Every day is opening night.

Contact:
Rick Miramontez/Philip Carrubba
rick@oandmco.com / philip@oandmco.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE

NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL
AND GRETCHEN MARGAROLI
PRESENT
“T H E T E N T H F L O O R”
A NEW MUSICAL
MUSIC AND LYRICS BY J. SEBASTIAN FABAL
BOOK BY SARA COOPER

DIRECTED BY IGOR GOLDIN
CHOREOGRAPHY BY SUE DELANO
MUSICAL DIRECTION BY MARK T EVANS

SIX PERFORMANCES ONLY
SEPTEMBER 27TH – OCTOBER 10TH
AT AMERICAN THEATRE OF ACTORS (CHERNUCHIN)

New York, NY– (September 7, 2010) The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and Gretchen Margaroli present the new musical The Tenth Floor with music & lyrics by J. Sebastian Fabal and book by Sara Cooper. Directed by Igor Goldin, with music direction by Mark T Evans and choreography by Sue Delano, the cast features Farah Alvin as Georgia Jones, Gilbert L. Bailey, II as Clayton, Micahel Kostroff as Josh, Justin Gregory Lopez as Victor, Doreen Montalvo as Fantasy Mama, and Jeffrey Nunez as Cheche with Judah Gavra, Samantha Gershman, Jordan Grubb, and Rebecca Riker.

The limited 6-performance engagement begins Monday, September 27, 2010 and will continue through Sunday, October 10, 2010 at the American Theatre of Actors (Chernuchin) (314 West 54th Street, 2nd Fl).

Locked inside The Tenth Floor, the Miami-Dade Correctional Facility’s juvenile division, 16-year-old Victor Alvarez escapes into fantasy to escape the harsh realities of prison and his home life. The Tenth Floor, fueled by a contemporary rock, hip hop, and salsa-influenced score, this high-energy musical follows Victor as he struggles to come to terms with both the truth of his present and the ramifications of his past. The Tenth Floor was developed at the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at the Tisch School of the Arts (NYU).

The creative team includes Caite Hevner (Sets), China Lee (Costumes), Cory Pattak (Lights), and Jonathan Russ (Orchestrator) The Production Stage Manager is Emily Ballou.

The Tenth Floor will play the following performance schedule: Monday, September 27th at 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 29th at 8:00 p.m., Friday, October 1st at 7:00 p.m., Sunday, October 3rd at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, October 9th at 9:00 p.m. and Sunday October 10th at 1:00 p.m.

Now in its seventh year, the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) is the largest annual musical theatre event in America and is widely regarded as the essential source for new material and talent discovery. NYMF provides a launching pad for the next generation of musicals and their creators to ensure the continued vitality of one of America's greatest art forms. Hailed as the “Sundance of Musical Theatre,” NYMF discovers, nurtures, and promotes promising musical theatre artists and producers at all stages of development, and inspires a diverse audience through vibrant, accessible, powerful new work.

NYMF is the flagship program of National Music Theater Network, Inc., a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. NYMF 2010 is presented in association with BroadwayWorld.com, Production Resource Group and TheaterMania.com, and is supported by AP-Red.com, Back Stage, BroadwayBox.com, BroadwayInsider.com, Broadway.TV, Clear Channel Spectacolor, DFD-TV, Frank & Camille's Fine Pianos, King Displays, NASDAQ OMX, New World Stages, Next Magazine, PMD Promotions, Queerty.com, Reuters, TheMenEvent.com, Times Square Squared, and Yelp. Major supporters include The ASCAP Foundation, BMI Foundation, Inc., The Broadway League, The BWF Foundation, The Nathan Cummings Foundation with the support and encouragement of Jamie Ariel Phinney, The Charlie & Jane Fink Charitable Fund, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and The Theater League. NYMF is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. NYMF is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

Tickets to individual festival events are now on sale to NYMF Members and the general public. NYMF Memberships, which combine charitable contributions with valuable, flexible ticket packages and perks like early seating, are currently available for purchase at (212) 352-3101 or www.nymf.org.

BIOS____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Farah Alvin (Georgia) most recently appeared premiere of the new Ricky Ian Gordon musical Sycamore Trees at the Signature Theater in Washington, DC, directed by Tina Landau. Broadway credits include Nine, The Look of Love, Saturday Night Fever, Grease! (also, First National), and A Christmas Carol. Other New York: The Marvelous Wonderettes (Drama Desk nom), I Love You Because, Cam Jansen and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Jewish Rep's Kuni- Leml, various concerts at Town Hall and William Finn's Infinite Joy at Joe's Pub. Farah can be heard on many records including the Burt Bacharach Album, William Finn: Infinite Joy, Jekyll and Hyde (original concept album), the original cast recordings of The Marvelous Wonderettes and I Love You Because, her debut album someday, and others. An accomplished songwriter, Farah spends much of her performance time singing her own music backed by her band The Farah Alvin Orchestra. Visit www.farahalvin.com

Gilbert L. Bailey II (Clayton) is a graduate from Penn State University and is proud to be making his New York debut in The Tenth Floor. Credits include, Chad in High School Musical 2 (MT Wichita), and Victor in Smokey Joe’s Café (PA Centre Stage).

