Casting & Creative Teams Announced For SOUND BITES 6.0

Theatre Now New York (TNNY) is pleased to announce the official casting and full creative teams for SOUND BITES 6.0, the Sixth Annual Festival of 10-Minute Musicals. This year's festival is scheduled for next Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 7pm at Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center, 129 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023. Scroll down for more detailed information on each musical's casting and creative team.

SOUND BITES 6.0 grants composers, lyricists, and librettists the unique opportunity to present their work in front of a live audience. This one-night only event, now in its sixth year, showcases 10 new musicals by up-and-coming musical theatre writing teams. SOUND BITES 6.0's musical finalists will compete for top festival honors, including Best Musical, Best Direction, Best Book, Best Choreography, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Music, and Best Lyrics. These award winners will be determined by votes from the judging panel and announced in the venue lobby following the performance. This year's selected judging panel of industry professionals includes Alice Ripley, Alison Franck, Barbara Anselmi, Casey McLain, James Darrah, Julie Haverkate, and Robert W. Schneider. The audience will also vote for their favorite musical, which will earn the coveted Audience Choice Award. A musical is not limited on the number of awards it can receive. The evening will be hosted by NYC Musical Improv Players with performances by Justin Torres, Katy Berry, Kiki Mikkelsen, and Zach Myers, and accompaniment by Rodney Marfil.

Tickets are $25, $35, and $45 and are available for purchase at www.tnny.org or by calling 855-254-SHOW [7469]. TNNY Members receive 20% off their ticket purchase (with no service fees). To become a member, visit www.tnny.org. Ticket prices increase by $5 on the day of the festival. Proceeds from SOUND BITES 6.0 will go toward the creation, development and production of new musicals.

SOUND BITES 6.0 TOP 10 MUSICAL FINALISTS:

ANT AND GRASSHOPPER
Book & Lyrics by A. J. Freeman

Music by Dimitri Landrain

Directed by A. J. Freeman
Music Direction by Dimitri Landrain
Choreographed by Kelcey Matheny
Cast: Sam Balzac and A. J. Freeman

Ant and Grasshopper (from Fables) is based on the classic tale by Aesop. Hardworking, miserable Ant meets fun-loving, irresponsible Grasshopper. Together they learn that everyone needs both discipline and creativity, and that life is better shared with a friend!

BEHIND THE BAR
Book & Lyrics by Audrey Martells
Music by Audrey Martells & Etienne Stadwijk
Directed by Audrey Martells
Music Direction by Etienne Stadwijk
Choreographed by Nile Bullock & Kiara Carrion
Cast: Fran Baltzer, Cole Bullock*, Nile Bullock*, Kiara Carrion, Xavier Mack, Audrey Martells*, Traci Robinson*, Zhana Saunders, Evan Michael Smith, and T'Kaiia Williams

A single mother struggles to raise her two sons in the middle of the civil rights era. One son is at the forefront of the fight for justice, while the other has huge dreams of being a dancer and changing the world through art.

BITTERSWEET LULLABY
Book by Will Lacker
Music & Lyrics by Dylan Glatthorn
Directed by Will Lacker
Music Direction by Dylan Glatthorn
Cast: Michelle Dowdy* and Jason Veasey*

Two struggling songwriters live in the same apartment decades apart. In one magical night, their voices connect through time and they begin a collaboration that leaves them forever changed.

BLEEDING KANSAS
Book by Anderson Cook
Music & Lyrics by Ben Lapidus & Amanda D'Archangelis
Directed by Sr?a Vasiljevic?
Music Direction by Fernanda Douglas
Stage Managed by Jaye Hunt
Cast: Caleb Donahoe*, Esco Joule?y*, Kelly Krauter, Simone Les, Ines Nassara*, Chris Ramirez*, Michael Romeo Ruocco*, and Abdiel Vivancos*

In 1856, notorious abolitionist John Brown is frustrated with the endless debates, marches, and protests to end slavery - all without any action. So he takes his family to the new state of Kansas to take a stand and drive the pro-slavery Border Ruffians from the territory, by any means necessary. But Brown's fervor quickly ignites conflict, leading to the death of his son, and a violent rampage that sets the stage for the brutality of the Civil War. Bleeding Kansas is a punk musical that demands you declare what you stand for.

