With a year under the bridge, “Un-Block The Music” has found a niche it very much wants to support, NEW musicals! Don’t get me wrong, the next time Rent is revived with a real theatre cast in a real theatre, I will be first on line. HOWEVER, I am not real fond of old musicals being reworked. A classic is a classic. I haven’t seen the new Broadway version of Oklahoma which just opened this month, so I am reserving judgement, but I just much rather see something completely new, like Emergency, the musical written by the father/son team of Jeff and Jacob Foy.
It is exciting to watching The Foys take that show from a meeting in Jacob’s room, hopefully to Broadway. That road right now is golden. The show has been accepted into the New York Musical Theatre Festival this August 19, 21, 25. That’s a big deal. Jeff told “Un-Block The Music,” they will be casting in about a month and a half, and have already hired a director.
If you haven’t read “Un-Block The Music’s” articles about the show, check them out:
But, in a nutshell, this father and son team, wrote a show which was eventually submitted into the Inner Circle Contest, a project created and support by Tony-Winning Producer Ken Davenport (Kinky Boots, Once On This Island). Emergency won the contest, and received a $10,000 grant to get the show moving. Not bad, for their first attempt at writing a show!
However, if you are like me, and you can’t wait to hear this great music from this NEW show, you are in luck, as there will be a sneak preview of sorts with a cabaret of the songs presented at The Green Room 42 in New York City. According to Jeff, the date is likely to be in mid-June. Details will be forthcoming.
“This road has been so unexpected. When we first started, we had no idea where we could take it. It has been an interesting road,” said Jeff. And, very exciting for us all to follow.
Another new musical that “Un-Block The Music” is following is The Rivals by Peter Kellogg and Stephen Weiner. If Peter’s name sounds familiar, you may remember the story posted in October about Desperate Measures.
Anyway, The Rivals played at the Bristol Riverside Theatre in Philly last Fall, and now there will be a reading at the York Theatre in Manhattan. “Un-Block The Music” did an interview with James Morgan, the producing artistic director at the York, about his mission and upcoming shows. That will be the next story posted. “Un-Block The Music” will also be attending The Rivals reading in mid-April. Stay tuned……
Un-Block The Music 