New York Theatre Barn has announced March programming for its virtual New Works Series, presenting excerpts of new musicals and conversations with the creative teams. The episodes stream live on Wednesdays at 7 PM ET on New York Theatre Barn's YouTube channel.
First up on March 3 are On This Side of the World and The Village of Vale. Developed and directed by Noam Shapiro, On This Side of the World has a score by Paulo K. Tiról and features performers Belinda Allyn (Allegiance) and Marc delaCruz (Hamilton) giving voice to Filipino immigrants navigating old lives and new beginnings. The Village of Vale features Lauren Elder (Side Show) and John McGrew in a tale about betrayal, vengeance, and magical glasses. Music and lyrics are by John McGrew, with a book and lyrics are by Jonathan Karpinos and Joseph Varca.
March 17 presentations are the indie-rock/folk musical For Tonight and the modern Mexican opera Anjou: The Musical Horror Tale. For Tonight, with a book by Whitney Rhodes, Shenelle Salcido and Spencer Williams and score by Salcido and Williams, explores themes of home and racial prejudice in this story of a Welsh man and a Romani woman. Anjou revolves around the massacre of Saint Bartholomew in 1572 in France. Roberto Araujo directs the Mexican opera with lyrics by Guillermo Mendez M. and Guadalupe Sandoval and music by Guillermo Mendez M. and an English translation by Javier Vilalta. Performers include Nathan Cockfroft, Kevin Curtis (Moulin Rouge!), Gabriel Hyman (Hamilton), Taylor Iman Jones (Head Over Heels), Michael Perrie Jr. (Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story) and Jelani Remy (Ain’t Too Proud).
Anjou was recently presented in a concept album-meets-concert format by Playbill, also directed by Araujo and featuring Jones and Remy.
Finally, on March 31 are excerpts of Starry, a rock musical about brother Theo and Vincent Van Gogh, and Seasons, a song cycle about the changing relationships of six friends. Starry will be performed by its writers—book and lyrics by Native artist Kelly Lynne D'Angelo and music and lyrics by Matt Dahan. Seasons has a book and score by Tyler Tafolia and will be performed by Tafolia and Megan Kuramoto-Monroe.
The New Works Series is produced and hosted by Associate Artistic Director Jen Sandler and Artistic Director Joe Barros. For more information, visit NYTheatreBarn.org.
