As part of its first annual Festival of New Artists, Goodspeed Musicals will present three staged readings of new musicals on January 20th and 21st.The festival will
focus on musicals featuring participants in Goodspeed's New Artists Program, a collaboration with the University of Hartford's Hartt School performing conservatory.
During the first week, three teams of writers and composers will
develop musicals, while in the second week, 32 senior students form the
Hartt School will begin rehearsal as the musicals continue to evolve.
There will be staged readings of the following musicals: Once Upon a Time in Narcissia
on January 20th at 8 PM. "A modern take on a Cinderella who doesn't get
the Prince," the show features music by
Youn-Young Park, and book and lyrics by Susannah Pearse; the two are
alumni of Goodspeed's 2005 New Writers' Residency program. The show will be directed by J Ranelli, with musical direction by Bill Thomas. On January 21st at 2
PM, Romancing The Throne will
be presented. The show is a "musical of secret identities, palace
intrigue and a struggling actor
who is cast in the role of a lifetime," and is written by Randy Rogel
and Kirby Ward, who also directs. Both are also actors with Goodspeed
credits. Sam Kriger is the musical director. I See London I See France (The Underwear Musical)
will be performed the same day at 8 PM; the show concerns "love and
romance in the pressure-filled, ultra-hyped world of advertising," and
is written by New Writers' Residency alumni David Guerrerio and Jeremy
Desdon. The latter wrote The Girl in the Frame, which received a Goodspeed workshop production in 2005. Lawrence Thelen will direct the show, which will feature musical direction by Brian Cimmet.
Tickets to the Festival of New Artists staged readings are $10
each for one show, $25 for one ticket to all three shows, and $5 each
for students. Visit the Goodspeed box office or call (860) 873-8668. For more information, visit www.goodspeed.org.