An independent jury selected the winners from the 34 new musicals presented during the 4th annual festival. The jury members included Dan Bacalzo and Brian Ferdman (TheaterMania), Beth Blatt (lyricist and bookwriter of The Mistress Cycle, NYMF '05), Michael Dale and Jena Tesse Fox (BroadwayWorld), Sharon Fallon (producer), Peter Filichia (Newark Star-Ledger), Anthony King (co-creator of Gutenberg! The Musical!, NYMF '06), Bobby Lopez (co-creator of Avenue Q), Anthony Rapp (Rent), Mark Simon (casting director), Katie Riegel and Paul Wontorek (Broadway.com) and Susan Vargo (Director of live theatricals, Nickelodeon).
In addition to the musicals being honored, the NYMF Awards Festival will fete three young Broadway producers – Robert Ahrens (Xanadu), Pun Bandhu (Spring Awakening) and Jennifer Maloney (Spring Awakening, Legally Blonde).
Isaac Robert Hurwitz, executive producer for the New York Musical Theatre Festival, said in a statement, "The NYMF Awards Gala is a chance for us to recognize not only the remarkable achievements of shows in our festival, but also the enormous contributions of the many talented artists who help make the festival such a vibrant artistic space. It's also a key fundraiser for our organization as we prepare to provide even more opportunities for artists in 2008 – our fifth season."
The 2007 NYMF Awards in Excellence winners follow:
BEST IN FEST Audience Prize:
Unlock'd (Book and lyrics by Sam Carner, music by Derek Gregor)
Honorable Mention: Bernice Bobs Her Mullet and Back Home Most Promising New Musical:
The Boy in the Bathroom (Book and lyrics by Michael Lluberes, music and additional lyrics by Joe Maloney)
Honorable Mention: Love Sucks and Unlock'd
Excellence in Music:
Danny Larsen, The Yellow Wood
Honorable Mention: Marcus Hummon, The Piper and Stephanie Johnstone, Tully (in no particular order)
Excellence in Lyrics:
Noel Katz, Such Good Friends
Honorable Mention: Sam Carner, Unlock'd and Frank Evans, Back Home
Excellence in Book:
Michael Lluberes, The Boy in the Bathroom
Honorable Mention: Joan Cushing, Petite Rouge (A Cajun Red Riding Hood) and Kate Ferguson & Robert Hudson, Sherlock Holmes (The Early Years)
Excellence in Direction:
Marc Bruni, Such Good Friends
Honorable Mention: Michael Lluberes, The Boy in the Bathroom and BD Wong, The Yellow Wood
Excellence in Choreography: Ron De Jesus, Linda Goodrich, Jeff Shade, Nick Kenkel and Matt Williams, Platforms
Honorable Mention: Kevin Remington, The Beastly Bombing and Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Mud Donahue and Son
Excellence in Overall Design:
The Boy in the Bathroom (Seth Easter, set; Carrie Wood, lighting; Lisa Renee Jordan, costumes; Elizabeth Rhodes, sound)
Honorable Mention: The Good Fight (Alison Fraser, Bronwyn Mace & Lorraine Koh, costumes; Glen Hunter, lighting; Daniel Jongen, sound and additional production) and Sherlock Holmes (The Early Years) (Meghan Williams, props; Jason Lyons, lighting; Christie Carroll, costumes; Ken Travis, sound)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance:
Going Down Swingin' (Stacie Bono, Tom Deckman, Leo Ash Evens, George McDaniel, Meredith Patterson, Hardy Rawls, Marla Schaffel, Christopher Shyer, James Stovall)
Honorable Mention: The Boy in the Bathroom (Ana Noguiera, Mary Stout, Michael Zahler) and Unlock'd (Jackie Burns, Alison Cimmet, Maria Couch, William Thomas Evans, Sarah Jane Everman, Chris Gunn, Mary Catherine McDonald, Christopher Totten, Jim Weitzer, Darryl Winslow)
Outstanding Individual Performance
Stephen Bel Davies, Austentatious
Linda Hart, Gemini the Musical
Liz Larsen, Such Good Friends
Kate Shindle, Sympathy Jones
Laura Shoop, Sherlock Holmes (The Early Years)
Mary Stout, The Boy in the Bathroom
Yuka Takara, The Yellow Wood
Shonn Wiley, Mud Donahue and Son
The 2007 NYMF awards gala begins with a 6 PM champagne reception, followed by dinner and performances from award-winning productions from the 2007 festival, as well as selections from the young producing honorees' Broadway shows. The evening's entertainment is directed by Steven Yuhasz.
Single tickets are $400 and VIP seats are $600, with supporter tables priced at $4,000 and VIP tables at $6,000. VIP tables receive premium locations and invitations to the post-show reception. NYMF Awards Gala tickets and tables can be purchased at www.nymf.org or by calling (212) 664-0979.
