Theatre Building Chicago presents STAGES 2007, a festival of eight new musicals in progress on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, AUGUST 10-12, 2007. The three-day musical extravaganza performs each new work twice in concert style formats. Now in its fourteenth season, STAGES focuses on the development of the material, the craft of writing and the talent of the performers.
A creative gathering of hundreds of authors, actors, artists, theatre producers and musical theatre lovers come together for one weekend, celebrating America’s original art-form, the musical. STAGES kicks off with REX, (Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and Book by Sherman Yellen). Award-winning writers Sheldon Harnick, lyrics (Fiddler on the Roof, The Apple Tree, The Rothschilds) and Sherman Yellen, book (Oh Calcutta!, The Rothschilds, An Early Frost – television) will also offer an interactive Q&A on their experiences regarding Rex with Bert Fink, (Senior Vice President with The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization) author of the liner notes to the original Broadway cast recording of Rex.
Other highlights include country-music star Marty Stuart and his new musical, Moon Shine! (Book by Mary Willard, Music and Lyrics by Marty Stuart). Marty Stuart was a member of Johnny Cash’s band, and scored six top-ten hits, one platinum and five gold albums, and four Grammy Awards. Moon Shine! joins Children of the Night , (Book, Music and Lyrics by Scott Martin) both developed in part by The Academy for New Musical Theatre. The BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop is also represented with The Showgirl of 52nd Street (Book and Lyrics by Charles Leipart, Music by John Kroner) as well as Mercury Musical Developments new musical, Tomorrow Morning (Book, Music and Lyrics by Laurence Mark Wythe).
STAGES will feature three musicals by homegrown Chicago writers and members of Theatre Building Chicago’s musical theater writers workshop. So Happy I Could Scream! A Musical Celebration of Motherhood (Book by Judy Freed, Music by Sari Miller, Lyrics by Randi Wolfe, Additional Lyrics by Sari Miller); Downtown (Book by Barbara Georgans, Music by Philip Seward, Lyrics by Charlie Mehler) and DESPAIRadise (Book and Lyrics by Pat Byrnes, Music by Rich Prezioso). All three musicals were audience favorites, developed and performed during Theatre Building Chicago’s 2006-2007 Monday Night Musicals concert reading series.
STAGES will offer two bonus special events this year, beginning on August 11. Join us after the 3:30PM performance of Rex for a conversation about the creation and history of Rex. Get the back-stage details during an interactive Q & A with Sheldon Harnick, lyrics (The Apple Tree, Fiddler on the Roof, The Rothschilds), Sherman Yellen, book (Oh Calcutta!, The Rothschilds, An Early Frost – television) and Bert Fink, (Senior Vice President of Communications for The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization) and author of the liner notes to the original Broadway cast recording of Rex.
On Sun., Aug. 12, enjoy a delicious catered brunch (11AM, Aug. 12), followed at 12PM with the STAGES Forum: “Media Forum: Hold the Press - media attention versus dramatic criticism”. Should works in progress have media coverage? Producers, writers and theatre critics gather to discuss the important distinctions between media attention versus criticism when covering new musicals in progress. Both ticketed events are free to the public (with purchase of any STAGES performance); Stages brunch: $20
Theatre Building Chicago’s musical program offers an array of works in multiple “stages” of development. TBC nurtures new works through its musical theatre writers workshop and through collaboration with theatre companies and artists across the country. Theatre Building Chicago welcomes media attention focusing on the developmental process of new musicals; however, all performances are works in progress and are considered not appropriate for critical review. -- www.theatrebuildingchicago.org
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