Corona Virus Coping

Great info and ideas for coping with the Corona Virus and Sheltering in Place
THEN some funny stuff about this topic.
Enjoy. and send YOUR ideas for things to add to this playlist. Stuff you found informative OR hilarious! Happy to Post and Add to the correct section of this playlist! Thanks!

Joshua Finkel

www.joshuafinkel.com

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQhNIqSfEA8nqOBYWCegA5LbEOjr0qrPc

15 MINUTE MUSICALS

In Los Angeles every year is the inspiring 15-minute musicals developed at New Musicals IncThere are seven musicals this year, having their world premiere on June 29, 30, and July 1 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood. These musicals are a decades-long tradition at the NMI’s Academy for New Musical Theatre.

The 15 Minute Musical Project concludes each season of the Academy’s world-famous Core Curriculum of the writers’ workshop, which has been in existence for over 40 years.

For the final project of the curriculum, composers, lyricists and bookwriters are put together on writing teams and are given eight short weeks to write, revise and polish a brand-new musical written for actors whom they’ve never met before.

This year’s theme is “Forks in the Road”, so each musical is about a life-changing moment.

“It’s an amazing experience,” says ” Scott Guy, one of evening’s directors. “All seven of this season’s musicals explores a different outlook on life and how people experience it.  It’s a wonderful, wild-ride of an evening of musical theatre enjoyment.”

The creative team of director Scott Guy, music director Ron Barnett, stage manager Rita Cannon, and actors Conchita Belisle-Newman, David Crane, Shannon Martinous, and Louis Silvers will present the following three 15-minute musicals:

End of the Line (book by Howard Ho, music by Kristen Rea, and lyrics by Chris Edgar)
Can I Help You Out? (book by Weston Scott, music by Laura Wardrip, and lyrics by David Rackoff)
Fork You! (book by Lucy Wang, music by Molly Siskin, and lyrics by Shawn Ryan)

The creative team of director John Coppola, music director Ross Kalling, stage manager Angel Hernandez, and actors Melvin Biteng, J. Bailey Burcham, Elise Dewsberry, and Emma Sperka will present the following four 15-minute musicals:

Queen Hamembshaput Says What? (book by Danielle Roderick, music by Sahara S. Spain, and lyrics by Mitch Glaser)
Margot’s Blessing (book and lyrics by Lori Ada Jaroslow, and music by Morgan Hollingsworth)
Have A Nice Trip (book by Dan Margules, music by Raphael Nemes, and lyrics by Marissa Kochanski)
Half Off (book by Rich Cook, music and lyrics by Jeff King)

You can see all seven musicals on either Monday, June 29, Tuesday, June 30, or Wednesday, July 1.  The Lonny Chapman Theatre is at 10900 Burbank Blvd. in North Hollywood.  Tickets are $25 and are available at www.nmi.org. We hope to see you there!

"It Happened in Roswell" Prepares for Workshop Production at The No Ho Arts Center

As August fast approaches, excitement builds as NMI prepares to invade The No Ho Arts Center for the entire month of August for 31 straight days of world premieres, concerts, workshop productions, and cabaret. Included in this month-long musical extravaganza will be "It Happened in Roswell" by Terrence Atkins and Jeffery Lyle Segal. 

This zany romantic comedy tells the story of a hard-nosed tabloid reporter in 1947 who is stranded in Roswell where he makes up a fake alien story, only to discover that there really is an alien and it's a beautiful alien girl! It's your classic story.  Boy meets alien. Boy loses alien. Boy gets alien back. With the Army ready to turn Roswell upside down to find and dissect the "invader," what will the reporter do? Will it be the story?  Or the girl? 

"It Happened in Roswell" was selected as the First Prize Winner of the NMI's 2013 search for New Musicals. In the fall, Artistic Director Elise Dewsberry and Executive Director, Scott Guy, worked with co-authors Atkins & Segal to rewrite a new and improved draft. The process involved two in-house readings, which were directed by Scott Guy and presented by the Academy Reparatory Company. Both times, the authors were given notes and then went back in and did rewrites based upon feedback received from the readings. The result was a tighter, more story-driven show that will now open at the No Ho Arts Center on August 3rd for eight workshop performances. 

The workshop production will be co-directed by Scott Guy and Terrence Atkins.  Co-produced by NMI and House on the Hill Productions. Musical Direction by Ron Barnett. Choreography by Susanna Young. Casting by Lindsey Mixon. Cast includes:  Emerson Boatwright, Amy Bloom, John McCool Bowers, Rory Dunn, Matthew Herrmann, Nathan Ondracek, Carrie Madsen, and Julie Tolivar. 

This heartfelt and offbeat comedy is sure to make even non-believers believe in something called love. (and it illustrates that rewrites are hard work, but well-worth all the effort)

The New Voices Project

The New Musicals Initiative is thrilled to be launching our New Voices Project with the goal of helping young writers between the ages of 18-25 showcase their original work by participating in the 17th annual Stages New Musical Theatre Festival held in Los Angeles between August 23-25, 2013.

The New Musicals Initiative is the professional division of the Academy for New Musical Theatre.  ANMT is a Los Angeles based developmental company offering workshops, seminars and online courses designed to help artists develop and produce new musical theatre works.

Young writers have been submitting their promising works so they can take part in our prestigious Stages New Musical Theatre Festival. These writers come from all over the country and from prominent musical theatre programs. We are delighted to be able to showcase the future of musical theatre.

