Broadway Artists to Join the MIKE PETTRY PROJECT

Broadway's Max Chernin (Bright Star), Kaitlyn Davidson (Cinderella, Nice Work If You Can Get It) and F. Michael Haynie (Wicked), as well as Jed Resnick (Avenue Q)* will headline the The Mik e Pettry Project , the second in the Singers Forum/EMGCollective's collaborative songbook series on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, October 4 & 5, at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. The series brings together Broadway performers and members of the SF/AEA Scholarship Program to spotlight work of prominent new composers. Following the success of The Patrick Dwyer Project, the series now features composer/lyricist Mike Pettry (The Light Princess, Things I Left on Long Island) whose work has been produced at A.R.T., South Coast Rep, The New Victory Theatre, etc. Pettry's current projects include partnering with composer Eli Bolin as he provides the lyrics for The Last Song of Eddie Scourge, a hard-rock adaptation of the classic A Christmas Carol.

The Mike Pettry Project will be directed by award-winning concert and cabaret director Eric Michael Gillett with musical direction by Madeline Smith. The cast for the two evenings of song includes scholarship program members Rin Allen, Shannon Amiry, Erin Wegner Brooks (Young Frankenstein - Nat'l Tour), Stephen Mitchell Brown (Jekyll & Hyde), Booth Daniels, Jon Drake (West Side Story & Dirty Dancing - Nat'l Tour), Kim Rachelle Harris, Leah Jennings, Riley Krull, Matthew McGloin, Jay Paranada, James Roberts, Arthur L. Ross (Elf), MarRick Smith (Fun Home), Lauren Stanford, Charles Stevens, Allison Strong, Stacey Weckstein, Correy West (South Pacific) and Melissa Zimmerman.

Gillett, who has directed shows for Broadway's Jarrod Spector, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Mandy Gonzalez and many others, said "Mike is one of those new musical theatre composers singers with whom singers love to work. His music needs to be heard. He and I just spent the summer collaborating on the fully staged theatrical premiere of Cast of Thousands/The Songs of Craig Carnelia at the Wyoming Theatre Festival, and I am thrilled that we are able to offer such a talented composer a showcase for so many of his remarkable songs. Yes, his ballads are beautiful but the comedy songs are going to knock your socks off, too."

The two night event will take place Tuesday October 4t h and Wednesday October 5t h at 7pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Tickets are $20 with a $20 food/beverage minimum. For reservations please visit www.tinyurl.com/MikePettryProject.

The Singers Forum/AEA Scholarship Program offers subsidized vocal training, through a funded endowment, to AEA members who apply, audition and are accepted. The subsidy covers more than 50 percent of the voice lesson, including a studio and accompanist. Without regard to age, ethnicity, gender and, for the most part, financial need, the scholarship is offered to qualified applicants to assist them in their quest for successful careers while maintaining the vocal health, strength and flexibility to attain long-term musical goals. The program is administered by EMGCollective, while the program endowment is provided by the Singers Forum, a non-profit organization .