New York Theatre Barn will continue to present excerpts from new and upcoming works, including 2020 Pulitzer Prize winner Michael R. Jackson and Anna K. Jacobs’ adaptation of the cult film Teeth, on YouTube. Since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down theatres, the Off-Broadway venue has been previewing new musicals, with stage alums performing virtually from home .
Teeth is based on the 2007 indie horror flick by Mitchell Lichtenstein. The musical features lyrics by Jackson (A Strange Loop) and music by Anna K. Jacobs (Pop!) with a book co-written by the pair. The presentation, set for June 10 at 7 PM ET, features Alyse Alan Louis (Soft Power) and Eric William Morris (King Kong) singing numbers from the show. Also scheduled for June 10 is Māyā by Cheeyang Ng and Eric Sorrels, directed by Arpita Mukherjee. Lucille Lortel Award winner Kuhoo Verma (Octet) and Kimberly Chatterjee (Life Sucks) will perform.
Prior to Teeth and Māyā, New York Theatre Barn will present excerpts from Second Line and Mary and Max May 20 and Salaam Medina: Tales of a Halfghan and Newton’s Cradle May 27.
Based on the novel Toast by Rex Rose, Second Line hails from librettist Sam Carner and composer Derek Gregor. With a jazz/electro-pop fusion score, it chronicles a New Orleans woman who quickly falls in with a crew of misfits in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Hamilton star Austin Scott and Lagoona Bloo (America’s Got Talent) will perform.
Adapted from the 2009 Australian claymation film by Oscar winner Adam Elliot, Mary and Max has music and lyrics by Bobby Cronin and a book by Crystal Skillman. The writers will present two songs from the show, performed remotely by Tony Award winner Shuler Hensley (Oklahoma!) and Lauren Elder (Side Show). Elder played Mary in the world premiere production of the musical at Theatre Calgary in 2018.
WATCH: Tony Nominee Nick Cordero Sing 'Running' From Mary and Max
In Salaam Medina: Tales of a Halfghan, Medina Eskandani confronts what it means to identify as a person of color (her Middle Eastern side) when she has spent her whole life trying to be white (her Italian side). The show, directed by Raja Feather Kelly, features a book, music and lyrics by Rona Siddiqui, and dramaturgy by Jessica Kahkoska (Agent 355). The presentation will feature Sherz Aletaha, Angel Desai, Jamen Nanthakumar, and Jonathan Raviv.
Newton’s Cradle features music and lyrics by Heath Saunders and a book and additional lyrics by Kim Saunders. The show follows a young man on the Autism spectrum working through the loss of his mother.
Jen Sandler and Joe Barros serve as executive producers of New York Theatre Barn's virtual weekly series.
