NYMF Gives Preview of 2012 Musicals

Whether it’s a small doughnut with big dreams or a retired kosher butcher writing a letter to his deceased role model, Harvey Milk, the New York Musical Theatre Festival has fresh and innovative talent to offer at its nine annual festival. 

“NYMF is really the only place where new writers can see their shows up and three dimensions in New York City in front of the people who matter and also an audience of fans,” said Isaac Robert Hurwitz, executive director and producer of the NYMF.

Corbin Bleu (“High School Musical,” “Godspell”) hosted the preview at The NYMF Hub on Tuesday. Broadway and television stars including Leslie Kritzer (“A Letter To Harvey Milk”), J. Manuel Santos (“Rio”), and Jeremy Kushnier (“Stealing Time”) entertained the audience with selections from several musicals that will be part of the festival this year.

“A lot of the shows I’ve done in my career have been new composers and new works, and if you don’t support them there is no future in musical theater,” Kritzer told Back Stage.

This year, NYMF features shows of including “Rio,” in which 12-year old Pipio searches for his mother in the city’s slums, while running into street gangs and drug lords; “Himself and Nora,” the story of James Joyce and Nora Barnacle; and “Foreverman,” in which two young men discover an elixir on New Years of 1675, which grants them eternal life. 

“This is where you get to see the new talent,” said Bleu. “It starts from the bottom up.”

The festival features both new and returning composers, directors, writers and actors. 

“I’ve been able to let go a lot,” says “Stealing Time” co-writer Tor Hyams. “Part of Jeremy [Kushnier’s] process changed my lyrics and I said, ‘Great, lets try it.’ And that’s what we’re doing now. Last year I wouldn’t have been able to deal with that, but this year it’s fine.”

NYMF runs from July 9-29.To learn more about the festival go to www.nymf.org.