Musical Reading: MANUEL VERSUS THE STATUE OF LIBERTY

PRINCETON PLAYWRIGHT IN NEW YORK FESTIVAL

PRINCETON, NJ: 

The Drama Desk Award-winning New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) has chosen to include “Manuel versus The Statue of Liberty,” by Princeton playwright Noemi de la Puente, in its festival of events this coming July.  The musical, which features music by Howard Post with book and lyrics by Noemi de la Puente, will be presented as a staged reading at The Studio Theatre at Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd St. in New York, July 10 at 4pm and 8pm and July 13 at 3pm. Admission is free.

“’Manuel’ is a musical comedy about illegal immigration,” states Ms. de la Puente,  “I was inspired by the true story of a brilliant Princeton undergrad who received a Rhodes Scholarship, then got into trouble because of his immigration status. The situation was so ridiculous: the bureaucracy and waste of talent. I felt if I didn’t laugh I would cry. So, I was compelled to turn it into a musical comedy.”

Composer Howard Post, whose musical composition is often featured on television and in films, was up to the challenge of working on this political satire. The music combines Latin rhythms, American pop, rock, and gospel in the score.  Mr. Post is a teacher of classical guitar and jazz, who performs regularly throughout the tristate area as a musician with his jazz ensembles.

Ms. de la Puente is a Princeton graduate (MSE), with an MFA in Theatre Arts - University of Iowa (Patricia Roberts Harris Scholarship).  She is a founding member of the Dramatic Question Theater and a member of the Dramatists Guild.

Director Jose Zayas will lead a cast of professional singers and actors for this staged reading.  Mr. Zayas has directed over 80 productions in New York, regionally, and internationally. He is currently the Resident Director at Repertorio Espanol in New York.

Tickets are free and released to the public on an as-available basis beginning 48 hours prior to each performance. Platinum or Diamond NYMF Members and NYMF Patrons may book tickets online now. For more information about tickets or purchasing a membership, visit nymf.org.

To learn more about "Manuel versus The Statue of Liberty," visit nymf.org/manuelversusthestatueofliberty.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) exists to revitalize musical theatre culture by discovering and promoting new musical theatre artists, producers and projects; nurturing a vibrant and innovative artistic community; and connecting one of America's greatest art forms with a diverse, contemporary audience.

Now in its eleventh year, the Festival is the largest musical theatre event in America. The preeminent site for launching new musicals and discovering new talent, the Festival provides an affordable platform for artists to mount professional productions that reach their peers, industry leaders, and musical theatre fans. More than 90 Festival shows have gone on to productions on and Off-Broadway, in regional theaters in 48 states, and in more than 20 countries worldwide. Festival alumni have received a wide array of awards including the Tony Award® and the Pulitzer Prize. In 2013, NYMF received a special Drama Desk Award in recognition of its work "creating and nurturing new musical theatre, ensuring the future of this essential art form."

NYMF is the flagship program of National Music Theater Network, Inc., a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. NYMF 2014 is presented in association with Fuzzrocket, TheaterMania, and Production Resource Group. NYMF is supported, in part, 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. 

NYMF Memberships, which combine charitable contributions with valuable, flexible ticket packages and perks like early seating and tickets to individual events, are currently available for purchase at (212) 352-3101 or www.nymf.org/member.