The New Voices Project will take place on August 24th at 8:30pm at the Academy for New Musical Theatre in North Hollywood.

For more information on the New Voices Project, visit us at www.newmusicalsinc.com/newvoices.

For information on our Stages New Musical festival visit us at www.anmt.org.

The Academy for New Musical Theatre's Stages Musical Theatre Festival

It's hard to believe, but Stages Musical Theatre Festival will be almost twenty years old this year. This biennial musical theatre event returns to Los Angeles the weekend of August 23-25.  Featuring eight new musicals presented in concert readings, the festival will be hosted by the New Musicals Initiative (the professional wing of the Academy for New Musical Theatre) and will be presented in two locations: the Lonny Chapman Theatre (10900 Burbank Blvd in North Hollywood) and the Academy, 5628 Vineland in North Hollywood.

The New Musicals Initiative will be bringing together dozens of writers and over fifty actors to present eight brand-new shows. The schedule is designed so that a Festival Pass holder can see four shows on one day at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, and the other four shows at the Academy on the other. Or, if audience members have only one day, they can pick and choose among all eight shows, shuttling between the theatre and the Academy, which are five doors away from each other.

The shows featured at the "First Stage" (at the Lonny Chapman Theatre) will be:

<Mad Bomber- winner of the 2013 Search for New Musicals -  based on the true story of the man who terrorized New York in the 1950s by setting off a series of bombs to get back at Con Edison (written by Charles Monagan and Richard deRosa);

Vlad: a vampire's love story- a re-envisioning of the classic vampire story, with a 4-person cast, a rock score, and some plot twists you might not be expecting (written by Plácido Domingo, Samantha Domingo, and Scott Guy);
Wanting Miss Julie- a modern re-telling of the Strindberg classic (written by John Sparks, Jake Anthony, and Patricia Zehentmayr); and

Bloodline- the story of a 1920s spinster who finds herself engaged to a vampire with ulterior motives (written by Richard Castle and Clifford Tasner).

The shows featured at the "Very First Stage" (at the Academy for New Musical Theatre) are:

LA Carmen - a futuristic setting for the beloved Carmen set in a time when speaking Spanish is illegal (in development with the Latino Theatre Company; written by Evelina Fernandez, Rosino Serrano, and Richard Castle);

Over the Horizon- a collective project by writers at the University of California at Irvine, about an Iraqi blogger and the son of an American soldier;

The Max Factor Factor- an ice-cold reading of a musical about closeted gay film stars in the 1920's.

New Voices Project- a final slot to be filled by a showcase of material from brand new, young writers.

Festival Passes cost $50 and will admit you to every event in the Festival from Friday through Sunday. Single tickets will also be available  - but Festival Pass Holders will be given priority seating.

"There are only 90 seats at the Group Rep Theatre," explains the Festival's Executive Director Scott Guy, "and so it's possible there won't be seats for last-minute individual ticket buyers. To counterbalance that, we're scheduling events at the Academy a half-hour later than the ones at the theatre, so there still will be a musical to see for everyone."

Artistic Director Elise Dewsberry explains the distinction between events at the Academy and those at the theatre: "Events at the Academy showcase first drafts, whereas the ones at the theatre have all had several more stages of development...hence the word 'Stages.' We've also invited a team of writers from the University of California at Irvine to bring us a brand new musical they've been developing; we're planning a special event for young up-and-coming writers to showcase their work - the New Voices Project; and for the first time ever we are planning a special "ice cold reading" in which the cast will be handed their script and score as the lights come up and they will literally cold-read and sight-sing their way through the piece with no preparation at all. New musical theatre, at every stage of development."

 

Festival passes may be purchased for $50 through the Academy's website at www.anmt.org

ANMT's Annual 15 Minute Musical Festival

Once a year, every June, like clockwork, you can hear composers weeping in North Hollywood, and threatening to call attorneys, and then kissing and making up and saying they've just had the most wonderful experience of their lives. Yes, it's time for the annual 15-Minute Musical project at the Academy for New Musical Theatre: June 24th and 25th at the Met Theatre in Hollywood. For the final project of Academy's famous writers' workshop, composers and lyricists and bookwriters are put together on writing teams and are given eight short weeks to write, revise and polish a brand-new musical written for five actors whom they've never met before.

"It's like a rite of passage," says Elise Dewsberry, the Academy's Artistic Director and producer of the 15 Minute Musicals. "We design the process to imitate a full-length show in a professional theatre: draft, rehearsal, rewrites, rehearsal, opening. It's really a wonderful experience, but it's often stressful, just like a million dollar opening night. Our writers' names are in the program, and it's important to them they write the best show they possibly can, in the short amount of time we've given them."

This season there will be four 15-minute musicals, featuring the same cast of four actors. The writers have been given a theme of Haves and Have Nots; four short musicals about inequality, and they have cooked up four wildly different approaches to this theme.

These evenings are an annual highlight of the Academy's yearlong season of developing new musicals and feature many new voices in musical theatre. Every seat in the house usually sells out.

The four shows presented each evening (June 24 and 25) are:
Gracie...from Economy Class with book and lyrics by Joel Adlen and music by David Anthony Hall..
Conception of Love with book by Robert Rosen, music by David Haworth, and lyrics by Denis McCourt
In Mysterious Ways with book by R.K. Rich, music by Brian Graden, and lyrics by Ben Boquist
Coming Out of the Cave with book by John Aaron, music by Ron Barnett, and lyrics by R.K. Rich

The cast for all four musicals is: Nikki Jenkins, Kevin Noonchester, Rachel Tyler, and Peter Welkin.  The four musicals are directed by Scott Guy, with music direction by Jake Anthony.

