NEW YORK (PRWEB) August 02, 2018
The Professional Conservatory of Musical Theatre (PCMT) at the New York Film Academy (NYFA) continues its 2018 New Works Series with fresh stagings of The Belle of Tombstone and Rock and a Hard Place held the first weekend of August.
NYFA’s very own Kevin David Thomas, whose credits include Broadway/National Tours for A Little Night Music and Les Miserables, and is one of the voices behind the industry podcast Behind the Curtain: Broadway's Living Legends, serves as musical director of The Belle of Tombstone, overseeing award-winning singer/songwriter Michelle Brourman’s score (My Favorite Year) and Broadway performer Sheilah Rae’s lyrics (Applause, starring Lauren Bacall). The book is written by Thomas Edward West and Sheilah Rae.
Directed by Thomas Edward West, The Belle of Tombstone boasts an all-female cast of 11 members and traces the true-life tale of Josephine Marcus, who escaped a stifling upper-class San Francisco Jewish family by bluffing her way into a Gilbert & Sullivan troupe en route to Tombstone, Arizona in the late 1800s. There she met the love of her life — Wyatt Earp — and plunged into a tumult of scandals and outrage that led to the notorious and deadly shootout at the O.K. Corral. As Wyatt’s widow, 81-year-old Josie drags her vendetta against 90-year-old Allie Earp (widow of Wyatt’s brother Virgil) from the 1880s into 1939, as they struggle their way toward reconciliation and, ultimately, forgiveness.
Rock and a Hard Place is co-produced by LightSwitch Entertainment and New York Film Academy, and directed by Robin Levine (Broadway’s Mamma Mia). This will be the second reading of Rock; the first reading in July 2016 included Broadway vets Constantine Maroulis (Tony nominee), Asa Somers, Hannah Shankman, Johnny Newcomb, and Lee Slobotkin, among others.
Rock and a Hard Place (book by Michael Ker, Music/Lyrics by Sami Horneff) merges pop, country, punk, alternative rock, and traditional theatre to tell the story of Will and Jemma, an Austin-based father and daughter musical duo grappling with the loss of their wife/mother. After being accidentally discovered at South by Southwest by a top indie record label based in Brooklyn, Will and Jemma are given the chance to make their dreams a reality. This coming-of-age story touches on falling in love, overcoming grief, and most importantly, finding your voice.
A full schedule of the performances held at The Theatre at NYFA, 17 Battery Place, 1st Floor, New York is below:
ROCK AND A HARD PLACE - Friday, August 3, 2018 at 8 p.m.
- Book by Michael Ker
- Music and Lyrics by Sami Horneff
- Directed by Robin Levine
- Musical Direction by Anthony Brindsi
THE BELLE OF TOMBSTONE - Saturday, August 4, 2018 at 2 p.m.
- Book by Thomas Edward West and Sheilah Rae
- Lyrics by Sheilah Rae
- Music by Michele Brourman
- Directed by Thomas Edward West
- Musical Direction by Kevin David Thomas
Please send all RSVP requests to mtrsvp(at)nyfa.edu. Be sure to include your full name, number of guests, and which performance you would like to attend.
About New York Film Academy
The New York Film Academy (NYFA) is a leading visual and performing arts school that offers courses across 15 areas of study in New York City, Los Angeles, South Beach/Miami, Gold Coast (Australia), Florence (Italy), and more. Thousands of aspiring artists come to study at the New York Film Academy each year from over 120 countries. For more information, please visit nyfa.edu.