Judah Gavra (Ensemble) is excited to be part of The Tenth Floor. He made his New York debut at Carnegie Hall in 2008. Other credits include Broadway on Broadway (2009); AIDA at Hilton Head; Kingdom (Rock-Hip Hop Musical-East Coast premiere), The Full Monty (both at the ReVision Theater); and Keno in MSW Theater's production of The Full Monty. Competed in the Israeli version of “American Idol.” Toured the U.S, Canada and Europe as a member of the IDF band.

Samantha Gershman (Ensemble) is a 2010 AMDA graduate. She performed in The Little Mermaid with American Family Theatre, spent the summer in Hilton Head, SC performing AIDA and The Who's Tommy with the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. She is so excited to be working with Sue Delano and The Tenth Floor team.

Jordan Grubb (Ensemble) is excited to be a part of The Tenth Floor and NYMF. Most recent credits: 42nd Street (Sacramento Music Circus, Westchester Broadway, Pioneer Theatre,) The Music Man (Kansas City Starlight), The Importance of Being Earnest (Pittsburgh Public). www.JordanGrubb.com

Michael Kostroff (Josh) toured with The Producers (Max cover), and has gone on to play Max all over the country. Other recent stage credits include Carnival! (Goodspeed); …Forum and How to Succeed… (Reprise); and Guys and Dolls (Sacramento). Television credits include currently appearing on Disney’s “Sonny with a Chance,” five seasons on HBO’s “The Wire,” and has guest appearances on many others. He’s the author of “Letters from Backstage.”

Justin Gregory Lopez (Victor) hails from a rural town in New Jersey called Vernon and is delighted to have the opportunity to work on this exciting new production. Most recent credits include John & Jen, Oklahoma (Will), Bellevue Sketches & original cast recording (Danny), The Mystery Of King Tut (Tut), and Forever Plaid (Jinx).
 

Doreen Montalvo (Fantasy Mama) can currently be seen on ABC's “One Life To Live” as Dr. Baez, and also on ABC's “All My Children” as the voice of Consuelo (the telenovela soap star), and Clara the Chandler Maid. TV credits also include, “The Good Wife”, “Law and Order”. Doreen is a theatre performer and recording artist and is making her Broadway debut in the Tony award winning musical In The Heights. Performing as the Bolero Singer, as well as understudying the roles of Daniela, Camila, and Abuela Claudia respectively, she has been with the show since the first NYC reading in 2002. She can be heard singing on many CD's and has currently released her solo debut CD, “Volvere” with Meme Solis which was selected for 2005 Latin Grammy and American Grammy consideration. She is also performing her “I”ve Just Got To Sing MY Song” show in cabarets all over New York City. Doreen has toured South America with the Elvis 2007 world tour as one of the Sweet Inspirations. Most recent theatre credits include Flora in Magpie at the New York Music Theatre Festival (AMAS), as well as touring with the Comedy/Musical show, The Watercoolers, the World premiere of Frank Loesser's Senor Discretion Himself as La Curandera, Manhattan Theatre Club and The O'Neill Center's Workshop of In The Heights as Claudia, starring in the critically acclaimed one-woman musical Havana Under The Sea as Cecilia. Off Broadway at the Intar Theatre, where she won the 2003 Hola Award for Best Actress. New York Audiences have also seen her starring in the title role of La Lupe in La Lupe, My Life, My Destiny, and Tropicana, the Musical at the Puerto Rican Travelling Theatre. A veteran of musical theatre, she has toured the country and starred in such productions as West Side Story (Anita), Man of La Mancha (Aldonza), Nunsense (Sr. Hubert), and Sweet Charity (Nicky), among many others. She has also taken her solo cabaret act around South America, the Caribbean , Mexico, and up and down The Mississippi River.

Jeffrey Nunez (Cheche) just graduated from Penn State with a B.F.A. in musical theatre program. He was most recently seen in the background of “Mercy,” “Law and Order: SVU” and “Law &Order: CI.” Recent stage credits include the ICAP production of I Choose (Carlos), NYC reading of Dialing for Donna (Sam), PACS production of The Apple Tree (Ensemble) and a featured performer in the “Broadway on Allen Concert Series.”

Rebecca Riker (Ensemble) is very excited about being a part of The Tenth Floor. Tours: A Chorus Line(Cassie/Diana), and The Wedding Singer. Other favorites include West Side Story, Little Shop of Horrors, Children of Eden.

