Photo Flash: NYMF's Flight of the Lawnchair Man

The New York Musical Theatre Festival will present the New York premiere of Flight of the Lawnchair Man, a new musical comedy with music and lyrics by Robert Lindsey-Nassif (Hollywood Arms) and a book by Peter Ullian. Starring Donna Lynne Champlin (Sweeney Todd), the show will soar into 37 Arts Theatre (450 W 37th Street) for six performances only beginning Wednesday, September 13.

The show will be directed and choreographed by two-time Tony Award nominee Lynne Taylor-Corbett (Swing!). "Meet Jerry Gorman. He's a regular guy from Passaic, New Jersey who just wants to fly. The neighbors think he's nuts. His mother disapproves. Gracie (Champlin) is the only one who believes in him. Laugh and cheer when Jerry soars to 16,000 feet with nothing but a lawnchair, 400 helium balloons and a dream. Flight of the Lawnchair Man is a new musical that reminds the world that dreams can come true if you believe in yourself," state production notes on the show, which will be produced by NYMF, Beth Dembrow and Luigi Productions. As a one act, Flight of the Lawnchair Man was originally presented as part of Harold Prince's 3hree at the Prince Music Theatre in Philadelphia, and last year, was seen in an expanded version at Goodspeed Musicals.

The musical also stars Christopher Sutton (Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story) as Jerry Gorman, Patrick Boll as Big Jack, Jonathan Brody as Leonardo Da Vinci, William Galinsky as Mr. Frankel, Danette Holden as Blaire, Susan J. Jacks as Mother Gorman, Erin Maguire as Amelia Earhart, Christopher Vettel as Charles Lindbergh, John Michael Coppola and Kristie Dale Sanders.

Tickets are $20 and are available by visiting www.nymf.org or by calling (212) 352-3101.

Photos by Diane Sobolewski

Christopher Sutton and Donna Lynne Champlin

The cast of The Flight of the Lawnchair Man

Danette Holden and Patrick Boll