The Last Smoker in America Lights Up at NYMF Oct. 12
By Adam Hetrick
12 Oct 2009
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Felicia Finley
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The New York Musical Theatre Festival production of the Bill Russell-Peter Melnick musical The Last Smoker in America, starring Felicia Finley and Natalie Venetia Belcon, begins performances Oct. 12.
Sheryl Kaller, who will stage Geoffrey Nauffts' Next Fall on Broadway in early 2010, directs the NYMF engagement that runs through Oct. 18 at the 45th Street Theatre.
The Last Smoker features Felicia Finley (Catch Me If You Can, Happy Days) as Pam, Marcus Neville (The Full Monty, City of Angels) as Ernie, Alex Wyse (Mrs. Sharp, Speech & Debate) as Jimmy and Natalie Venetia Belcon (Avenue Q) as Phyllis. The NYMF engagement also features the voice of Next to Normal Tony winner Alice Ripley as Asphyxia.
Tony nominee Russell (Side Show, Elegies for Angels…) authored book and lyrics for the musical that has a score by Melnick (Adrift in Macao). The work is described as "an original, four-character musical comedy about a dysfunctional family struggling to survive in a world where smoking has recently been outlawed. Pam, an English lit professor at a small college, is having an impossible time trying to quit smoking. Her husband Ernie dreams of being a rock star and relentlessly practices his electric guitar in the basement. Their teenage son Jimmy listens to so much rap music he’s convinced he’s black. Their nosy, anti-smoking zealot neighbor Phyllis lurks around trying to catch transgressors mid-puff. Will Pam kick the habit or fight for the right to light up as The Last Smoker in America?"
Fred Lassen music directs the production with choreography by Matt Williams (You're Welcome America), set design by Charlie Corcoran, costume design by Michael McDonald and sound design by Bart Fasbender.
For tickets phone (212) 352-3101 or visit
NYMF.
Visit LastSmokerinAmerica.
