Directed by Alan Souza, Heaven in Your Pocket features book, music and lyrics Houston, the late composer and lyricist of Six Women with Brain Death or Expiring Minds Want to Know. Additional collaborators on the book are Francis J. Cullinan and Dianne Sposito. The production runs Sept. 16-24 at the 45th Street Theatre.
Set to appear in the NYMF presentation are Lisa Asher as Celeste, Chuck Saculla (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) as Sam, Claire Slemmer as Grace, Rebecca Spencer (Phantom-The Las Vegas Spectacular) as Arlene, Mark Shock as Billy and Pheonix Vaughn as Kay Lee.
Press notes for Heaven in Your Pocket read: "En route to musical stardom in Nashville, The Heavenly Belles - a female family singing trio from Heaven, Oklahoma - take an unexpected detour to Kansas City where an unusual inheritance wreaks havoc with their plans. A handsome cowboy, a kindly Miss-Fixit and a 'can-do' decorator all chime in with the Belles as they face the music (and each other) in this lighthearted, tuneful romp!"
Heaven in Your Pocket has scenic design by Tim McMath, costume design by David Withrow, lighting design by G. Benjamin Swope and sound design by Aaron Blank. Hubert "Tex" Arnold serves as musical director.
Heaven in Your Pocket is presented by Emerging Artists Theatre, which offered Joan Ross Sorkin's (mis)Understanding Mammy: The Hattie McDaniel Story Off-Broadway in 2007. Tickets for all NYMF productions are currently available by visiting NYMF.
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Running Sept. 15–Oct. 5, NYMF 2008 features musicals from around the world, culled from invitations and an open-submission process. Numerous Broadway veterans lend their talents to the new works, many of which have found commercial life Off-Broadway, and for the first time, on Broadway with [title of show].
