York Theatre Company's 2020 MTTP SUMMER PROGRAM INTENSIVE Begins Tonight

The York Theatre Company is presenting the 2020 Musical Theatre Training Program (MTTP) Summer Program Intensive, a special 4-week virtual journey nurturing the next generation of students and songwriters. Join York's Education Director Jimmy Ludwig, York's Literary Manager Seth Christenfeld, and Music Director Eric Svejcar, who have gathered together students from the York's MTTP program and songwriters from the 2020 "Songwriters in Mufti" Competition as they "bring musicals to life." Featured MTTP students from around the country include Ifedayo Thomas Gatlin, Adeleke Goring, Connor Shields and Carly Walsh. The program will feature new works by songwriting teams Steven Silverstein and Drew Fornarola, Sequoia Sellinger and Claire-Frances Sullivan, Jody Shelton and Peter Gwinn, and Peter Napolitano and Matthew Martin Ward, and composer/lyricists Stephen Anthony Elkins, Si Kahn, and Rebecca Lee Lerman.

The four-part virtual journey is set for Wednesday evenings, July 22, 2020 - August 12, 2020 beginning at 7:00PM via The York's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/yorktheatrecompany/, or Via The York's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/yorktheatre

For additional information, please visit www.yorktheatre.org.

2020 MTTP SUMMER PROGRAM SHOWCASE SCHEDULE

EPISODE ONE: MEET THE STUDENTS (APPEARING FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY)!

Wednesday, July 22, 2020 at 7:00PM

Ifedayo Thomas Gatling, a singer/songwriter from Long Island, recent graduate
Adeleke Goring, a rising senior at a magnet performing arts high school in Louisville, KY
Connor Shields, a recent high school graduate from Wildwood, NJ
Carly Walsh, an incoming high school freshman in Houston, TX

EPISODE TWO: MEET THE SONGWRITERS!

Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 7:00PM

Steven Silverstein and Drew Fornarola wrote the group opening number, "The Curtain Speech," a wink to York Producing Artistic Director James Morgan, and every Artistic Director everywhere.

Stephen Anthony Elkins wrote "It Started With Your Script", about the struggles of a musical theatre writer performed by Adeleke Goring.

Sequoia Sellinger and Claire-Frances Sullivan wrote "Where I Wanna End Up," a song about stage managers performed by Ifedayo Thomas Gatling.

Rebecca Lee Lerman drew on her own memories of school theatre to write "Ben Franklin Middle School Musical" performed by Carly Walsh.

Jody Shelton and Peter Gwinn wrote "School Daze," a song about a kid running for president of his 7th grade class performed by Connor Shields.

Si Kahn, civil rights activist and folk singer/songwriter, wrote "Freedom is a Constant Song" performed by Ifedayo Thomas Gatling for a second solo.

Peter Napolitano and Matthew Martin Ward wrote "What's Next", the perfect group closing number for 2020.

EPISODE THREE: THEY REHEARSE!

Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 7:00PM

The students meet the songwriters and work in their individual songs and group numbers.

EPISODE FOUR: THE PERFORM!

Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 7:00PM

The Grand Finale! The four-week journey concludes with performances recorded by each individual student.

PROGRAM

"The Curtain Speech"
Music by Steven Silverstein and Lyrics by Drew Fornarola
Performed by Ifedayo Thomas Gatling, Adeleke Goring, Connor Shields, and Carly Walsh

"It Started With Your Script"
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Anthony Elkins
Performed by Adeleke Goring

"Where I Wanna End Up"
Music by Sequoia Sellinger and Lyrics by Claire-Frances Sullivan
Performed by Ifedayo Thomas Gatling

"Ben Franklin Middle School Musical"
Music and Lyrics by Rebecca Lee Lerman
Performed by Carly Walsh

"School Daze"
Music by Jody Shelton and Lyrics by Peter Gwinn
Performed by Connor Shields

"Freedom is a Constant Song"
Music and Lyrics by Si Kahn
Performed by Ifedayo Thomas Gatling

"What's Next"
Music by Matthew Martin Ward and Lyrics by Peter Napolitano
Performed by Ifedayo Thomas Gatling, Adeleke Goring, Connor Shields, and Carly Walsh