Tickets are $25; the performances begin at 7:30pm. For tickets, reservations and more info: www.anmt.org

Comparing GHOST and ONCE

In the fall of 2012, I was in New York City for two days, so naturally I saw two Broadway musicals.  I was struck by how much these two particular shows have in common, and yet how completely different they are.

Most obviously, each is based on a movie.  GHOST is based on the 1990 Hollywood blockbuster movie starring Patrick Swayzee, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg and directed by Jerry Zucker.  ONCE is based on the lesser known low budget 2006 Irish cult movie written and directed by John Carney.

Both are love stories in which (spoiler alert) boy does not get girl - and for equally bittersweet, gut-wrenching reasons.

Where the similarities abruptly end is in how their directors and design teams have decided to present those stories to the audience.

GHOST is a never-ending visual feast of stunning projections and visual effects that keep the audience oohing and ahhing in surprise and amazement.  At the beginning of the show, images are projected onto a huge scrim at the front of the stage - complete with the title of the show - making you almost need to check your ticket to make sure you didn't accidentally walk into a movie theatre rather than a Broadway show.  Huge scrim-based walls slide in and out to create the basic shapes for the various locations of the story, while a constant barrage of fast-moving projections adds the details.  The able ensemble contributes extra flair and color with many flashy dance numbers - augmented by larger-than-life colorful disco-style silhouette versions of the dancers projected behind them.

The score, by Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard (with additional lyrics by bookwriter Bruce Joel Rubin) is that driving, showy, contemporary pop that has become very popular in musicals these days, giving the singers lots of opportunities to bring down the house with their bravado.

Despite the talent of the cast, the real star of the show, of course, is the series of visual illusions used to accomplish all of the moments we remember from the movie - ghosts walking through doors, moving objects through the air, taking over other people's bodies, and being sent over to the 'other side' either by the white light of the angels or the red glow of the devils.  Oh, yes, and a brief, almost cursory nod to the most famous scene of all with the pottery wheel (which presumably doesn't get as much focus because it doesn't take a visual illusion to accomplish it).

In ONCE, there isn't a special effect to be seen that isn't created by the singing/playing actors, with a little help from some simple but effective lighting.  The set is an Irish pub (where audience members can actually buy beer and listen to live music before the show and at intermission), and the ensemble doubles as the band.  Or, the band doubles as the ensemble.  They're all so good at both, it's nearly impossible to make the distinction.

The various locations are created in front of us by the ensemble with the slightest shift of furniture, and aided by defining patches of light.  This minimalist approach is broadly acknowledged by Enda Walsh's script, as when Girl suggests that Guy join her at a music store operated by a 'big man'....and then, as a tall man from the ensemble wheels a piano to center stage, Girl says 'Here's the store and this is the big man' and we are instantly there.

All of the songs in the score are 'diagetic' - meaning there are no characters breaking into song to express their feelings.  Instead, the characters are songwriters who are actually writing and performing songs they have written to express their feelings.  (All of the songs are written by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova who also starred in the movie.) (Make no mistake - I'm absolutely not suggesting that characters shouldn't burst into song - where would musical theatre be without that conceit?- but I do admire that this show doesn't try to navigate the dangers of combining both kinds of songs in one score.  Not that that is impossible, just...tricky...and rarely worth it.)

The multi-talented ensemble provides energetic, toe-tapping, infectious accompaniment, along with strangely beautiful choreography, and an array of colorful, eccentric and endearing Irish and Czech characters.  The music is contemporary, but haunting, acoustic, percussive, and, above all, fresh.

I would quite honestly recommend that you see both musicals as they are both highly accomplished and entertaining with great casts and production values.  See GHOST for the breathtaking special effects, even though it might leave you a bit emotionally disconnected.  See ONCE for a unique and compelling theatrical journey probably unlike anything you've experienced before.

And then decide for yourself how you weigh in on the fact that GHOST was nominated for three Tony awards (but NOT for Best Musical) and didn't win any; whereas ONCE was nominated for eleven Tonys and won eight, including Best Musical, Best Book, Best Actor, Best Orchestration, Best Lighting, Best Sound, and even Best Scene Design (too bad for GHOST that there is no category for special effects).  Apparently the Tony voters are not blinded by glitter.  Only time will tell if the audiences are.

Spectacle is very popular on Broadway today and it certainly has its place (and I really do enjoy seeing it).  But, in my mind, STORY will always win out over everything else because it is only the story that has the ability to capture not only our attention, but also our hearts.

GOT MUSICAL!

