What to see in the NYMF

[FalmouthJ]

Posted: 9/5/04 at 6:07am

Any suggestions as to what to see in the NYMF? It looks like alot of adaptations and campy stuff, and I'd like to see something ORIGINAL. I can afford maybe 5 shows total. Would love to be mostly musicals, but I'd see plays too. Any thoughts?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/5/04 at 7:26am

There's a lot to see, but my three recommendations would be 'Cast Party' which is a hoot, 'The Big Voice: God or Merman' which is a scream, and "100 Years Into The Heart", a Lodin/Squire musical, which, if it's anything like 'Top O' The Heap', which I saw in Stamford last winter, will be a beautiful thing! The synopsis sounds intriguing. Can't wait!

My First Post! And actually about something I could comment on!

Rupert
"I cried because I had no shoes. And then I met a man who didn't have a bag to match".

[temms]

Posted: 9/5/04 at 9:41am

The festival is actually all musicals (the acronym stands for New York Musical Theatre Festival - they left out the "T" for ease of pronunciantion).

I'm involved in one of the shows ("Caligula" with Euan Morton) so I'm partial to that one. Other shows that I think have some great potential are "Meet John Doe", "A Hundred Years Into The Heart", and "Altar Boyz", but I really can honestly say you probably won't go wrong just choosing at random. They're all original (some have had productions elsewhere) so no worries that you'll be seeing a pop-catalog show.

Unlike Fringe, which showcases work on the, well, fringe, one of the goals of NYMF is to help shows with some potential for future productions get attention. The intent is that it would be the theatrical equivalent of Sundance - high quality work by aspiring professionals who have (in most cases) not broken through yet.

And some of the casts are really amazing.


P.S. - I see, you meant "original" in terms of "not being based on anything." I actually think that's not the most relevant criteria - just because it comes from a pre-existing source doesn't mean that it won't be an interestingly told story. Updated On: 9/5/04 at 09:41 AM

[steveshack]

Posted: 9/5/04 at 10:33am

The festival is actually all musicals (the acronym stands for New York Musical Theatre Festival - they left out the "T" for ease of pronunciantion).

I'm involved in one of the shows ("Caligula" with Euan Morton) so I'm partial to that one.

Hello there! I hope to see Caligula too! It's amazing how diverse the list of shows is. We were very proud to be accepted as part of the festival. I plan to man the booth in Times Square during the run of our show. I wish I lived in New York or I'd be down there every day.

I'd like to see something ORIGINAL.

I heard about this two-man "gay marriage reality musical" written by and performed by the two guys who live it. I hear they're kind funny.


It's Reality Theatre. The gay marriage musical that exposes everything. THE BIG VOICE: God or Merman?

[temms]

Posted: 9/5/04 at 11:30am

Steve - you guys are over at the Belt, aren't you? God bless you - my thoughts will be with you. I haven't ever seen anything there, but it seems that you'd have to play the show at about a 160-degree angle.

I hope I make it over to see "Big Voice" - I loved "Last Session" here in town, however long ago that was. I've always considered "Preacher and the Nurse" one of the truly great pop-theatre songs.

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 9/5/04 at 11:44am

Temms - if you read Steve's diary (bonusround.com/diary.html), a few entries back he has pictures and commentary on his and Jimmy's visit to the Belt last week.

Updated On: 9/5/04 at 11:44 AM

[steveshack]

Posted: 9/5/04 at 11:48am

I hope I make it over to see "Big Voice" - I loved "Last Session" here in town, however long ago that was. I've always considered "Preacher and the Nurse" one of the truly great pop-theatre songs.

That's very kind of you to say. I almost cut "Preacher and the Nurse" because it was so personal. But my collaborator on "Friendly Fire" Marie Cain said it was the heart of the lead character. She was so right. Later in the off-off-Broadway run I wrote "Singer and the Song" to a slightly altered melody and chord structure.

Steve - you guys are over at the Belt, aren't you? God bless you - my thoughts will be with you. I haven't ever seen anything there, but it seems that you'd have to play the show at about a 160-degree angle.

I've never seen anything like it. Standing up, your face is almost even with the shoes of the person the front row. I call it a gladiator pit -- or a Shakespearean seating without the pit. I took pictures and posted them on my diary entry below:



Diary entry with pictures of The Belt Updated On: 9/5/04 at 11:48 AM

[FalmouthJ]

Posted: 9/6/04 at 6:02am

Temms, thanks for the suggestions, Caligula does sound cool. I love the idea for "100 Years into th Heart," that it is based on a true story and Richard Vetere plays are alway interesting. The reason I mentioned wanting to see something "original" is because I just want to be totally surprised by the story and the ending. I love the movie "Meet John Doe," and will probably see that show but I know the story and I'm just going to see how well they pull it off.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 9/6/04 at 8:52am

"TOP GUN- The Musical" is a real hoot! Fast funny economical- a "poison pen loveletter"to a theatical genre that has gotten too derivative in its need to find safe($) subjects. Started out as a Fringe show here in Toronto about 3 yrs ago revived again a year ago & one several Dora Awards ( the most senior of the Toronto there awards) GO ! Just know u will laugh @ all the familar "types"!