Cast and Artists Announced for HOT METAL MUSICALS

Musical Theatre Artists of Pittsburgh­­ announces a cast of 8 singers, who will perform 21 songs by 31 artists in its second edition of Hot Metal Musicals, a showcase of members' work. With the assistance of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and extensive support from the Pittsburgh CLO, Hot Metal Musicals will be presented on Monday, July 17, 2017, at 7:15 pm at the Cabaret Theater at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222. The show is free and open to the public; MTAP encourages online reservations at the following website: https://www.artful.ly/store/events/12203. A meet and greet reception with the artists and performers will follow the showcase.

Many of the new songs are the work of artists who contributed songs to the inaugural Hot Metal Musicals in 2015: David Berlin, Jeanne Drennan, Frank Gagliano, John Keating, David Michael King, Laurie Klatscher, Douglas Levine, Laura Lind, Sandra Lowell, Jeremy Richter, James Rushin, and Chuck Sperry. New artists highlighted this year include Scott Anderson, Gil Bigenho, Ethan Crystal, Michelle Do, Ramona Fischer, Alicia Johnson, Jim Lueers, Linda Marcus, Bridgette Perdue, Brian Pope, Nick Stamatakis, Andrew Swensen, and Joe Warick, Matthew Wexler.

MTAP's emphasis is on musical theatre works-in-progress, and most of the songs being showcased come from shows still in development, such as Joe Warik and Chuck Sperry's "Dyin' Is Easy" from the slapstick A Show Boat to China; Andrew Swensen and Scott Anderson's "Dance In the Light" from their recently workshopped story of immigration, The Golden Door; Jeanne Drennan's "Can It Be?" from her off-kilter high school musical Juiced!; Michelle Do and Ethan Crystal's "Traveling Salesman" from their WWII musical Until Tomorrow; Laurie Klatscher's "The Proof is in the Pudding" from The Humble Rapture of Mary Anning; Ramona Fischer's "In My Baby's Arms" from Tuesday Night with Terry and Rae; Nick Stamatakis and Brian Pope's "Right time, right place" from Hall of Presidents; and Alicia Johnson and Bridgette Perdue's "A Little Bit About Me" from Class to name a few. A total of 31 artists will have work presented, including, as a wonderful bonus, former Pittsburghers Michael Mitnick with a song from Fly by Night, and Stephen Flaherty and his longtime writing partner Lynn Ahrens with "I Was Here," the closing song from The Glorious Ones, which had its world premiere at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre.

The performers selected to bring this new work to life represent fresh faces and voices familiar to area audiences, who have seen them performing locally and regionally, including Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Musical Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh City Theatre.

Hope Anthony was last seen as Shantel/Hattie in Monteze Freeland's developing work Kalopsia at the New Hazlett Theater. She has performed leading and supporting roles with area theatres including: Primestage, The Strand Theatre (Big River, The Music Man), Shadows and Flames (A Pirate's Tale), McKeesport Little Theatre (Lunch Lady Cabaret, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas), and the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival. She is a graduate of Point Park University and is looking forward to playing Josephine in Big Fish: The Musical with Front Porch Theatricals in July.

Paul Hambidge is a recent graduate of Point Park University, and made his debut with the Pittsburgh CLO's Gallery of Heroes tour of STEEL this past school year! Paul is a Central Florida native who moved to Pittsburgh after being accepted into Point Park's Conservatory for the Performing Arts for Musical Theater. Recent credits include Rapunzel's Prince,Into the Woods(Playhouse Conservatory Theater Company); Riff Raff,The Rocky Horror Show(Park Productions), and music direction for Spring Awakening (Park Productions).

Natalie Hatcher is currently performing in Kinetic Theatre's The Christians, and has participated in several new musical theatre readings with MTAP. Favorite past roles include: Dani in Kooman & Dimond's Dani Girl (2016 Ediburgh Fringe Ffestival and Stage 62's 2013 production), Homeless Woman in Bald Theatre Company's A New Brain, The Baker's Wife in Into the Woods, Beth in Merrily We Roll Along, and Ronette (twice) in Little Shop of Horrors at Stage 62. Natalie spends her days as the General Manger at City Theatre in the South Side.