ANMT's GOT MUSICAL - April 12 at the Colony Theatre Love musicals? Want to hear some brand-new material from up-and-coming new musical theatre writers? The ANMT writers have a 40 year history of writing musicals! Join us on Friday, April 12th at the Colony Theatre in Burbank for GOT MUSICAL: a sneak preview of brand-new musicals in development for producers across the country. Musical theatre writers to be featured include: Matthew Alexander, Adrian Bewley, Richard Castle, Richard deRosa, Eric Dodson, Placido Domingo, Jr., Noelle Donfeld, Evelina Fernandez, Alan Ross Fleishmann, Mitchell Glaser, Brian Graden, Scott Guy, David Haworth, Carl Johnson, Karla Kelley, Brian Leader, Matthew Levine, Roger Love, Ann McNamee, Charles Monaghan, Cindy O'Connor, Ken Offricht, Marian Partee, Richard Plotkin, Eric Przytulski, Carl Ritchie, Jan Roper, Robert Rosen, Rosino Serrano, Robin Share, Clifford Tasner, Gabrielle Wagner Mann, Julie Weiner, Chana Wise, and Clay Zambo The excerpts will be presented by members of the Academy Repertory Company (Noel Britton, Elise Dewsberry, Scott Guy, David Holmes, Christopher Maikish, Tedd Szeto, and Peter Welkin); and Guest Artists Farley Cadena, Allie Costa, Randy Guiaya, Tara Hunnewell, Luke Klipp, Michelle Lane, Shannon Martinous, Kendra Munger, Kila Packett, Suzanne Mayes, Matt Valle, Christina Valo, and Gabrielle Wagner; with Ross Kalling at the piano. Showcasing the tradition of creating and writing musicals, Got Musical! takes place at 8:00pm on Friday, April 12th at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. Tickets are $10. For more information, and to make a reservation, please visit www.anmt.org and click on Got Musical!

Academy for New Musical Theatre Summer 2013 Internship Announcement

The Academy for New Musical Theatre is looking for a Summer 2013 intern to assist in the planning, marketing and presentation of the 17th Annual Stages Musical Theatre Festival! See below for internship description and eligibility requirements.



INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION

The Intern will assist at rehearsals and production meetings.  The Intern will also be directly involved in the marketing campaign: assisting in the design of print materials, email campaigns, marketing plans, public relations, social networking marketing and other advertising opportunities.  Pending the Intern's particular skill set, assistance at the Festival itself will either be "front of house" (box office, house management, ushering) or backstage (light booth, sound, assistant stage manager).

The three-day Festival consists of concert presentations of eight new musicals in various "stages" of development:  from first drafts through polished versions ready for production.  Musicals currently selected for the festival include Mad Bomber, the winner of the 2012 Search for New Musicals, Vlad by Placido Domingo, Jr.  Other titles under consideration include works in development at the Latino Theatre Company, Deaf West Theatre, Celebration Theatre, and the Academy for New Musical Theatre.

The Festival was presented for fifteen years in Chicago; in 2010, the Festival moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, to be under the aegis of the Academy for New Musical Theatre.  The Festival is currently scheduled for August 23/24/25 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood. Rehearsals will take place at the Academy for New Musical Theatre.

This is a paid internship. The intern will receive a weekly stipend of $350. The tentative dates for this internship are June 17, 2013 - August 23, 2013.

OTHER DUTIES

ANMT has developed its own powerful database-driven communication and marketing software programs which assist in the dissemination of individually-targeted press-releases, as well as demographically-targeted ad campaigns, emails, newsletters, blog entries, RSS feeds and other specific marketing communications about musicals in the Academy's catalog and other programming.  Therefore, part of the Academy’s Festival Intern's additional duties and responsibilities will include assisting in the Academy’s current press list and semi-automated database-driven internet marketing procedure; writing and disseminating general press releases; and some general administration duties (such as filing and database management). 

Intern will be expected to assist with coordination of several other events associated with the Festival, including panel discussions, concerts, and some social events such as Opening Night Reception.  There may be an opportunity for the intern to function as an Associate Producer (supervised) for a concert on a weeknight prior to the Festival.  Duties and responsibilities would be similar to the Festival, but the intern would have more of a leadership role.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility is limited to currently enrolled undergraduate college students who reside or attend college in Los Angeles County. Students must have completed at least one semester of college by June 1, 2013 or will complete their undergraduate degree between May 1 - September 1, 2013 in order to be eligible to participate. Students who have already earned a BA, BS or a higher degree are not eligible. Students who have previously participated in the Los Angeles County Arts Internship Program are not eligible.

SKILLS

The Festival Intern will have some background and general working knowledge of marketing, e‑commerce, and viral marketing.  The Festival Intern will have good general computing skills and be comfortable with using online forums and posting in online user groups and social networks.  Very useful to the position will be working knowledge with some combination of the following software:  Office (Word, Excel, Access, Publisher), basic working knowledge of HTML web-interface coding such as FrontPage or Dreamweaver, and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, Flash).  The Intern will also have good people skills, and be able to interface effectively with audience, actors, writers and press.

WHAT INTERN WILL LEARN

At the end of the ten week internship, the Intern will be able to:

- understand the basic planning required to produce a concert reading of a new musical

- understand the basic planning required to plan and implement a targeted marketing campaign designed to increase awareness of and participation in arts events (including budgeting, scheduling, marketing, and day-to-day operations)

- use viral marketing and online social networks to target potential participants and identify marketing opportunities

- interface with industry professionals (national writers, producers and theatre industry professionals)

- write and disseminate a basic press release

- know how to introduce oneself to theatre professionals

- identify key players in the musical theatre profession

HOW TO APPLY

Email an informal letter to academy@anmt.org and attach a formal resume or bio.  Address your ability to learn new software, your experience using social media as a marketing tool, and your interest or curiosity in new musical theatre.  TIP:  Although we suspect the ideal candidate is going to be in the marketing/producer arena, actors/writers are welcome to apply; this is a theatrical environment, rather than a corporate marketing atmosphere; and whoever is offered the internship will want to enjoy being around singers, directors and writers. 

