"Presenting all the work that's fit to stage — or at least all the work that will fit the stages of four separate venues, all on the same block — MITF7 comes to town with a wide variety of offerings from plays looking at real people in real situations to internet fantasies to introspective examinations of historical figures, along with some very funny and powerful solo performances," according to the organizers, led by venues operator and Off-Off Broadway champion John Chatterton.

The festival continues to Aug. 6. During that time the MITF will play host to over 45 separate productions, taking place at the MainStage and Jewel Box spaces at the WorkShop Theater (located at 312 W. 36th Street on the 4th floor) and at the Where Eagles Dare Theatre and the WED Studio Space (located at 347 W. 36th Street on the ground and 12th floors respectively).

All theatres are located on 36th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. Tickets to all shows are $18; $15 for students and seniors.

Reservations can be made by calling (212) 868-4444 or by visiting www.smarttix.com.

* "It's always exciting when we get to this point," John Chatterton, executive director of the MITF, noted in a statement. "The shows are coming together, the venues are booked and you have this great feeling of anticipation that you're going to see something wonderful happening on stage. Hopefully many such somethings."

For a complete list of festival shows, visit www.midtownfestival.org.

Productions that have first performances on the first day of the fest, July 17, include AfterWords, comprised of three short dramas including Shutterbug by Ed Musto, Cheesequake Revelations by Marcus Davidson and A Transitory Feast by Dena Douglass; The Girls of Summer, a drama about an all-black female baseball team and the death of their coach, written and directed by Layon Gray; Sticky Girls, The Anti-Reality Show, Linda Evans' comedy set in a TV talk show studio where two teens appear on the "Roxy Rose Show"; Props, Michael Roderick's relationship drama about a properties artisan who creates an ideal girlfriend; Das Brat, writer-director Eric Bland's "unusual take on love, loss, and one man's attempt at transformation and transcendence"; and Wake of the Essex, Lou Rodger's solo piece that "chronicles the harrowing true story of the whale ship Essex, wrecked by a whale in the Pacific in 1820" (performed with the curtain raiser Hair of the Dog).

For complete information, visit www.midtownfestival.org.