BOOK LOVERS
Book & Lyrics by Talaura Harms
Music by Jonathan Bauerfeld
Directed & Choreographed by Erin Thompson
Music Direction by Jonathan Bauerfeld
Cast: Sam Balzac, Katie Emerson*, Alexis Floyd*, Talaura Harms*, Julia Lennon, Sean Patrick Murtagh*, and Mark Schenfisch

Charlotte is secretly in love with the librarian. She rejects the idea of romance until three of literature's "greatest" lovers escape from their books to convince her to take a chance on love.

EIGHTH GRADE PRESIDENT
Book & Lyrics by Jacey Powers
Music & Lyrics by Ashkon Davaran
Directed by Rebecca Aparicio
Music Direction by Jacob Fjeldheim
Choreographed by Victoria Casillo
Cast: Bill Coyne*, Brett Dameron*, Ashkon Davaran*, Yamuna Meleth, Jacey Powers*, Aubrey Sinn*, and Levin Valayil*

Madison is an eighth grade girl who wants to change the world, but worries she needs literal balls to do it. In a world of Tamagotchis and Trapper keepers, Madison wrestles the familiar eighth grade demons-an uncertain self-identity, low-self esteem, popular girls, gym class, periods and of course, boys who work half as hard to get twice as much.

GOLLUM OWNED A TROPICAL SMOOTHIE
Book, Music, & Lyrics by Ethan Crystal & Garrett Poladian
Directed by Ethan Crystal and Garrett Poladian
Music Direction by Ethan Crystal
Choreographed by Garrett Poladian
Cast: Malik Ali, Dean Cestari, Chantelle Cognevich, Jonny Cortes, Ethan Crystal, Holly Fuller, John Furey, Kramer Lindsley, Lea Nardi, and Garrett Poladian

Gollum Owned a Tropical Smoothie tells the story of Ian (a regular high school kid) and Kyle (a stoner college dropout) working at a Tropical Smoothie in Panama City Beach, Florida. Together, along with Ian's older sister Gabby, they explore love, life, weed, smoothies, and what it means to grow up. Oh...and their boss is Gollum.

JACK & JILL
Book & Lyrics by Zackry Childers
Music by Patrick Thompson
Directed by Pauls Macs
Music Direction by David Lancelle
Stage Managed by Gregory Jackson
Cast: Jonathan Christopher*?, Katie Emerson*, Kennedy Kanagawa*, and Susan O'Dea*

Frustrated with their small cottage and strict parents, Jack and Jill run away from home; wishing for a life free of rules and full of adventure. But, when they stumble upon a wishing well in the darkest part of the forest, they quickly realize they should be careful what they wish for...

MAYA & ME
Book & Music by Cheeyang Ng
Book & Lyrics by Kathy Ng
Directed by Diane Phelan
Music Direction by Eric Fegan
Cast: Hana Bookman, Ashley Chiu*, and Cassandra Hlong

Maya & Me is an exploration of one Chinese-American girl's relationship with an iconic piece of public art. As she digs deeper for answers she may never find, her connection with Maya Lin blossoms into something she has never expected.

THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS
Book, Music, & Lyrics by Chris Kerrigan
Directed by Rebecca Kenigsberg
Music Direction by Chris Kerrigan
Cast: Lauren Baez, Paige Berkovitz, and Brooke Wetterhahn

Three adult sisters have dinner together at one of their homes in the suburbs. Kerri, the middle child and black sheep of the family is determined to not be undermined by the judgments and critiques of her two more well-adjusted and successful sisters. But as soon as alcohol and discussions of social issues descend upon the evening, all bets are off.

*indicates member of Actors' Equity Association
?indicates member of American Guild of Musical Artists