NYMF's Emerald Man Selected for Disney/ASCAP Workshop

The rock musical EMERALD MAN, a modern-day Don Quixote complete with comic books and superheroes, has been chosen for the 2007 ASCAP Foundation/Disney Musical Theatre Workshop in Los Angeles. It is one of 4 musicals selected out of 170 submissions.

This news comes just months after the show's world-premiere as part of the 2006 New York Musical Theatre Festival Next Link Series. Presented by NYMF, in association with Kim Vasquez of Gray Lady Entertainment, Inc. "We're hearing a lot of "yes" these days," says bookwriter/lyricist Janet Cole Valdez, A former Motown staff songwriter, Janet co-wrote the show with composers Marc Bosserman and Tom Valdez. The three have numerous pop music, film and TV credits among them.

The Burbank readings will feature an all-new Los Angeles cast which includes Jonathan Goldstein, co-star of Nickelodeon series Drake and Josh. Other cast members are Justin Alston, Justis Bolding, Sacha P. Comrie, Ryan Cusino, Steven Cutts, Jazz Emery, Tricia Kelly, Deedee O'Malley, Rob O'Brien, and Jon Statham. Mel Nelson is music director. The show will be presented in two segments, the first on January 29th and the second on February 20th, on the Disney lot in Burbank.

EMERALD MAN, originally inspired by a true story, features a powerful pop/rock score. According to Valdez, "EMERALD MAN has been picking up steam online among young fans, ever since our songs were posted to our website. We regularly get emails from self-proclaimed EMERALD MAN fanatics all over the world, using terms like 'obsessed with the show' and 'can't stop listening.'"

The ASCAP Foundation/Disney Musical Theatre Workshop is part of an ongoing series of workshops sponsored by The ASCAP Foundation to nurture new American musicals.