New York Musical Theatre Festival News

COUNTING TO TEN By Justin Boccitto Every musical has its journey, and Count To Ten has taken many steps.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Mass Street Productions/Ryan J. Davis are proud to present the World Premiere of Street Lights, a contemporary musical drama by Joe Drymala. From the creators of the Broadway-bound White Noise, which was a hit at NYMF in 2006, Street Lights features a groundbreaking score that uses modern hip hop, R&B and pop to tell a timeless story in the musical language of today's youth, while creating a bridge to earlier generations by incorporating samples of old civil rights anthems within the modern songs and beats. Ryan J. Davis directs a cast of 14 including Carla Duren* (Bway: 110 in the Shade, Hairspray),Chad Carstarphen (Off-Bway: The Conscientious Objector), Miguel Jarquin-Moreland*, Kevin Curtis* (NYMF: Twilight in Manchego, Maccabeat), Gayle Turner* (Bway: The Wiz), Jim Stanek* (Bway: Story of My Life, Lestat, Little Women), Virginia Cavaliere (Regional: High School Musical), Joy Lynn Matthews* (Bway: The Music Man; Marie Christine), Roberto Araujo, Claudeen Benoit, Geri Brown, Jay Garcia*(Off-Bway: Altar Boyz), Ejyp Johnson, and Melissa Joyner all of whom are dedicated to supporting new musicals and whose credits encompass every major regional theater in the country, along with significant achievements in film, television and cabaret. Performances will be held at American Theatre for Actors (Chernuchin), 314 West 54th Street, (bet. 8th & 9th Avenues) in New York City from October 13th-18th.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Mass Street Productions/Ryan J. Davis are proud to present the World Premiere of Street Lights, a contemporary musical drama by Joe Drymala. From the creators of the Broadway-bound White Noise, which was a hit at NYMF in 2006, Street Lights features a groundbreaking score that uses modern hip hop, R&B and pop to tell a timeless story in the musical language of today's youth, while creating a bridge to earlier generations by incorporating samples of old civil rights anthems within the modern songs and beats.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival, now in its sixth year, has premiered more than 175 new musicals since 2004. The largest musical theatre event in America, NYMF has been hailed as 'the Sundance of Musical Theatre,' and is widely regarded as the key source for new material and talent discovery.

Live! Nude! Girl! is an official selection of the New York Musical Theatre Festival's developmental reading series and will receive two AEA readings on October 15th at the festival's 45th Street Theatre venue.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and Andy Sandberg (Hair) present The Last Smoker in America with Book & Lyrics by Bill Russell (Side Show, Tony Award Nominee), and Music by Peter Melnick (Adrift in Macao, Drama Desk Nominee).

The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Mass Street Productions and Ryan J. Davis have welcomed Bay Bridge Productions, Chris Bensinger, and Deborah Taylor to the Street Lights team of producers. Street Lights is a contemporary musical drama by Joe Drymala featuring a groundbreaking score that uses modern hip hop, R&B, and pop to tell a story in the musical language of today's youth, while creating a bridge to earlier generations by incorporating samples of old civil rights anthems within the modern songs and beats.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Gorgeous Entertainment will present Deep Cover, a noir musical, in performances Monday 10/2, Thursday/10/5, Friday 10/16, and Saturday 10/17 at Sweet Caroline's.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival and the Thomas Jefferson Musical Theatre Company of Mexico City with Executive Producer Jane Bergère will present the American Premiere of ANJOU, A Tale Of Horror, October 8th at 8:00 pm, October 9th at 1:00 pm, October 11th at 8:00 pm, and October 12th at 1:00 pm - The Theater at St. Clements, 423 West 46th St. - part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

CROSS THAT RIVER - A New Musical About the Black West - with music, lyrics and original concept by the celebrated jazz vocalist Allan Harris, book and direction by 4-time Emmy winner Andrew Wilk, and choreography by Tony Award winner Donna McKechnie, - an official selection of the 2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival, at the TBG Theatre (312 West 36th Street).

The New York Musical Theatre Festival and the Thomas Jefferson Musical Theatre Company of Mexico City with Executive Producer Jane Bergère will present the American Premiere of ANJOU, A Tale Of Horror, October 8th at 8:00 pm, October 9th at 1:00 pm, October 11th at 8:00 pm, and October 12th at 1:00 pm - The Theater at St. Clements, 423 West 46th St. - part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and Andy Sandberg (Hair) present The Last Smoker in America with Book & Lyrics by Bill Russell (Side Show, Tony Award Nominee), and Music by Peter Melnick (Adrift in Macao, Drama Desk Nominee).

A new musical about a runaway slave who becomes one of America's first Black Cowboys will debut this fall when CROSS THAT RIVER is presented by The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Patricia Harris, starting October 12, 2009 at TBG Theatre (312 West 36th Street - 3rd Floor) in New York City.

TJMTC accepted the invitation and selected a Mexican play, The Opera Pop: 'Anjou, a tale of horror' (Guillermo Mendez and Lupita Sandoval). Inspired in a page of the French history of the XVI century during the religious wars, it is based on the historic personages and novelizes some of the most sordid events of the history to develop a musical where the politics and the passions interweave themselves for lead to an electrifying work.

Chase Brock works in reverse of conventional modern dance choreographers who take aim at Broadway only after establishing themselves on the 'serious' concert dance stage. Brock, who began his career at age 16 on the Great White Way in 'The Music Man,' recently committed his prodigious talent to modern dance.

Manu Narayan (Bombay Dreams on Broadway, subUrbia at Second Stage, The Love Guru starring Mike Myers) will star in the rock and roll vampire musical The Cure, running September 29th-October 11th at the American Theatre of Actors in the upcoming 2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival. Written by Mark Weiser, The Cure will feature direction from Elizabeth Lucas (Wild About Harry, The Last Starfighter, and The View From Here at NYMF), and is produced by The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Samantha Saltzman.

Jonathan B. Wright (Spring Awakening - Broadway original cast, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Youth in Revolt) has been cast in the New York premiere of Gay Bride of Frankenstein, a 'comic-book-rock-musical' that begins its run at the New York Musical Theatre Festival on September 28. Wright joins fellow Spring Awakening alum, Emma Hunton, completing an outstanding cast which includes Darryl Winslow (Avenue Q, Evil Dead, Unlock'd - NYMF), Jeremiah James (Carousel - London), Dana Aber, Christian D. White, Christopher Hudson Myers and Ashley Kate Adams.

Emma Hunton (*Spring Awakening*), Darryl Winslow (*Avenue Q, Evil Dead, Unlock'd - NYMF*), Jeremiah James (*Carousel* - London), Dana Aber, Christian D. White, Christopher Hudson Myers and Ashley Kate Adams will appear in the New York premiere of Gay Bride of Frankenstein at the New York Musical Theatre Festival this September.

THE NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL and KIM VASQUEZ/ GRAY LADY ENTERTAINMENT, INC. team up again with this year's PLAGUED - A LOVE STORY with book and lyrics by VYNNIE MELI and music by CASEY L. FILIACI. Directed by SAMUEL BUGGELN (Bedbugs!) with musical direction by ZAK SANDLER.

Movie stars are sainted, anti-depressants are mandatory, and a tiny computer resides in every good citizen's brain. My Illustrious Wasteland-equal parts sci-fi epic, social satire, and high-energy rock show-is an exhilarating ride through a wildly imagined future America.