The Next Link Project makes up more than half of the productions that play at the NYMF — the other works seen at the festival are part of the NYMF Invited Works, which gives international productions their American debuts.
The 2006 Next Link Project selections — announced May 21 at a special "Unleashing the Next Link" kick-off event at New World Stages — are as follows:
Music by David Friedman, Book and Lyrics by Peter Kellogg
"A Western musical loosely based on Measure for Measure."
Music by Marc Bosserman and Tom Valdez, Book and Lyrics by Janet Cole Valdez
"A modern day `Don Quixote,' based on a true story."
Music and Lyrics by Robert Lindsey-Nassif, Book by Peter Ullian
"A new musical about a guy with a dream, a chair and 400 helium-filled balloons."
Music by Michael Shaieb and Brent Lord, Book and Lyrics by John Wimbs Jr.
"The beach party gang go-go-goes flower power!"
Music, Lyrics & Book by Conor Mitchell
"A musical about six strangers, their therapist and a group therapy session."
Music, Lyrics and Book by Barbara Schottenfeld
"An all-girl ‘40s big band strives to make it to the top."
Music by Richard Oberacker, Book and Lyrics by Robert Taylor and Richard Oberacker
"A classic Chinese legend is reincarnated as a multi-cultural theatrical experience."
Music by Ian Williams, Book and Lyrics by Aaron Jafferis
"King Dres rises to power in the Almighty Latin King/Queen Nation."
Music, Lyrics & Book by Shawn Northrip
"Everyone’s favorite subject."
Music by Robert J. Saferstein, Book and Lyrics by Kimberly Patterson and Gil Varod
"A child-friendly Oedipus Rex goes horribly, horribly wrong."
Music and Lyrics by Scott Alan, Book by Tara Smith
Daughter revisits conversations with her late mother that they had when she was 17, 26, and 35.
Music, Lyrics & Book by Marcus Hummon
"Jack the Ripper meets the Pied Piper, with a haunting Celtic score."
Music by Jill Sobule, Book and Lyrics by Elise Thoron
"An old fashioned girl-meets-platypus story."
Music by Chuck Larkin, Book and Lyrics by Cheryl Coons
"A mysterious disappearance of real-life honeymooners presented from two points of view."
Story and Libretto by David Simpatico, Music by Will Todd
"A chamber opera based on the true story of a young girl’s tragic murder."
Book, Music and Lyrics by David Cornue, Sam Holtzapple, Warren Loy and Chris Todd
"A ruined drycleaner seeks revenge on Mayor Bloomberg for his smoking ban."
Music & Lyrics by Grant Olding, Book by Grant Olding with Toby Davies
"Three people, one relationship. Even the simplest things can get complicated."
Music, Lyrics & Book by Marcus Hummon
"The story of an America that is gone; of the last of a generation of Native Americans born beyond the... reservation system." For this third season of NYMF, the 18 musicals were chosen from more than 300 submissions by a seven-member jury that included director Gary Griffin (The Color Purple), David Henry Hwang (M Butterfly), Tom Meehan (The Producers), Marsha Norman ('night, Mother), Anthony Rapp (Rent), Phylicia Rashad (A Raisin in the Sun) and producer Michael Rego (Urinetown).
NYMF is a three-week presentation of new musicals. The 2006 Festival is slated for Sept. 10-Oct. 1 at various Off-Broadway theatres throughout Manhattan. The Festival launched shows that have found life beyond the three-week event:Altar Boyz, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Captain Louie, and more recently, [title of show] and Shout! had developmental productions under the NYMF umbrella.
2006 New York Musical Theatre Festival website