4@15: Four New Fifteen-Minute Musicals Opens At Times Square Art Center

4@15: Four New Fifteen-Minute Musicals, performed in conjunction with NYU Steinhardt, will commence performances this weekend, January 28 and 29, for five performances only.

Composers of the new works include: Donald Garverick and Mark McDaniels (Show Choir - The Musical!); Katya Stanislavskya (Rubik's Cube); Brian Feinstein (Mimi Le Duck) and Charlie Sohne (Tina Girlstar); and 2011 Drama Desk, Lortel, Drama League and Outer Critics nominees Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth (In Transit). Jesse Kissel serves as Music Director; Brian Blythe directs.

Performances: Saturday, January 28, at 4 and 7 PM and Sunday, January 29, at 1, 4 and 7 PM. Tickets: $10 (general admission); $5 with valid student ID; available online at www.4at15nyu.eventbrite.com. Performances at Roy Arias Theatre Center at the Times Square Art Center, 300 W 43rd St, 5th Floor.

The four new musicals include:
CASUAL BOB
Book, Music & Lyrics by Donald Garverick & Mark McDaniels
The internet connects a group of misfits all on the quest to find Casual Bob—a world traveler who spent his life leaving behind a part of himself everywhere he went.
With Marisa del Campo, Daniel Coombs, Meghan Dixon, Rosharra Francis, Erica Frighetto, Eric Loehr, Dana Lubeck, Hannah Marks

NATURAL ELECTION
Book, Music & Lyrics by Katya Stanislavskya
Who came up with the idea of "survival of the fittest"? Was it Darwin? Was it God? Or was it the world's first puppet master? Set on the day before the Great Flood, "Natural Election" explores the politics of getting on the Ark.
With Steph Bacon, Shavanna Calder, Joe Conceison, Keaton Covillo, Danielle Gimbal, Elena Glass, Emilia Horn, Tim Russell, Carrie Salmon

A WORLD WITHOUT HARMONY
Book & Lyrics by Charlie Sohne, Music by Brian Feinstein
In a world where song has been outlawed, a boy begins to hear his inner music and must choose between fitting in and finding his true self.
With Tricia Giordano, Alexandra Katselianos, Jake Kinney, Van Bich Nguyen, Elizabeth Sauter, Nick Savarese, Alexandra Tate, Cassi Torres

WASTELAND! THE MUSICAL
Book, Music & Lyrics by Russ Kaplan & Sara Wordsworth
Eight college students with Broadway dreams are being forced to perform the worst, most pretentious piece of musical theatre crap ever written. Until, that is, they take matters into their own hands...
With Alexandra Blair, Micah Caldwell, Stephanie Marantz, Nicole Padula, Jenna Pastuszek, Melissa Rapelje, Amanda Serra, Autumn Tilson

More on the writers:

Brian Feinstein (Music) is an award-winning composer in NYC. Off-Broadway credits include: Mimi Le Duck, starring Eartha Kitt and The Top Job. Regional productions include: The world-premiere play Ever So Humble, Dial M for Murder, Brecht’s Caucasian Chalk Circle and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. In development with producers Olympus Theatricals, the original musical, Tina Girlstar. Brian is the recipient of 6 ASCAP Plus Awards and a Jonathan Larson Memorial Fellowship. He is a member of the New Dramatists Composer/Librettist Studio, and is on the advisory board of the New York Theatre Barn. From 1999-2004 he was the Creative Director of Atlantic Theatre: the cast-recording theatrical division of Atlantic Records. He earned his MFA from the NYU Tisch School of Musical Theatre Writing after a BA from the USC School of Cinema and is a proud member of The Dramatists Guild, ASCAP, and the Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue League. (www.BrianFeinsteinMusic.com)

DONALD GARVERICK (Book, Music & Lyrics) Since 1996, Donald has led the life of the musical theatre gypsy, performing in over 30 regional theatre, summer stock, national tour, and Off-Broadway productions. Early in his performing career he was asked by director Gary Slavin to join the other side of the creative team by becoming an assistant choreographer. After assisting Mr. Slavin on numerous shows, including Off-Broadway's Area 51 - The Musical, he began to choreograph and teach dance on his own. He currently teaches "Broadway Theatre Dance (American Dance Machine Technique)" in NYC and recently completed work on Before God Was Invented: A Prehistoric Pagan Parable and Siren’s Heart at Theatre for a New City. Now, with Show Choir! - The Musical (and other upcoming projects with cowriter Mark McDaniels) Donald has ventured into the world of musical theatre writing and was recently recognized at the York Theater NEO concert, which celebrates New, Emerging, Outstanding musical theatre writers in NYC.

