Nightmare Alley
World Premiere First Preview
Benefit Performance — April 13
Geffen Playouse

Step into Nightmare Alley and enter the titillating world of carnies, cons and clairvoyants. With a score as wild as a funhouse and as evocative as a beautiful tightrope walker, this world premiere musical tells the tale of a young carnie couple who tempt the fickle hand of fate. Based on the darkly evocative 1946 novel of the same name, Nightmare Alley is a night at the theater full of special effects, wondrous feats and enough spirit to make believers of us all. But remember, here, things are never as they seem.


James Barbour leads cast down Nightmare Alley
Featuring Melody Butiu, Larry Cedar, Michael McCarty, Mary Gordon Murray, Anise E. Ritchie, Leslie Stevens and Alet Taylor

nightmare alley geffen playhouse

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The Festival of New American Musicals
Academy for Young Professionals
with Stephen Schwartz

Stephen ("Wicked") Schwartz's February 15th master class highlights of the festival's first Academy session for young professionals.

Make FNAM 2010 the best ever!

A donation will help to keep everyone at the Festival of New American Musicals singing and dancing throughout 2010! Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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FNAM 2011 Submissions

Although submissions of new musicals to the festival are welcome, before we can accept them we ask you to send an Email and provide us with:
• A brief resume of your activities in theater, past and present...
• A brief description of the show you want to submit and who is involved.

Thanks for your cooperation,
THE FESTIVAL CAST

Honorary Co-Chairs

STEPHEN SONDHEIM
STEPHEN SCHWARTZ
JERRY HERMAN
ANGELA LANSBURY
JASON ALEXANDER

Board Members

David Holst
Chairman Bank of New York Mellon West
Michael Kerker
Director, Musical Theater, ASCAP
Joyce Maddox
Director, The William Grant Still Center
Steve Linder
Senior Vice President, IMG Artists
Bonnie Eskenazi
Partner, Greenberg & Glusker, Attorneys
Margaret Bates, M.D.
Noelle Hicks
Jewelry Designer, Arts Fund Raiser
Marcia Seligson, Linda Shusett & Bob Klein
Co-Executive Producers
Hunter Bird
Event Coordinator
Neil Danoff
Broadway & Off-Broadway Investor/Producer

It's About Times

For three years now we've been saying that there's a renaissance going on in American musical theater but the hallowed New York Times has ignored it, preferring to write about the annual decline and death of the arts. Well, we have to change our tune. In the Sunday Arts & Leisure section (January 3rd), Charles Isherwood finally, if reluctantly, proclaims the obvious — headline: "THE MUSICAL ENDURES." It's a good piece, too Broadwaycentric, naturally. But he does acknowledge that LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA "signals the continuing possibility of superior achievement in the classical mode of musical theater." He also writes, if begrudgingly about WICKED that "if the Broadway musical is to retain any potency as a cultural force, it needs this kind of powerhouse show." Oh, and look for positive mentions of GLEE and HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL(s). Give it a read.
Bob Klein
Co-Executive Producer


FNAM is …

Celebrating today’s amazing new generation of original musical theater created and performed in Southern California primarily by home grown talent for new and expanding audiences in large theaters, smaller theaters, colleges, high schools, elementary and middle schools and cultural centers and on TV, cable and the internet.

FNAM 2010 is coming …

Highlights of the upcoming 2010 Festival include the world premiere preview performance of NIGHTMARE ALLEY at the Geffen Playhouse on April 13th, our first original Internet musical, THE SUNSET PLAYERS  as well as Michael John LaChiusa’s SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE and Ricky Ian Gordon’s ORPHEUS & EURIDICE.

In the meantime we'll be keeping you up to date with all that is musical all over Southern California ...so stay posted.

Now Playing

The World Premiere of our First Internet Musical
Welcome to THE SUNSET PLAYERS

Created by Jordan Beck and Danny Blaylock
Directed by Cory Reeder
Renaissance Man Productions

If you love GLEE and shows like "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation" you can graduate from high school now and get an up close and personal look at the world of musical theater with these funny, endearing, and talented kids. But don’t look for it on TV or cable. It’s on your computer, with new episodes added every month, beginning approx. March 15th. Episode premieres: Episode 2, April 1; Episode 3, May 1; Episode 4, June 1.

For complete episodes go to: www.youtube.com/thesunsetplayers

Story of My Life
The Los Angeles Premiere
Lillian Theatre

story of my life

Music and Lyrics by Neil Bartram
Book by Brian Hill

One Act, 90-Minute Musical Nominated for four 2009 Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Musical, The Story of My Life tells the story of two childhood friends and how their friendship profoundly defined their lives.

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR STORY OF MY LIFE ON SALE NOW!