Questions?  Please email academy@anmt.org

This internship is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. 74 undergraduate interns will participate in the program this year at 74 performing, presenting, and literary nonprofit arts organizations and municipal arts agencies throughout LA County. In addition to their full-time 10 week paid internship, interns will participate in several educational events as part of the program, which are funded by the Getty Foundation. The educational events are designed to provide interns with a broader perspective of the vibrant arts and cultural landscape of the County. For additional information on the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, the Arts Internship Program, and for a complete list of all the internships offered this summer, visit the Arts Commission website at www.lacountyarts.org.

 

Yet Another Vampire Musical
-- by Richard Castle
In 2006 I flew up to San Francisco to see the pre-Broadway production of Lestat, a new musical based on Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. With music by Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, the show was sure to be worth the trip. After all, I was a huge fan of Elton John's music, and I have always loved vampire stories. I've even had arguments about who was the better Dracula: Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee. So you can imagine my excitement as I took my seat at the Curran Theatre on that rainy January night.
The show was a flop. People walked out before the intermission. I remember leaving the theatre wondering how a show written by such a talented team could go so horribly wrong.
Flash forward to August of 2011, when ANMT asked me if I would be willing to write a song for a producer who was interested in a new musical about vampires. With the memory of Lestat haunting me, I was torn as to whether to accept the assignment. However, I had recently seen a Swedish film called Let the Right One In, which offered a fresh take on the vampire story, and I felt newly inspired. Paired with composer Clifford J. Tasner, I wrote the lyrics to a song called And Ever. The song is about a vampire who dreads falling in love, because he is doomed to witness each of his mortal lovers grow old and die, leaving him to mourn them forever And Ever.
The Academy Repertory Company performed our song for the producer in November of that year, along with pitch songs from three other writing teams that had been assembled by ANMT. The producer liked everything he heard that night, and asked the writing teams to develop three different vampire shows.
With the influences of The Heiress, Rebecca and Vertigo, I hoped to fashion a dark, romantic and spooky show. Refining our material with the helpful feedback from the monthly Writer's Workshop at ANMT, Clifford and l completed a 45-minute one-act version to present to the producer.
In May of 2012, Bloodline was presented along with two other vampire shows: Coffins of the Mayflower (a farcical comedy) and Child of Ages (a drama). Based on the presentation, the producer was eager to see all three shows expanded, so Clifford and I got to work on the second draft of Bloodline. ANMT staff provided helpful notes, and the producer offered some suggestions as well. We added some more songs, discarded some that didn't work, and tried to flesh out a few of the characters. The producer staged a reading at the Met Theatre in Hollywood, providing feedback forms to the invited audience.
As I write this blog, I am busy working on the third draft of Bloodline, with hopes of a possible full-production. The hardest part of this process has been the expansion of the show to a 90-minute intermission-less one-act. It was originally structured to be a 45-minute musical. With each draft, it has been extremely challenging to expand the show without 'bloating' it. I have found the feedback to be extremely helpful, and I am currently outlining the newly expanded story. Keep an eye out for the next incarnation of the new vampire musical Bloodline.
I just hope it doesn't suck.

New Staff Member

The Academy is once again defying the odds, expanding its staff, rather than cutting back. We've hired a new administrative assistant, Bryan Blaskie, to help with daily workload, as well as special projects.

Bryan's responsibilities include sexy stuff like supervising the online Catalogue for New Musicals, overseeing new technology and social media, and then...LESS sexy stuff like office management, database supervision, and daily/weekly communication with composers, lyricists and bookwriters. And maybe a little bit of tidying and janitorial assistance thrown in, just for good measure.

Bryan first joined ANMT as a composer during 2011-2012’s Core Curriculum. After successfully completing the program, he wrote the music for “iWish” as part of the 2012 15-Minute Musicals program. In addition to his work as a composer, Bryan is an accompanist for various programs in Los Angeles. He played Keyboard II for our production of “A Ring in Brooklyn”. He is a staff accompanist for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. He also performs around the LA area in his blues duo, Torch Note. Bryan is from Columbus, Ohio, where he studied music composition and piano performance at Denison University.

"Bryan's starting as a part-time employee," says Scott, "but there is definitely room to grow into a full-time position, or even a whole new department. Bryan's a smart, funny, and artistic composer, but he also has the skills and drive of an entrepreneur, and he knows there are opportunities to launch whole new departments at the Academy: the world is his musical theatre oyster...if that metaphor makes any sense."

"I'm really a lucky guy," says Blaskie. "I've wound up in the right spot and the right time. I love my bosses -- we have a gas working together; lots of laughter and clowning around. But at the end of the day, I take this job very seriously. I know the opportunity they're giving me here. But now it's up to me to make something exciting happen."

ANMT CONTINUES 2011/12 CONCERT READING SERIES WITH A GEM

(Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 25, 2012)  Emerald, a new musical, and winner of ANMT’s 2011 Search for New Musicals, will receive a one night only concert reading February 6 at 7:30 pm as part of The Academy for New Musical Theatre’s reading series at The Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood.

Written by the British writing team of Chris Burgess (book and lyrics) and Denise Wright (music), Emerald tells the story of Grace Maguire who abandons her life in Manhattan and moves to the secluded seaside town of Ennismuck, West Ireland. However, as soon as she arrives she clashes with a mining corporation buying up the local properties in order to extract the newly found gold. Grace campaigns to save Ennismuck, and starts a prickly relationship with truculent local artist, Mulcahy. But, beyond these perilous ventures Grace manages to topple the mining company’s monopoly, and eventually, thaw Mulcahy’s frozen heart. Calvin Remsberg directs and Ross Kalling is musical director.