Russ Kaplan (Book, Music & Lyrics) is one of the creators of the a cappella musical In Transit, which ran at Primary Stages in 2010 and was nominated for a bunch of fancy awards, including the Lucille Lortels, Drama Desks, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle. His other scores include three 4@15 shows: Assisted Living, Siskiyou Trail!, and The Wake; West Moon Street (Prospect Theater Company); Baal(Columbia University); As You Like It (Luna Rep); and several modern dance pieces for Third Rail Projects. He was recently commissioned along with Sara Wordsworth to create a family musical for the educational theatre company Making Books Sing. Russ is also the keyboardist and leader of the “psychedelic indie jazz super-group” Russ Kaplan 7, which will be recording its debut album next week.

MARK MCDANIELS (Book, Music & Lyrics) A resident of NYC since 1994, Mark is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and the New School University with a BFA in Musical Theatre. He started his career as a performer in numerous NYC and regional stage productions including Footloose (Ren), Chicago, Hot n' Cole, and Peter and the Wolf (Peter) at Lincoln Center. A jack of many trades he has also been seen as a composer, singer, mosaic artist, voice over actor, producer and house manager. He and his partner Donald Garverick have written, produced and cast four subsequent versions of Show Choir! -The Musical, including an award winning production at the 2007 FringeNYC and a sold out run at the 2010 NYMF. In addition, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland presented a highly acclaimed production in the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Mark and Donald were recently recognized at the 2011 York Theater NEO concert, celebrating New, Emerging, and Outstanding musical theatre writers in NYC. Currently Mark is the host of the Cabaret Showdown, a monthly game show at the Under St. Marks Theatre.

CHARLIE SOHNE (Book & Lyrics) Bookwriter and/or Lyricist: Tina Girlstar (book: Anton Dudley, music: Brian Feinstein): developed at NY Stage and Film and optioned by Olympus Theatricals. The Shadow Sparrow (book: Anton Dudley, music: Keith Gordon): developed at The O’Neill. The Profit of Creation (music: Tim Rosser): developed at ASCAP’s Johnny Mercer Songwriters Workshop and the Yale Institute for Musical Theater. Kissing The Underworld (book: Anton Dudley): commissioned by Cherry Lane Theater. Charlie’s a member of the Monthly Meeting of the Minds at the Lark and was selected for three Lark Retreats. He’s a member of the advanced class at the BMI Workshop.

KATYA STANISLAVSKAYA (Book, Music & Lyrics) is excited to be working with 4@15 NYU after having written Pandora’s Inbox for 4@15 UCI last Spring. Other composer/lyricist credits include Women on Love (Gillioz Theatre), Rubik’s Cube (Prospect Theater), and numerous songs performed at Joe’s Pub, Barrington Stage, Merkin Hall, etc. Katya is a member of the BMI Workshop (Advanced) and was a MacDowell Artist Colony Fellow in 2011. When she’s not writing, Katya is a music director and pianist, currently working on Adam Guettel’s Myths and Hymns at Prospect Theater. She is a staff accompanist at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. www.katyastan.com

Sara Wordsworth (Book, Music & Lyrics) is a lyricist, librettist, AEA performer and coach. Her work in NY theatre has been nominated for multiple Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Drama League & Outer Critics Circle Awards. Sara co-wrote the Off-Broadway a cappella musical In Transit (Primary Stages, O’Neill NMTC, Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award). With Russ Kaplan, she’s currently developing several new pieces, including the musical play High School Confidential, a commissioned original family musical for Making Books Sing (slated to open in NYC 2013), and a full-length Indie Rock musical. Proud member: Dramatists Guild, Actors’ Equity, BMI Workshop. www.SaraWordsworth.com