New York Musical Theater Festival 2009 Video Preview
By Leora Kanner, Broadway Magazine
Broadway's great artistic laboratory is open to the public from September 28 until October 18, as the fabled New York Musical Theater Festival (NYMF) offers a full range of full productions, workshops and performances that will no doubt result in some of Broadway's future musical hits.
The New York Musical Theater Festival is an event that brings a wide variety of new musical works to New Yorkers and members of the theatre community. In this special video preview and interview release, Broadway.tv and Broadway Magazine share highlights of the festival.
Take a look at the guiding vision and purpose behind this exciting festival. Isaac Robert Hurwitz, the Executive Director and Producer of the festival, tells says that the festival was created because it was "way too hard to get new musicals off their feet."
Hurwitz believes that the festival is "providing an engine for what is New York and America's native art." In an effort to cover the full musical spectrum, the festival features a range of work from "chamber operas to hip hop."
Hurwitz speaks with pride about the success of the past NYMF. Five shows from the first season ended up transferring to off-Broadway within a year of the festival including "Alter Boyz." Some shows have even made it all the way to Broadway, like the off-beat Tony nominated Broadway favorite [title of show]. Hurwitz sincerely believes in the NYMF as a "launching pad" for the shows in their full stylistic range.
Sharon Fallon, the Chair of the NYMF Board of Directors, believes that the festival "appeals to a wide audience...those with an adventurous spirit." She feels that most of the audiences "loves the atmosphere of getting to see so many shows." Some patrons even see 25 shows in 21 days! Like Hurwitz, she touts the festivals ability to draw on a range of styles and types.
Hurwitz looks for "bold new voices" and tries to capture the "vibrancy and diversity of writer and performers." With any luck, this year's NYMF will do just that, and provide New York and Broadway with an influx of talent and creativity.
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