Alex Manalo is delighted to be taking part of MTAP's Hot Metal Musical Showcase! She is a graduate of Point Park University. Alex has worked with several theater companies throughout the city such as the Pittsburgh CLO's Gallery of Heroes, Carrnivale Theatrics, New Works Festival, 12 Peers Theater, No Name Players, Pittsburgh Playhouse, McKeesport Theater, City Theatre Young Playwrights Festival, and Stage Right. Some of her favorite credits include Brewed (Colette), Luna (Soledad), and Liat (South Pacific). She'll be seen next in Front Porch Theatrics' Production of Big Fish: the Musical.

Maria Mauti last performed asFlorika/Lead Soprano/Gargoyle in Hunchback of Notre Dame at the Byham Theater. Notable roles: Voice of the Dragon (Shrek the Musical), Sour Kangaroo (Seussical the Musical), Grizabella (Cats) and Mimi (Rent). A graduate of Robert Morris University in Communication and Nonprofit Management, she is currently studying vocal performance with Daniel Teadt and pursuing a career in opera.

Daniel Mayhak recently played Monty in Front Porch Theatricals production of Violet. He is currently a student at University of Pittsburgh and a Woodland Hills High School Graduate. His most recent stage credits at Pitt include: Eddie/Dr. Scott (Rocky Horror), Claude (Hair), Edward Bloom (Big Fish), Mr. Cladwell (Urinetown), as well as performing the title role in Sweeney Todd, the Monster in Young Frankenstein and Aaron Fox in Curtains during high school.

Jason Shavers was last seen as Terry/Church Nurse in City Theatre's Wild With Happy. Prior to that he was seen in Pittsburgh Musical Theater's Dreamgirls (Marty), Pittsburgh Public Theater's The Fantasticks (The Mute), and Pittsburgh CLO's First Date. A graduate of Point Park and a Pittsburgh native, some of Jason's favorite credits include Choir Boy (Headmaster Marrow), A New Brain (Roger), and Jesus Christ Superstar (Peter). Jason has had the pleasure of working with many Pittsburgh and regional companies, such as St. Vincent, The REP, Bricolage, The August Wilson Center, No Name Players, Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, The Virginia Arts Festival, and Pittsburgh Opera. He is also an instructor at the Pittsburgh CLO Academy of Musical Theater. His film work includes: Not Cool (JayJay) and Fathers & Daughters.

Leon Zionts has performed regionally with a variety of companies and was in the company of MTAP's inaugural Hot Metal Musicals 2015 Showcase. Favorites include: Gilbert and Sullivan patter roles, Don Bartolo (The Marriage of Figaro), Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof), Tateh (Ragtime) and Mushnik (Little Shop of Horrors). As a producer with Front Porch Theatricals, Leon and his partners Nancy Zionts and Bruce Smith have produced seven highly acclaimed shows over the past five years at New Hazlett Theater. Leon is awed by the breadth and diversity of Pittsburgh talent and along with his partners enthusiastically support MTAP's creative and collaborative mission.

MTAP member and artistic advisor Steve Cuden, co-creator with composer Frank Wildhorn of the Broadway hit Jekyll & Hyde, The Musical, will be Production Director for Hot Metal Musicals. Member Douglas Levine will serve as Music Director, and the showcase is produced by Stephanie Riso. The production team includes Catherine Gallagher as Stage Manager and Drake Ma as Production Assistant.

MTAP's focus is new musicals, and it seeks to foster collaboration between musical theatre artists in the region and create opportunities for the development, presentation, and production of new musical theatre. MTAP is an inclusive organization, and prospective members, whether writers, composers, musicians, performers, managers or producers, are always welcome at meetings, which are held monthly at the Wightman School Community Building in Squirrel Hill. Visit http://mtap.weebly.com/ for more information, including dates of meetings and bios of some of MTAP's active members. MTAP-Musical Theatre Artists of Pittsburgh is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit service organization.

MTAP gratefully acknowledges the support of the Heinz Endowment's Small Arts Initiative, whose support makes Hot Metal Musicals possible. The Heinz Endowments is devoted to the mission of helping our region prosper as a vibrant center of creativity, learning, and social, economic and environmental sustainability. Core to its work is the vision of a just community where all are included and where everyone who calls southwestern Pennsylvania home has a real and meaningful opportunity to thrive.

For more information, visit https://www.artful.ly/store/events/12203.