing mother. The show, which will be presented concert-style, stars Forbidden Broadway veterans Donna English as Madame X (Ruthless!, Lend Me a Tenor) Janet Dickenson (The Grinch, Nine to Five) Edward Staudenmayer (Frank Wildhorn's Alice in Wonderland, Spamalot), Michael West (Newsical), plus Bill Coyne, Sean Bell, and Mike Longo with Musical Direction by David Caldwell and Richard Danley.

Madame X is a the brand new twist on John Singer Sargent's classic portrait "Madame X", and follows the meteoric rise and downward spiral of an over-sexed '50's housewife who won't take responsibility for her own hedonism- until it's too late! The portrait served as the inspiration for the 1905 drama by Alexander Bisson, which in turn spawned nine films, from a 1916 silent version, to a 1966 Lana Turner vehicle. This latest Madame X, with tunes by Gerard Alessandrini begins with a huge capital "M!" for Melodrama! Music! and Murder! Mr. Alessandrini directs.

Cast
Donna English: Bunny, Frances, Madame X
Janet Dickinson: Evelyn, Portrait of Madame X
Michael West: Cliff Henderson, Patrick James
JorDan Goldberg: Little Cliff, Jr.
Bill Coyne: Cliff Henderson, Jr. as an adult
Ed Staudenmeyer: Roberto Romanelli
Mike Longo: Pageant Host, Reporter #2, Prosecutor
Sean Bell: Judge, Doctor

Gerard Alessandrini (Creator, Writer, and Director) is best known for writing and directing all the editions of Forbidden Broadway and Forbidden Hollywood, in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, London, and around the world. Gerard is originally from Needham, Mass. He graduated from the Boston Conservatory of Music. In 1982, he created and wrote Forbidden Broadway, which has spawned 20 editions, ten cast albums and a 27-year run in New York. Gerard's next musical The Nutcracker and I will premiere this Christmas season at The George ST. Playhouse in New Jersey. Co-written with Emmy Award winner Peter Brash.

Gerard co-wrote (with Peter Blue), directed, and performed in Masterpiece Tonight, a satirical revue saluting Masterpiece Theater's 20th Anniversary Telecast on PBS. As a performer, he can be heard on five of the ten Forbidden Broadway cast albums, and on the soundtracks of Disney's animated classics Aladdin and Pocahontas. He recently wrote and designed the book Forbidden Broadway: Behind The Mylar Curtain with Michael Portantiere. His second forthcoming book Gigi: Music On Film is due for release through Applause Publishing later this year. Gerard is the recipient of an Obie Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, two Lucille Lortel Awards, and seven Drama Desk Awards. He recently received a Tony Award Honor for Excellence In The theatre.

Now in its eighth year, the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) is the largest annual musical theatre event in America and is widely regarded as the essential source for new material and talent discovery. NYMF provides a launching pad for the next generation of musicals and their creators to ensure the continued vitality of one of America's greatest art forms. Hailed as the "Sundance of Musical Theatre," NYMF discovers, nurtures, and promotes promising musical theatre artists and producers at all stages of development, and inspires a diverse audience through vibrant, accessible, powerful new work.

NYMF is the flagship program of National Music Theater Network, Inc., a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. NYMF 2011 is presented in association with BroadwayWorld.com, Production Resource Group, and TheaterMania.com, and is supported by American Eagle Outfitters, Back Stage, BroadwayBox.com, BroadwayInsider.com, Clear Channel Spectacolor, Disney Store Times Square, Fox 5/ WNYW-TV, King Displays, NASDAQ OMX, New World Stages, Next Magazine, PMD Promotions, The Port Authority of NY & NJ, Queerty.com, Season of Savings, Terra Fossil Wines, Thomson Reuters, TheMenEvent.com, Times Square Squared, and Yelp. Major supporters include The ASCAP Foundation, BMI Foundation, Inc., The BWF Foundation, Con Edison, The Nathan Cummings Foundation with the support and encouragement of Jamie Ariel Phinney, Cameron Mackintosh Foundation, The New Musical Development Foundation, The Jerome Robbins Foundation, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and The Theater League. 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, in partnership with the City Council and from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

NYMF Memberships, which combine charitable contributions with valuable, flexible ticket packages and perks like early seating, and tickets to individual events are currently available for purchase at (212) 352-3101 or www.nymf.org. Single tickets for Festival events will go on sale September 1.