"The musical theatre is full of stories that take place in exotic locales, often fictional but with some basis in reality. Brigadoon never existed but Scotland is real, and Missitucky isn't really a state, but Finian’s Rainbow takes place there." says director Remsberg. "In Emerald, we have a fictional Irish village, Ennismuck, but in modern day Ireland. It’s populated with lively Irish characters that create the stories’ charm. It's always fun to work on something new, and it will be even more fun to see it up on its feet!”

Featured in the cast are Jake Anthony, Adrian Bewley, Noel Britton, Melisa Dunham, Courtney Freed, Christ Warren Gilbert, Randy Guiaya, Scott Guy, Sean Hankinson, David Holmes, Shirley Hughes, Rebecca Johnson, Luke Kipp, Gia Mora, Veronica Frances Scheyving, Stewart Scott, Tedd Szeto, Michael Tatlock, Gabrielle Wagner, Peter Welkin, Erika Whalen, and Jennifer Winkler.

The Lonny Chapman Theatre is located at 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood, CA. $10 tickets can be reserved through the ANMT website at www.anmt.org.

ANMT LAUNCHES 2011-12 CONCERT READING SERIES

What would you pay for a miracle? The people of the small town of Painted Post, Massachusetts have got plenty of reasons to believe. It is 1945, and not only has the town lost many of its young men in the war, but now a vision of the Virgin Mary has appeared in the window above the sickbed of a comatose young girl. So what if the girl’s mother charges admission to pray at her bedside and witness the vision? And when the girl suddenly awakens after five years, she is pregnant. Could it be yet another miracle -- or just one of her mother's hoaxes?

This is the starting place for the new musical The Angel of Painted Post, which will kick off the 2011-12 Concert Reading Series for the Academy for New Musical Theatre.

With book by Adrian Bewley, music by Matthew Levine, and lyrics by Richard Castle, The Angel of Painted Post is filled with unconventional characters and universal themes of faith, religion and family. With songs including "Mama’s Little Angel", "Hey, Mother Mary" and a wacky dream sequence called "The Gospel of Alma", the piece speaks to the role of faith in a society that has been ravaged by war. Wouldn’t you want to believe in miracles?

This new musical began in ANMT's Full-Length Curriculum last year, and then won one of only eight coveted spots at Stages Musical Theatre Festival 2011. The actors involved with the development of the piece last season included: Sarah Girard, Christiana Moffa, Will Collyer, Dan Stewart, Stephen Stewart, Dana Shaw, Dina Buglione, Renee Scott, Peter Varvel, Erika Whalen, Ben Ryan, and Jonathan Dinerstein as Music Director.

"This is a dark, provocative, exciting new musical featuring the voices of three very talented writers," says Artistic Director Elise Dewsberry. "I'm particularly excited because I will be stepping into the complex role of the manipulative mother myself. Roles like this for 'mature' women don't come along all that often, and I look forward to sinking my teeth into it!"

The ANMT Concert Series will continue on February 6, 2012 with Emerald, written by Chris Burgess and Denise Wright from London, England. Emerald won ANMT's 4th Annual Search for New Musicals, and received a workshop with the Academy Repertory Company in April 2011. The Concert Series will feature a new draft, based on the work which the writers have done since the April workshop.

The concert reading of The Angel of Painted Post will take place on Monday, December 12 at 7:30pm at the Lonny Chapman Theatre on Burbank Blvd., and will feature members of the Academy Repertory Company including Noel Britton, Elise Dewsberry, Evelyn Halus, Christopher Maikish, Sari Rose Poll, Andrea Press, Tedd Szeto, Peter Welkin, and guest Sean Hankinson as "Ben". ARC Music Director Ross Kalling will be at the piano. Tickets are $10.

For tickets, visit www.anmt.org

FREE Workshop Demo - August 13

ANMT is now accepting applications for the 2011-12 season on their famed Writers' Workshop.

Check it out at our FREE Workshop Demo on Saturday, August 13th from 6:30 to 9:30pm at The Academy for New Musical Theatre, 5628 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood.

This collaborative incubator teams different writers every month for specific writing opportunities and feedback sessions. Sessions meet one weekend per month from September through April - followed by the intensive 15 Minute Musical process in which writers create a new 15 minute musical in under a month, and ANMT produces the results.

Can't make the Workshop Demo? Audit the first sessions in September:
Saturday, September 17th from 10am to 2pm
and/or
Sunday, September 18th from 2pm to 6pm

Full details, schedule, fees, and testimonials available online.

For more info - and to reserve a spot - visit:
http://www.anmt.org/workshop/
www.anmt.org
academy@anmt.org

Bootcamp in Session! (classes still enrolling...)

ANMT's Musical Theatre Boot Camp is a summer series of workshops, lectures, and
practicums designed to give participants a chance to work quickly over a
concentrated six week period. It's also a great place to check us out before
committing to our full curriculum in the fall.

We have new classes starting until early August!

With Available Courses:
MUSIC FOR LYRICISTS
MAKE A SOCKO MARKETING VIDEO - WITH NO CAMERA!
PREPARING YOUR SCORE in FINALE NOTATION
HOW DOES A MUSICAL GET FINANCED?
LEGAL PERILS, PITFALLS AND TRAPS
CONQUER THE INTERNET/SOCIAL MEDIA
ACTING THE SONG with Georgia Stitt


For More Information Visit: http://www.anmt.org/bootcamp.asp#

MUSIC LAB - ONLINE!

