PRESS RELEASE: Penn State at the Walnut Street Theatre on December 13

Saturday November 6, 2010

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The Penn State NU. Musical Theatre Festival and Walnut Street Theatre

present

PENN STATE at Walnut Street Theatre

Dec 13, 2010 • 6pm and 8pm

Independence Studio on 3
at the Walnut Street Theatre
825 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, 215-574-3550

RESERVATION HOTLINE • 215-574-3550 ext. 545

Walnut Street Theatre, America’s oldest and most popular theatre, in conjunction with the Penn State NU. Musical Theatre Festival is jointly producing a reading of a new work of musical theatre, Standardized Testing – The Musical!!!! by Sam Willmott. It will be premiered in Philadelphia at Walnut Street Theatre’s Independence Studio on 3 Theatre on Dec. 13, 2010. The students of Penn State’s School of Theatre Bachelor of Fine Arts Musical Theatre Program will perform this interesting new work. PENN STATE at Walnut Street Theatre is a revolutionary new program conceived by Raymond Sage, artistic director of the Penn State NU. Musical Theatre Festival and Bernard Havard, Artistic Director and Kate Galvin, Casting Director of Walnut Street Theatre. PENN STATE at Walnut Street Theatre bridges the gap between a major performance/academic institution and one of America’s finest professional theatres offering emerging musical theater writers and BFA musical theater students the opportunity to present their work in a professional setting. The Penn State NU. Musical Theatre Festival is America’s largest academic new musical theatre festival reaching new audiences with cutting edge works musical theatre in major city like New York, London and now Philadelphia. http://www.numusicals.psu.edu

About the Show

Standardized Testing – The Musical!!!!
Music and lyrics by Sam Willmott
Directed By Robert Schneider

Standardized Testing – The Musical!!!! is the hilarious and touching story of eight eccentric teenagers who set out to prove their self-worth on the single biggest day of their entire academic lives. In the process, they create and destroy friendships, learn to express their individuality, and sing and dance their hearts out. The award-winning score encompasses a wide range of musical idioms, from funky rock to roof-raising gospel, from sparkling show tunes to sultry rhumba. Eat your balanced breakfast and get ready for a No. 2-pencil-tapping good time!

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Fall 2010 Junior Studio Workshop Musical Announcement

Thursday September 9, 2010

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Standardized Testing the MusicalAbout the show

Standardized Testing – The Musical!!!! is the hilarious and touching story of eight eccentric teenagers who set out to prove their self-worth on the single biggest day of their entire academic lives. In the process, they create and destroy friendships, learn to express their individuality, and sing and dance their hearts out. The award-winning score encompasses a wide range of musical idioms, from funky rock to roof-raising gospel, from sparkling show tunes to sultry rhumba. Eat your balanced breakfast and get ready for a No. 2-pencil-tapping good time!

About the author

Sam Willmott is a New York City-based composer/lyricist whose work has been performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre, The Duplex Cabaret Theatre, the Laurie Beechman Theatre, Interlochen Arts Camp, the CAP21 Conservatory and other venues across the country. He is the author of Standardized Testing – The Musical!!!!, (2009 Kennedy Center ACTF Musical Theatre Award for music and lyrics), and the mini-musical Scarlet Takes a Tumble (New York Theatre Barn @ the Duplex). His most recent work, Yo, Vikings!, a new musical with lyricist Marcus Stevens, was commissioned for the Upper Darby Summer Stage’s 2010 Season and will receive an off-Broadway workshop in November 2010.

Currently, Sam is the music director for five-time Tony-nominee Liz Swados’ production of The NYU Reality Show at Radio City Music Hall, and has previously provided music direction for Tisch’s Graduate Musical Theater Writing program and singers like Will and Anthony Nunziata and Shaina Taub. He served as Assistant Music Associate at City Center Encores! for two years and was the Music Editor for the Orchard Project’s 24 Hour Musicals 2009. He is also a member of the Drama faculty at the Harlem School of the Arts.

Sam’s accolades include a 2009 Music Theatre Fellowship at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, a Tisch School of the Arts Trustee Scholarship, Interlochen’s prestigious Maddy Summer Artist Award, and two National Capital Area Cappie Awards. He is a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and New York University, a Dramatists Guild member, and a proud member of the Tony-winning BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop.

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Announcing the 2010 Season

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The Penn State NU. Musical Theatre Festival launches its fourth season on Wednesday March 17, 2010 at the Palmer Museum. Faculty members of the School of Music and Theatre, BFA musical theatre majors, as well as students from all over the Penn State University Park campus will perform five new works of musical theatre. The purpose of the Festival is to promote new works of musical theatre in a creative, educational and theatrical environment. These new works will be performed in a festival reading format. The composers and lyricist will be in residence at Penn State University Park throughout the festival working with the participating students in this creative process. The work chosen for the 2010 Fall Festival are:

Love Lost and Love Returned: An evening of one-man shows

March 17, 2010 5pm / Palmer Museum

Love Returned

performed by Raymond Sage

Ecoute: Pieces of Reynaldo Hahn

performed by Norman Spivey


Musicals

Steam

music and lyrics by Helle Hansen / book by Mads Nielson and Thomas Bay

In partnership with the Danish Academy of Musical Theatre and the Uterus New Works Development Centre

Retelling the timeless tale of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Nights Dream, Steam is set in1960’s Brooklyn with a cast of comic-book villains and starry-eyed lovers

March 18, 8pm & March 20, 2 pm / Pavilion Theatre

The Scottish Musical

music by Sam Davis / lyrics by Mark Waldrop / book by Darin DePaul

The unmentionable title of arguably Shakespeare’s greatest play, is the subject of this “Monty Pythonesque” tale as told by a cast of the greatest writers in history.

March 19, 8pm / Pavilion Theatre

All Fall Down

music and lyrics by Selda Sahin / book by Greg Turner

All Fall Down is a journey that weaves past, present, fantasy and reality in comedic and heartrending episodes as Ben Little’s story unfolds as his family tries to find their way back from a questionable act of desperation.

March 20, 8pm / Pavilion Theatre

All performances and rehearsals are open and free to the public

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Third Annual Penn State Nu Musical Theatre Festival Commences December 12

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The Penn State New Musical Theatre Festival launches its third fall season on December 12, 2009 closing the School of Theatre’s Fall Festival. A new work performed by BFA Musical Theatre junior class members at the Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA. The purpose of the festival is to promote new works of musical theatre in a creative, educational and theatrical environment. The new work of musical theatre has one semester of rehearsal culminating in two performances (free to the public) in a fully staged format. The composers and lyricist will be in residence at Penn State University Park throughout the semester working with BFA juniors and musical theatre faculty in this creative process. The work chosen for the 2009 Fall Festival is:

DANI GIRL

Michael Kooman music
Christopher Diamond lyrics

Robert Schneider director
Dan Riddle musical director

Dani Girl is the touching story of nine year old Dani who has just been stricken with cancer. Vowing to not go gently into that good night, Dani travels on a quest to ask God “Why is cancer?” Hilarious, touching and, most of all, life affirming, Dani Girl reminds us that the greatest weapon against our own mortality is our own imaginations.

Dec. 12, 2009 • 2pm and 7pm, Citizens Bank Theatre

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Roundabout to Present Adam Gwon’s Ordinary Days

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Theater ManiaRecommended reading: Roundabout will present Adam Gwon’s Ordinary Days (from TheaterMania.com). And, while you’re there, check out the site for other news, reviews, features and more, covering theater everywhere!

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