J. Sebastian Fabal (Music and Lyrics) received his master's degree from New York University Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program as a Composer/Lyricist in 2009. Prior to that, he received a BM in Music Theory and a BA in Theatre from Florida State University. He was the composer/lyricist for his NYU thesis musical entitled The Tenth Floor as well as wrote the book, music, and lyrics for Toy Soldiers and Losing Nora – both which received productions at Florida State University. Toy Soldiers has also been performed around the United States. His children's musical Help Wanted: Pirates!, book and lyrics by Chris Widney, just received its premiere at the Millbrook Playhouse. His new musical, Yoey and Yeya, will be receiving a workshop through the Dramatists Guild in late December. Dramatists Guild member since 2008.

Sara Cooper (Book) is a graduate of the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, as well as the undergraduate Dramatic Writing Program, at the Tisch School of the Arts (NYU). Book writing and lyric credits include The Memory Show, World Premiere, Barrington Stage Company in William Finn's Musical Theatre Lab (2010), NAMT Festival of New Musicals (2009), reading, Barrington Stage Company (2009), songs featured in New Songwriters Showcase at Baldwin-Wallace College (2009), and Bronfman Artist Fellowship (2009); Loving Leo, workshop at the Adirondack Theatre Festival (2010), Artists' Residency at the Weston Playhouse (2010); The Tenth Floor, (book only), New York Musical Theatre Festival (2010); The Yehuatl, (20-minute musical) Lee Strasberg Institute (2009), Dramatists Guild Friday Night Footlights (2008); “A Corpse In The Kitchen, (short play) Shandaken Theatrical Society PlayFair (2008), Lower East Side Festival at Theater for the New City (2008); EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION!: THE MUSICAL, Theater for the New City (2007); We Love You, Johnny Hero, New York International Fringe Festival (2006); and Terrorism & You, (10-minute musical), 13th Street Repertory Company (2006), Lower East Side Festival at Theater for the New City (2006), Set in Stone Theater Company (2006); various lyrics and short plays in various venues around NYC (2008-2010). Sara is a member of the Dramatists Guild and ASCAP. http://saracooper.weebly.com

Igor Goldin (Director) Off-Broadway: YANK! (York Theatre – Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Director of a Musical). Previous productions of YANK!: Diversionary Theatre, San Diego (Outstanding Achievement in Direction of a Musical, StageScene L.A.); The Gallery Players (2008 New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical); New York Musical Theatre Festival/NYMF (2005 Talkin’ Broadway Outstanding New Summer Musical). Other productions for NYMF: Sing, But Don’t Tell; Liberty; Main-Travelled Roads (2008 Richard Rodgers Award staged reading); Unlock’d (2007 Best In Fest Award; Talkin’ Broadway Outstanding New Summer Musical); Common Grounds (NYMF 2006 Award for Excellence In Direction). Other credits: Liberty (Workshop), Like You Like It, The Gallery Players (2009 New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical). Tours: Associate Director, Seussical (TheatreworksUSA). Regional: The Mystery of Irma Vep, The New Century, A Little Night Music, I Love You Because (NH Theatre Award nomination for Best Direction of a Musical), Romance Romance, The Complete History of America (abridged), Blithe Spirit, Dracula, Violet, The Spitfire Grill and The Full Monty. Upcoming: With Glee (Prospect Theatre/Theatre Row) Member: Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC).

Sue Delano (Choreographer) Director/Choreographer: Oklahoma, WCU; EveryMan, Church of the Epiphany, NYC; Co-Choreographer: Air India Industrial, New Deli India. Choreographer: How to Succeed… CAP 21; Mame, Stephens College; A Class Act, NJIT. She has worked on Broadway, in National Tours, across the US and in Europe as a performer, dance captian, swing and assistant director with such names as Ron Fields, Susan Stroman, Michael Shawn, Donald Saddler, Vivian Matalon, and George Abbott. She recieved her BA in Dance at Stephens College.

Mark T Evans (Musical Director) is a composer and musical director originally from Long Island. Last year, he received his MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He has written music for I Am Jim Thompson and Buddy Holly at the Armory with Zac Kline and Eric Kubo, and Human Interest with Gena Oppenheim. In 2008, Mark was the recipient of the ASCAP Foundation’s Frederick Loewe Award for Emerging Musical Theatre Composers. Before returning to New York, Mark spent eight years in Philadelphia working as an MD and pianist with many area theaters, including the Arden Theatre Co., the Prince Music Theater, and the Walnut Street Theater. In 2003, Mark earned his BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Gretchen Margaroli (Producer) is the General Management Associate for ENCORES! New York City Center. Recent New York credits include: Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party, The Common Air, Wishful Drinking, Love Child, Sin, Love, Incorporated, Sixty Miles to Silver Lake, Perfect Harmony, The Acting Company's The Tempest, Moby Dick Rehearsed and 2008 NYMF Associate General Manager. Other credits include Weston Playhouse Theatre Company and The Napa Valley Opera House. MFA Theatre Management FSU.

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www.tenthfloormusical.com