ANMT's sixth annual MUSICAL THEATRE BOOT CAMP presents:

MUSIC LAB - ONLINE!

Instructor: Philip Seward

Make your own schedule!

THIS COURSE IS OFFERED COMPLETELY ONLINE

Course Fee: $495 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $495)

A concentrated version of the full Music Lab curriculum offered as part of ANMT's Core Curriculum program, with a unit a week instead of a unit a month. (If you're planning to take the Core program, this course will fulfill your Lab requirement).

Write and format your musical professionally.

Videos, tests, exercises and interactive assignments on the craft of composing for musical theatre, from Columbia College professor Philip Seward. Topics include:
Setting a lyric
Creating a Piano Arrangement
Finding a rhythm in a lyric and using it to develop a melody
Creating a lead sheet (chord symbols and melody)
Working with a hook
Key signatures & accidentals
Driving melodically toward theclimax of the song
Supporting the melody with a piano accompaniment
When to modulate
Composing Incidental Music
Composing for the music theatre voice (head voice, chest voice, belt, legit, timbre)
Formatting a Score: Dynamics, Expressive Markings, Pedaling, Rehearsal Marks, etc.
Vamps; safeties; jump cue; out on
Formatting voice parts
Swing notation
Integrating Script and Score

Only during the summer - this online Lab is available for the ANMT Member price of $495.

To register (or for more info) - CLICK HERE



INSTRUCTOR INFO:
Philip Seward lists among his operatic and musical works, NIMUE (premiered 2007 in Edinburgh, Scotland), DOWNTOWN (2007 at Stages Festival in Chicago), SINCERELY YOURS (2003), JUAN PERON'S HAND (2002) at the Northtown Arts Center; HIGH FIDELITY (1998) Chicago Humanities Festival and (1999) Merkin Hall in New York; SPREADING THE NEWS (1998) at North Park University; HANS BRINKER (1994) at Theatre Building Chicago which was also a recipient of several Jeff Citations and an After Dark Award; the youth operas AFRICAN STORIES (2007), A NOTEWORTHY TALE (2002) and STONE SOUP (2001) commissioned by Lyric Opera of Chicago; BLESSING (2003) for the Lira Chamber Chorus; and PSALM 8 (1997) commissioned by the Lyric Opera Chapters. He is currently an Artist-in-Residence at Columbia College Chicago, co-conductor of the Lira Ensemble of Chicago, music director at St. James Presbyterian Church in Chicago, and he has served both as a free-lance conductor and performer for many ensembles, musical shows and operas.

LYRIC LAB - ONLINE!

ANMT's sixth annual MUSICAL THEATRE BOOT CAMP presents:

LYRIC LAB - ONLINE!

Instructor: Larry Todd Johnson

Make your own schedule!

THIS COURSE IS OFFERED COMPLETELY ONLINE

Course Fee: $795 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $695)

If you're planning to take the Core Curriculum, this course will fulfill your Lyric Lab requirement. Topics covered will include: prosody, structure, rhyme, character through diction, spotting songs, and progressions.

Only during the summer - this online Lab is available for $695.

To register (or for more info) - CLICK HERE



INSTRUCTOR INFO:
Larry Todd Johnson's most recent musical, 40 IS THE NEW 15 (with composer Cindy O'Connor), recently completed a critically-acclaimed run at the NoHo Arts Center, receiving a Best New Musical award from StagesceneLA. The developmental production of 40 IS THE NEW 15 received a 2010 GLAAD Media Award Nomination for Outstanding Los Angeles Theatre., and was chosen by Stephen Schwartz for the ASCAP/Disney Musical Theatre Workshop. NOW AND THEN A HERO (with composer Jake Anthony) was seen this year at the Montana Rep as part of the Missoula Colony Festival; and his musical drama, ALL THAT HE WAS (with composer Cindy O'Connor) was seen earlier this year at the Tisch School of the Arts in New York. For this same show, Larry also won the Kennedy Center National Playwright's Award and the ACTF Musical Theater Award. His historical-fiction musical, THE LAST PRINCESS, (with music by Allen Hong) was also featured in the Disney/ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop.

BOOK LAB - ONLINE!

ANMT's sixth annual MUSICAL THEATRE BOOT CAMP presents:

BOOK LAB - ONLINE!

Instructor: Elise Dewsberry

Make your own schedule!

THIS COURSE IS OFFERED COMPLETELY ONLINE

Course Fee: $495 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $495)

The Book Lab is designed as an introduction to writing the book of a musical while also outlining the collaborative steps involved in creating a new musical with the whole team. The book of a musical is not just the spoken words, but encompasses the entire story of the musical. The Bookwriter is officially responsible for the writing of the book, but the entire writing team needs to collaborate on the story.

The collaborative process is explored through six units including: THE IDEA, THE OUTLINE, THE ROUGH DRAFT, ADDING SONGS, REVISIONS, and FINISHING TOUCHES. Along the way, other topics are incorporated including:

Unwavering Want
Action Loops
Conflict
Adaptation
Language of an outline
Story structure
Creating a Character Worksheet
Exposition
Character Diction
Dialogue
Song Spotting
Incorporating Songs
Dealing with Feedback
Collaboration Agreements
Project Pitches
Public Domain

This course qualifies as the Book Lab element of the Academy for New Musical Theatre's Core Curriculum.

