The third annual GAYFEST NYC, the country's premier festival of new gay-themed plays, will be presented June 4-6, 2009 at the Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex, 312 West 36th Street, New York City.
The not-for-profit GAYFEST NYC, Inc. develops new LGBT works for world stages and film and television production and provides in-school elective programs and scholarships for students of Harvey Milk High School. Since June 2007, GAYFEST NYC has presented seventeen scholarships to graduating seniors.
Producers Bruce RoBert Harris and Jack W. Batman said, "Because of the unpredictable economy we decided some months ago to be fiscally prudent and to reduce the scope of this year's festival. We read over three dozen new works and have chosen to present two of them in staged readings with Actors' Equity Association casts. We are also offering a very special event starring Del Shores, the creator of the cult-classic Sordid Lives, with a guest appearance by television icon, Rue McClanahan."
This year's Festival selections are Mother Tongue by F.J. Hartland and The Legacy by Adam Siegel. Mother Tongue plays Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at 7:00 pm and will be directed by Tony Stevens and features Nicholas Galbraith (Zac in As the World Turns), Laura Kenyon (Nine) and Kevin Spirtas (Days of Our Lives, The Boy From Oz). The Legacy will be presented on Thursday, June 4, 2009 at 7:00 pm and will be directed by Martin Casella and features Ian Kahn (Baltimore Center Stage, Cape Playhouse), Larry Keith (Caroline, or Change, Cabaret) and Jack Wetherall (Uncle Vic in Queer As Folk). Both performances are free and open to the public. Reservations are recommended. There will be talk-backs after each performance. GAYFEST NYC Casting Director is Michael Cassara, CSA and Stage Manager is Andrea Wales.
As a special highlight of this year's Festival, Bruce RoBert Harris, Jack W. Batman and Jason Dottley (who stars as "Ty" in Sordid Lives: The Series) will present two performances of Del Shores The Storyteller featuring a special guest appearance at both shows by TV Icon Rue McClanahan. The performances are scheduled for Saturday, June 6, 2009 at 7:30 pm and 10:30 pm.
Immediately following the 7:30 pm performance, the 2009 GAYFEST NYC Community Service Award will be presented to Del Shores for his commitment to the LGBT community and his exceptional generosity to the students of Harvey Milk High School. Presenting the award will be celebrated playwright and actor, Charles Busch, a member of the GAYFEST NYC Advisory Board. Last year's award went to Emmy Award winner Leslie Jordan (Will and Grace), whose new show My Trip Down the Pink Carpet will open Off-Broadway this Fall.
"GAYFEST NYC's mission is to develop new voices for the LGBT community and expand the reach and accessibility of both emerging and established playwrights, composers and lyricists, while providing high level entertainment to a very discerning and supportive audience," said Jack W. Batman, co-Producer of the festival. "At the same time, we are committed to giving back to the LGBT community through our fundraising efforts and the generosity of our sponsors, advertisers and supporters. To that end, we established a scholarship fund to benefit the Harvey Milk High School and financed a Playwriting elective program for the students." Harvey Milk High School (HMHS) is a fully-accredited, voluntary NYC public high school focused on the educational needs of teenagers who are in crisis or at risk of physical violence and/or emotional harm in a traditional educational environment.
