Hunter Foster News

Several great performers have joined the National Alliance for Musical Theatre's 20th Annual Festival of New Musicals on October 20 & 21 at New World Stages and more have been added to the benefit concert A Toast for 20! on October 19th at COMIX.

The New York Musical Theater Festival concluded its fifth season on October 5th having presented 241 performances over the course of 21 days. A record-breaking 25,000 people, selling the festival to 87.5% of capacity, attended the festival. Over 75% of productions had sold-out performances, and 11 productions extended their runs to accommodate demand.

13, A New Musical, with music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years), began previews on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 officially opened at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 W. 45th Street) last night, Sunday, October 5, 2008. With a book by award winning children's author & songwriter Dan Elish ('Born Too Short, Confessions of an 8th Grade Basket Case') and Robert Horn (Dame Edna: Back with a Vengeance), 13, A New Musical is directed by Tony Award nominee Jeremy Sams (The Sound of Music in the West End) and choreographed by Tony Award nominee Christopher Gattelli (South Pacific).

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) concludes its fifth year which featured 24 full productions, a dance series, a developmental series, concerts and special events tonight 10/5th.

XANADU in Chicago will star Elizabeth Stanley as 'Kira' (played in the film version by Olivia Newton-John), Max Von Essen as 'Sonny,' Sharon Wilkins and Joanna Glushak as the evil Muses 'Melpomene' and 'Calliope,' respectively, and Larry Marshal as 'Danny' (played in the film version by Gene Kelly). XANADU's cast also features Tallia Brinson, Amy Goldberger, Vince Rodriguez III, Jason Michael Snow, Kristofer Stock, JB Wing and Chicagoland-natives Julius Thomas III and Tiffany Topol.

Casting is announced for the anticipated Chicago and Midwest premiere of the surprise hit Broadway musical XANADU at the Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place. Performances are scheduled to begin January 16, 2009 and individual tickets are now on sale.

New York Musical Theater Festival will present the World Premiere of BONNIE & CLYDE: A FOLKTALE. With book and lyrics by Tony and Lucille Lortel Award nominee Hunter Foster (Urinetown, Little Shop of Horrors) and music by Drama Desk Award nominee Rick Crom, the production is directed by Mark Waldrop. Performances begin September 16 at The American Theatre of Actors.

Isaac Robert Hurwitz (NYMF Executive Director & Producer) announces that due to demand NYMF will add extra performances of Hunter Foster & Rick Crom's Bonnie & Clyde: A Folktale, Buddy Sheffield & Keith Thompson's Idaho!, and Matthew Loren Cohen's Jason & Ben.

Jamie McGonnigal and Joe's Pub presented 'Broadway Loves the 80's Vol. 4,' on Sunday September 7th, the concert featured your favorite Broadway stars singing their favorite hits of the awesomest decade ever! Directed by McGonnigal and Xanadu's Marty Thomas, 'Broadway Loves the 80's Vol. 4' continued the fun of having those 80's classics performed by Broadway's best! The totally rad host of the past three concerts, Mo Rocca (Spelling Bee, VH1's I Love the 80s) took a break from his round-the-clock political convention coverage, to return for this 4th incarnation.

Isaac Robert Hurwitz (NYMF Executive Director & Producer) announced that due to demand NYMF will add extra performances of Hunter Foster & Rick Crom's Bonnie & Clyde: A Folktale, Buddy Sheffield & Keith Thompson's Idaho!, and Matthew Loren Cohen's Jason & Ben.

Isaac Robert Hurwitz (NYMF Executive Director & Producer) announces that the musical Wood has sold out its initial run and that an additional performance has been added Sunday, September 21 at 4:30pm.

Hunter Foster and I were actors in Broadway's Urinetown. He was a book writer (Summer of 42) and I was a songwriter (Newsical). So of course we decided to write a show together. Bonnie and Clyde was Hunter's idea. Why hadn't it been done before? Turns out that while the personalities of everyone involved with the real Bonnie and Clyde were fascinating, their story was gruesome. 'If only you could put these characters in a musical comedy…' we thought. Quickly answered with, 'Well why not?'

Last season, Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein was reborn as a highly anticipated new musical opening at off-Broadway's 37 Arts. On Thursday, September 4th, company members of Frankenstein the Musical reunited for a CD release celebration at The Irish Rouge located at 365 West 44th St.

Jamie McGonnigal and Joe's Pub present 'Broadway Loves the 80's Vol. 4,' a concert featuring your favorite Broadway stars singing their favorite hits of the 'awesomest decade ever!'

Last season, Mary Shelley's novel was reborn as a highly anticipated new musical opening at off-Broadway's 37 Arts. This September, Frankenstein, a new musical, will release an original cast recording. Distributed by Friends of Ghostlight, an extension of Sh-K-Boom & Ghostlight Records, Frankenstein, a new musical will be available online (iTunes, Amazon MP3, Rhapsody, etc.) September 2nd and available in stores September 30th. ($14.99 at www.sh-k-boom.com, ISDN# 791558800128.)

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) celebrates its fifth year with 24 full productions, a dance series, a developmental series, concerts and special events.

Jamie McGonnigal and Joe's Pub present 'Broadway Loves the 80's Vol. 4,' a concert featuring your favorite Broadway stars singing their favorite hits of the 'awesomest decade ever!'

VANITIES, A New Musical by Jack Heifner, with music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by two-time Tony Award®-winner Judith Ivey and musical staging by Dan Knechtges, will begin performances on Broadway Monday, February 2, 2009 at a Shubert theatre to be announced.

New York Musical Theater Festival will present the World Premiere of BONNIE & CLYDE: A FOLKTALE. With book and lyrics by Tony and Lucille Lortel Award nominee Hunter Foster (Urinetown, Little Shop of Horrors) and music by Drama Desk Award nominee Rick Crom, the production is directed by Mark Waldrop. Performances begin September 16 at The American Theatre of Actors.

A Scottish-Jewish Musical? Bring in the Music, Bring in the Kilts