York Theatre Company Launches BESPOKE MUSICALS, 1/26-27

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by BWW News Desk

The York Theatre Company has announced a new addition to their educational arm: Bespoke Musicals, a program that pairs teams of emerging writers, chosen by The York Theatre Company, with companies of students from musical theatre college training programs. For its maiden voyage, The York is proud to be collaborating with Marymount Manhattan College (Patricia Hoag Simon, Music Theatre Coordinator).

Four new short musicals have been chosen to launch the 2013 Beskpoke Musicals inaugural program, as follows:

The Counselor
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Barry Wyner

The End of the World
Book by Lori Fischer
Music & Lyrics by Don Chaffer, Lori Fischer, & Lori Chaffer

Serious Music
Book by Jenny Lyn Bader,
Music by Ben Morss,
Lyrics by Jenny Lyn Bader & Ben Morss

The Colonel Cluster Contest
Book, Music and Lyrics by Eli Bolin & Mike Pettry
Special Material by Doug Karsaros

The shows are all in one way or another inspired by the online phenomenon, Craigslist. Broadway's Patricia Birch directs with music direction by Brent Sawyer.

Performances are scheduled for Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 2:30 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, January 27 at 2:30 p.m at The York Theatre Company in Saint Peter's (Entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).

The writers are charged with creating custom-made musicals, fitted to the particular talents and strengths of the student performers in the program. Under the direction of a distinguished guest director and music director, the performers learn and perform roles specifically created for them over a three week creative process that leads to an additional two weeks of rehearsal and performance.

This year's program features a 15 member repertory company from Marymount Manhattan College's musical theatre program, under the direction of Patricia Hoag Simon, will include Paul Adzima, Sarah Biggs, Katelynn Brady, Justin Brown, Michael Brown, Erin Eichfeld, Brian Fender-Shirley, Melissa Hirsch, Gabrielle Howarth, Hayley Lampart, Eric Leiggi, Jonathan Melo, Laryssa Schoeck, Whitney Semin, and Connor Stribling.

Tickets are priced at $15 and are available online at www.yorktheatre.org, by calling (212) 935-5820, or in person at the box office at the York Theatre Company in Saint Peter's (Entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue), Monday through Friday (12-6 PM).