Next Step MITF Developmental Series

The Midtown International Theatre Festival (MITF), which showcases more than 40 different productions over a three-week period every summer, is expanding its reach with the Next Step MITF Developmental Series, presenting six works by MITF Alumni. The line-up is as follows:

Star Power
Written by Tony Sportiello
Directed by Tom Herman
January 15 – February 7

In this backstage comedy with heart, a struggling off-off-Broadway theatre company and its dedicated artists are offered funding for their latest work… if they cast a washed-up, third rate (but still good-looking) Hollywood actor in the lead. As the playwright tears out his hair because of the actor’s constant ad-libbing and the director gets ready to strangle him for his lackadaisical attitude, the worlds of film, theater, art and commerce collide head-on, creating some unexpected results.

Diet Monologues: The Musical
Written by Monica Bauer
Directed by Heather Guthrie
Music Direction by Carl Haan
February 12 – March 7

This four-person revue proves once and for all that laughter does burn calories. Meet the Nutrition Nun as Reverend Delphina preaches on the Ten Commandments of Dieting. Hear the problems of a high-carb man in love with a low-carb woman. Take a journey from the catchy opening number, “Bloated,” to the self-esteem anthem, “Lighter.” Guaranteed to make people feel good about themselves, Diet Monologues: The Musical has audiences coming back for seconds!

Nosferatu: Land of the Undead
Written by Stanton Wood
Directed by Edward Elefterion
March 12 – March 21

Using nothing more than their bodies, voices, and a handful of props, six actors tell the story of Jonathan Harker, his wife Mina, and Nosferatu, one of the undead. Based on the classic silent film, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, this new adaptation focuses on Harker’s journey into the land of the undead, the mysterious connection between his wife and Nosferatu, and the effects of an unknown disease as it consumes a city and leaves madness and death in its wake.

What Fools We Lovers Be
Written by Debbie Williams
Produced by Real Arts
April 2 – April 25

Having performed throughout Europe and Canada, Debbie Williams and RealArts are back on the New York stage with this “feel-good romantic tragic-comedy.” Frequently cited as being reminiscent of Carol Burnett, actor/playwright/director’s William’s latest work follows five stories of passion and fate, love and lust, and a lack thereof. If you don’t believe in soul mates, or love at first sight, or that really good sex can heal all wounds, this show just might change your mind. Charming, straightforward, quirky and fun, Williams and her company deliver a no-nonsense evening of hilarity and humanity.

Admit Impediments
Written by Duncan Pflaster
April 30 – May 23

Two-time Spotlight On Award-winning Playwright Duncan Pflaster takes the musical route to tackle the thorny issue of marital rights in the United States. When Josh invites his friends over to watch him propose to his girlfriend Chaminade, it causes friction with their gay friends Rico and Dominic, as well as with their friend Victoria, who spitefully marries a random Middle-Eastern man in a quickie Las Vegas wedding. Topical and timeless, and filled with humor, love and toe-tapping songs, this tale about marriage – Gay, Straight and Opportunistic – is both humorous and thought-provoking.

Mothergun
Written by Christine Evans
Directed by Joya Scott
June 4 – June 28

In a bleak refugee camp “somewhere between Europe and hell,” three lost souls are detained. They do not share a common language and must rely on a member of the “peacekeeping” troops to translate among them. With archetypal characters who could be from any conflict in any country, this searing portrait of human beings at war strikes at the heart of current events and past tragedies. Playwright Christine Evans mixes the sublime with the grotesque in a poeticism reminiscent of the works of Sarah Kane and Naomi Wallace, ultimately demonstrating that hope can survive in even the most dire of situations.

The Next Step MITF Developmental Series is curated and coordinated by MITF co-artistic director Glory Sims Bowen.