The Renaissance Continues For Musical Theatre

THEATER

Written by Robin Ziari

New York Musical Theatre Festival

September 17 - October 7, 2007
Tickets: $20 through ovationtix.com or by calling 212-352-3101
Multiple venues in midtown Manhattan
nymf.org

This year's NYMF runs from Sep. 17th through Oct. 7th

If popular culture is any indication (and it usually is), the musical is making a big comeback. Some of the biggest films of recent years, such as "Hairspray," "Dreamgirls," and "Chicago" were based on long-running Broadway hits, which has become one of the surest methods of creating box-office success.

Hopefully benefitting from this windfall will be the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF)--a truly ambitious festival featuring over 30 musical theatre productions, as well as a host of special events, concerts, readings, seminars and parties spread over three weeks in early fall.

With the staggering costs of staging a musical on Broadway ($10 million and up), there are less and less venues in which the new generation of musical theatre talent can afford to showcase their productions. Understandably, there is some fear that emerging voices in the genre will not be given fair due.

Thankfully, the NYMF has set out to create a place where writers, producers, actors and other artists can maximize their investments of time, talent, and money, and take the sorts of risks that are essential to maintaining a vibrant and diverse creative community. A community where they, and audiences, can witness the vibrancy and diversity of show after show after show.

In the first three years of NYMF, seven shows transferred to off-Broadway commercial runs (such as "Altar Boyz"), four more were picked up by regional theaters and numerous others secured options or financing.

Come check out the NYMF for the latest and greatest in today's upcoming musical theatre talent--with musical styles ranging from jazz and opera to punk rock, this festival truly offers something for every taste.

A few highlighted shows are listed below, but you can find the complete schedule at nymf.org.

The Brain from Planet X

Book by David Wechter and Bruce Kimmel
Music and Lyrics by Bruce Kimmel

An affectionate and hilarious send-up of bad 50s sci-fi movies, The Brain from Planet X tells the story of an alien invasion circa 1958. A Brain and its two alien cohorts, Zubrick and Yoni, arrive on Earth and plan to take over the San Fernando Valley – starting with the happy nuclear family, the Bunsons. It's the first step on the road to their quest of taking over the entire planet and destroying the family unit. It's tuneful, toe-tapping, and terrifyingly fun.

Roller Derby

Book by Barry Arnold
Music by John Braden and Harold Wheeler
Lyrics by John Braden and Barry Arnold

On the road in 1972, a brash young rookie from NYC's mean streets takes on the sport's beloved but aging star in a battle royal for the title of Roller Derby Queen. Rockin' and rollin' with the ten colorful gals and guys on their squad, famous to TV fans as the world champion Bombers, the rivals meet their match, discovering more than they ever dared to dream about life, love and how the game is played. Five-time Tony Award nominated Donald McKayle directs and choreographs to a lively pop/rock score by award winning composers John Braden and Harold Wheeler, with a book by Barry Arnold.

The Last Starfighter

Music and Lyrics by Skip Kennon
Book by Fred Landau
Based on the screenplay by Jonathan Betuel
Directed by Elizabeth Lucas

From JONATHAN BETUEL’s screenplay for the beloved 1980s sci-fi film comes the cosmically entertaining romantic musical fantasy THE LAST STARFIGHTER. It’s Spring 1983 in a Sierra Nevada trailer park. High school senior Alex Rogan’s hardworking, unrewarded life takes an unexpected turn when he breaks a video game record and is spirited away by the game’s inventor, the alien huckster Centauri, to fight for the Star League in a faraway galaxy. Centauri leaves behind Beta, a body double droid of Alex, to cover Alex’s absence with his mother, brother and beloved girlfriend Maggie while Alex is off fighting the evil Zur and the Ko-dan Armada. Beta’s comic mishaps on Earth with Maggie and the neighbors in the trailer park, and shape-shifting alien assassins in pursuit of Alex on his home turf, alternate with Alex’s heroic starfighter achievements. Alex must reach inside himself to discover his true potential – the universe and his life depend on it!

Unlock'd

Words by Sam Carner
Music by Derek Gregor

Classical meets pop in this funny, screwball musical set in a world where beauty is everything! In lavish Hampton Court, surrounded by mischievous spirits, feisty young Clarissa fights to win the heart of the Baron from her gorgeous stepsister Belinda. Chaos ensues and teacups shatter when the Baron's geeky brother Edwin enters the fray. Everyone, grab your scissors, and prepare to become Unlock'd!

Love Kills

Book, Music and Lyrics by Kyle Jarrow
Directed by Jason Southerland

Charles Starkweather murdered 11 victims in Nebraska and Wyoming during a road trip with his underage girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate. He became a national fascination, eventually inspiring the films Badlands and Natural Born Killers and the Bruce Springsteen song "Nebraska." Obie Award winning Hipster playwright Kyle Jarrow (A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant) uses their story to explore the nature of love, desire and passion… and the lengths to which some people will go to hang on to these feelings.

The Yellow Wood

Book by Michelle Elliot
Music by Danny Larsen
Lyrics by Michelle Elliott and Danny Larsen
Directed by BD Wong

The Yellow Wood is a musical kaleidoscope where not-so-normal 17-year old Adam takes a fantastic, unpredictable journey as he struggles to accept all the parts of himself: his ADD, his Korean heritage and his complex relationships with friends and family. The Yellow Wood explores the angst, joy and highly imaginative state of one teen's amazing brain.

The Boy in the Bathroom

Book by Michael Lluberes
Music by Joe Maloney
Lyrics by Michael Lluberes with additional lyrics by Joe Maloney

David lives in his bathroom. He never comes out. His mother feeds him thin, flat food she can slide under the door. He has everything he needs. David has obsessive-compulsive disorder and he's not going anywhere... until he meets Julie... and discovers that there might be something - or someone - on the other side of the door that will make it worth opening...

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