Lisa Howard Rounds Out Cast of Tim Realbuto's WUNDERKIND at NYMF

Drama Desk Award winner and Drama League nominee Lisa Howard, who is currently earning rave reviews starring as Jenny Steinberg in Broadway's 'It Shoulda Been You', is the final special guest performer to join Tim Realbuto in his autobiographical piece 'Wunderkind' at The New York Musical Theatre Festival. Ms. Howard is also well known for her portrayal of Rona Lisa Peretti in the original Broadway cast of 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee'. Her numerous other Broadway credits include Lincoln Center's 'South Pacific'; '9 to 5'; and 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert'. On television, she appeared on ABC's "Ugly Betty", but is perhaps most known to film audiences as Siobahn in 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2.' Next up, she will star as Sylvia in director Joseph Wartnerchaney 's thriller 'Decay' for Ghost Orchid Films.

As previously reported, Tim Realbuto is bringing his critically acclaimed (not-so-solo) solo show 'Tim Realbuto: Wunderkind' to the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) for a special one night only concert event on Sunday, July 26th at 5:00 PM. Individual tickets cost $27.50 and the performance will take place at Theater 3, 311 W. 43rd Street, NYC.

Realbuto (HBO's "The Sopranos"; 'Mean the musical') has been touring this particular show for almost a year all throughout New York City, including sold out runs at Joe's Pub and 54 Below. He recently took it across the country and now brings it back to NYC for the New York Musical Theatre Festival, which was the original birthplace of his musical 'Ghostlight', which he co-wrote and directed with Matthew Martin during the 2011 festival.

'Wunderkind' tells the true story of Tim's former days as a child "star" and what it's like to grow up in this crazy, exciting, pressured business that we call "show." The Huffington Post has called Realbuto's Wunderkind "genre-busting." Realbuto is known to feature many famous guest stars at his performances, and this time around is no different. The many actors who will portray characters from Tim's life, as well as the voices in his head will be played by Broadway, Off-Broadway, and New York theatre veterans. Aside from the aforementioned Ms. Howard, previously announced special guest performers include Tony and Drama Desk Award winner Beth Leavel ('The Drowsy Chaperone'; 'Mamma Mia!'), "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" star Jenna Leigh Green ('Wicked'; 'Bare'), Danielle Ferland (Broadway's original Little Red Riding Hood from 'Into the Woods'; HBO's "The Normal Heart"), Drama Desk nominee Claybourne Elder ('Bonnie & Clyde'; 'Road Show'), Laurissa Romain (Chris Rock's "Top Five"; LCT's 'South Pacific'), Michael Nigro (NBC's "The Sound of Music Live!"), Kimberly Faye Greenberg ('Little Wars'; 'Danny and Sylvia'), Grant Albright ('Ragtime'; 'The Little Mermaid'), Leigh Martha Klinger ('Rebecca the musical'; 'We Will Rock You'), Adena Walker ('Bookseller in the Rain'; 'The Baker's Wife'), Matthew Martin ('Ghostlight'; 'Freedom's Song'), Abigail Ludrof ('Outcasts Like Us'; 'Third Floor'), Shane Long ('How To Succeed...'; 'My Big Gay Italian Wedding'), and Kevin Riddagh ('The Adonis'; 'Live In Living Color: The Music of Shaiman and Wittman').

The ensemble, who will also help carry the story along include Tony Artiga ('The Who's Tommy'), Eddie Egan ('Miss Saigon'), Cait Farrell ('Kiss Me, Kate'), Teresa Hui ('LoveQuirks'), Katie Mack ('Avarice'), Jackie Reynolds ('Rent'), Allison St. Rock ('Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson'), and Lauren Testerman ('Next to Normal').

Two time Drama Desk Award nominee Christina Bianco ('Application Pending'; 'Forbidden Broadway'; "The Ellen Show") will provide additional voices recorded specifically for this event.

'Wunderkind' will feature direction and choreography by Michael Kidney ('The Skin of our Teeth'), with musical direction being provided by Andrew Wheeler ('Newsical the musical'). Realbuto wrote and conceived the evening which promises to feature original songs as well as slew of well-known covers. Expect an evening of hilarity with lots of heart. The production stage manager/lighting designer is Abby Judd ('The Vaudevillians').

To purchase tickets for Realbuto's 'Wunderkind', please visit www.nymf.org/wunderkind
The New York Musical Theatre Festival nurtures the creation, production, and public presentation of

stylistically, thematically, and culturally diverse new musicals to ensure the future vitality of musical theatre.

Now in its twelfth year, the Festival is the premier musical theatre event in the world. The preeminent site for launching new musicals and discovering new talent, the Festival provides an affordable platform for artists to mount professional productions that reach their peers, industry leaders, and musical theatre fans. More than 90 Festival shows have gone on to productions on and Off-Broadway, in regional theaters in all 50 states, and in more than 20 countries worldwide. Festival alumni have received a wide array of awards including the Tony Award® and the Pulitzer Prize. In 2013, NYMF received a special Drama Desk Award in recognition of its work "creating and nurturing new musical theatre, ensuring the future of this essential art form."

NYMF is the flagship program of National Music Theater Network, Inc., a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. NYMF 2015 is sponsored by Fuzzrocket, PRG, TheaterMania, Clear Channel Spectacolor, and The Village Voice, and is supported, in part, 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.

The NYMF PASS is a great way to experience The New York Musical Theatre Festival. With a NYMF PASS, you can get into the theater before individual ticket holders. Passes also offer the exclusive ability to book tickets before they go on sale to the public. NYMF Passholder ticket booking begins June 1. Individual tickets go on sale June 15.

The 2015 New York Musical Theatre Festival will take place July 7-27. For more information, please visit: www.nymf.org

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