The Bad Kids Production Company Launches With its Year-End Preview Party For HOW TO REPAIR A MECHANICAL HEART

The newly launched production company, focused on shifting the way theatre is developed, The Bad Kids ("a new way to Broadway"), will present a year-end listening party of the concept album for the new musical, HOW TO REPAIR A MECHANICAL HEART, on Thursday, December 30, 2021, at 8 PM. The special event will be hosted by Tik Tok star JJ Nieman (Broadway's Book of Mormon) and will feature cast and creative team members. The event is FREE. To reserve a digital ticket, please visit www.thebadkidsarehere.com and will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube.

The Bad Kids is also proud to announce its new partnerships with Transcend Streaming (Kyra Bowie and Leanna Keyes, founders) to create the special event and Uproar Theatrics will co-produce the event as well as license MECHANICAL HEART for developmental productions around the country and finally Broadway Boxed Up (a POC run subscription-based Broadway merchandising company) will be providing free swag to attendees!

How to Repair a Mechanical Heart is an original musical based on the novel by J.C. Lillis. A modern, queer twist on a classic romantic musical comedy, this witty and warmhearted show is about first love, fandom, and finding the courage to be yourself.

Brandon and Abel, two very different guys, met in an online fanfiction group devoted to their favorite sci-fi TV show, Castaway Planet. During a weekend adventure that changes everything, the guys-along with Brandon's best friend and nerd skeptic, Bec-hit the road in an RV to attend a fan convention for Cast- away Planet. Along the way, Brandon and Abel uncover secrets about each other, spar with an online community of fanfiction writers, meet their TV idols, and maybe possibly fall in love. But as Brandon's conservative upbringing and Abel's painful romantic past conspire to keep them apart, the two have to find a way to repair their own hearts-and each other's.

"We are thrilled to introduce our company with this special year-end event. What if exciting upcoming musicals found a way to do a preview, not unlike movies? What if a show attempted to find a fan base early in development? That's one way The Bad Kids aims to alter the commercial theatre landscape." - The Bad Kids, Marc Erdahi

Based on the novel by JC Lillis, the musical adaptation of HOW TO REPAIR A MECHANICAL HEART is conceived and directed by Marc Erdahi. It features a book and lyrics by Jay Falzone, music by Trent Jeffords with musical direction is by Julianne B. Merrill

The concept album features Troy Iwata (Broadway' Be More Chill; Netflix's "Dash & Lily") and Chris Medlin (Broadway' Diana, Mean Girls; Netflix's "Sweet Magnolias"), Trey Harrington (Regional: The Little Mermaid), Maria Habeeb (NY: Songs for a New World), Lily Talevski (Regional: Hedwig & The Angry Inch), Stephen Smith, Mara Jill Herman (NY: RENT), Ben Roseberry (Broadway's Lion King), Ben Bogen (Broadway's Frozen), John Jeffords (Regional: Man of the La Mancha), Katelyn Lauria (NY: Once Bitten), Pilar Martinez (Regional: Cabaret), and John Rodney Turner (NY: Days of Rage).

JJ Niemann is a New York City-based Broadway performer, content creator, choreographer and coach. JJ graduated with a BFA in Music Theatre from Elon University and shortly after joined the Broadway cast of The Book of Mormon. Most recently, he partook in the online phenomenon and World Premiere concert production of Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical . JJ also recently performed in the developmental workshops and the World Premiere of the new musical BLISS . JJ was named one of BroadwayWorld's Top 10 TikTokers and has been featured on CBS's "The Greatest At Home Videos," as well as Daily Mail, Theatrly, Onstage Blog, and Buzzfeed.

The Bad Kids is a production company that aims to create a community-based platform that funds, develops, and promotes new and original theatrical works. We do so according to contemporary ethical standards while providing an affordable and accessible way for a diverse body of participants at every financial and interest level to participate in and influence the development of new productions that theatergoers want to see!