Martin Casella, Devanand Janki, et al. Set for GAYFEST NYC

GAYFEST NYC has announced the line-up of shows, to be presented in its fourth annual festival, to be held at the Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex, May 5-June 6. All proceeds from GAYFEST NYC benefit the Harvey Milk High School.

The festival will begin with the U.S. premiere of Romeo and Hamlet (May 6-16), by R. Jonathan Chapman and Kevin Stefan. The piece is a comedy on marriage equality in the style of William Shakespeare. Next up will be the world premiere of F.J. Hartland’s Mother Tongue (May 13-23), in which a young painter finds his life turned upside down by a new lover with a mysterious past and a mother pursuing a career as a stand-up comedian.

Martin Casella will direct the New York premiere of The Legacy (May 20-June 5), written by Adam Siegel. In the play, a famous children’s author and illustrator is reunited with the son he has rarely seen since walking out on his family to live with another man more than forty years ago.

The final selection in the festival is the world premiere musical This One Girl’s Story (May 27-June 6), inspired by the life of Sakia Gunn. Featuring a book by Bil Wright, with music & lyrics by Dionne McClain-Freeney, the piece is directed and choreographed by Devanand Janki. The show follows four girls out on the town, laughing and loving, until a senseless crime of hate turns a night of joy into tragedy.

For more information, visit www.gayfestnyc.com.