To register (or for more info) - CLICK HERE



INSTRUCTOR INFO:
Elise Dewsberry
Currently the Artistic Director of ANMT, Elise has been involved in the development of new works for over fifteen years: as an actor/singer, as a director, as a dramaturge, and as a writer. At ANMT, Elise co-teaches the Core Curriculum, runs the Full Length Curriculum and Book Lab, and is the dramaturge for the annual Search for New Musicals. Elise is also on the New Works Committee of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, and is the co-ordinator of the SoCal New Musicals Network. While living in Toronto, Elise served as the Assistant Artistic Director of the Muskoka Festival; the Co-Ordinator of the festival's annual Musical Theatre Writer's Colony, the Associate Dramaturge of the Canadian Stage Company; the Resident Dramaturge of the Smile Theatre Company; and was the co-founder of Toronto's ScriptLab. Elise spent many years touring Canada with NINE MONTHS - a one-woman musical which she commissioned from writers Carl Ritchie and Stephen Woodjetts. Elise and Carl also co-wrote ANY BODY HOME?, which has been published by Dramatic Publishing and has had multiple productions around the world.

'I recently had the pleasure of working with The Academy for New Musical Theatre on a reading of THE GROUCH'S DAUGHTER, my new musical co-written with Jack Helbig. ANMT staff member Elise Dewsberry served as both dramaturg and director, and in our years of working on this show, no one person has been as helpful to us as she was. Prior to the reading, we received a set of notes that were as thoughtful as they were thorough. ANMT's suggestions led to a rewrite that greatly helped me shape the show and refine its style. I'm deeply impressed with the care and intelligence of their creative input, and would not hesitate to work with ANMT again.'
-Mark Hollmann, Tony award-winning composer, Urinetown

'We ...feel as if a nurturing dramaturgical Mary Poppins has visited us with wonderful insightful nourishment. It appeared to us that you seemed to really relate to the characters we've established and are caught up with their plight and have come up with ways to strengthen them ... Your suggestions are invaluable to us ...'
--Ron Yatter

'Elise Dewsberry's rare gift for analyzing plot and character is enormously helpful to writers. Her story sense is phenomenal.'
- Stephen Oles, bookwriter, Seattle

'Wow!! ... It's as though you were reading our minds ... What's particularly brilliant is that you are having us work through the process in manageable stages. What a gift you have, that you can lead us so that we need to climb out of only puddles of quicksand of our own making, rather than oceans of it! We both hold you in the absolute highest esteem imaginable.'
- Roger Love and Ann McNamee

LOST & FOUND: THE 15 MINUTE MUSICALS

LOST & FOUND: the annual 15 Minute Musicals

ANMT's annual 15 Minute Musicals will be presented on Monday, June 27 and Tuesday, June 28 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood.

The four brand new 15-minute musicals to be be presented this year are:

NOTHING PERSONAL by Johanna Besterman, Joe Greene, and Erin Thompson
THE SUITCASE HOUND OF BOMBAY PEEK-A-BOO PEAK by Elizabeth Carol Thompson, Ronnie Cavalluzzi, and John Sparks
FRANKIE'S LAUNDRY by Bryon L. Richards, Jerry Ranger, and Sandy Kasten
CARNIVAL OF SOULS by Joanna Warren Smith, Todd Syswerda, and Fred Piegonski.

The cast for the evening will be Adrian Bewley, Jordan Kai Burnett, R. Christofer Sands, and Erika Whalen. The evening is produced by Patricia Zehentmayr, directed by Elise Dewsberry, and music directed by Jake Anthony.

Tickets for the 2011 15 Minute Musicals are now on sale - seating at the Lonny Chapman is very limited so hurry and get your seats now!

CLICK HERE FOR RESERVATIONS.

MUSICAL THEATRE BOOT CAMP EARLY BIRD DEADLINE - TOMORROW!

ANMT's sixth annual Musical Theatre Boot Camp - Early Bird registration ends TOMORROW. Sign up NOW to get the Early Bird discounts on all courses!



The 2011 Boot Camp will take place between July 5 and August 15, and will include many exciting courses for bookwriters, composers, lyricists, producers, and performers including:

ACTING THE SONG
-- with Georgia Stitt
BOOK LAB - ONLINE!
COLLABORATION WORKSHOP
-- with John Sparks
CONQUER THE INTERNET/SOCIAL MEDIA
-- with Kevin Saunders Hayes
DE-SCARE-IFY THE DANCE CALL
-- with Angel Creeks
EVERYONE'S A CRITIC
-- with John Sparks
HANDS-ON MUSICAL THEATRE WORKSHOP
-- with Mark Saltzman
HOW DOES A MUSICAL GET FINANCED? and LEGAL PERILS, PITFALLS AND TRAPS
-- with Gordon Firemark
LYRIC LAB - ONLINE!
MAKE A SOCKO MARKETING VIDEO - WITH NO CAMERA!
-- with Scott Guy
MELODIES: HEINRICH, RICHARD and ME
-- with Ross Kalling
MUSIC FOR LYRICISTS
-- with Bill Berry
MUSIC LAB - ONLINE!
OUTLINING ANYWHERE!
-- with Elise Dewsberry
PREPARING YOUR SCORE in FINALE NOTATION
-- with Clifford Tasner
SATURDAY NIGHT ON SUNDAY NIGHTS
-- with Scott Guy
SONGWRITING MASTERCLASS
-- with Georgia Stitt
SUMMER SEARCH STREAMCASTS
-- with industry guests
WRITE AND FILM AN INTERNET MUSICAL THIS SUMMER
-- with Scott Guy



For more info - including short promotional videos for many of the courses on offer - please visit www.anmt.org/bootcamp.asp