theAtrainplays, vol. XXIII

theAtrainplays are a celebration of New York, created by six teams while traveling the entire route of the A train, from 207th Street & Broadway to Far Rockaway and back.

On Tuesday evening, June 24th, four librettists will hop on the A train at 207th Street and begin writing the books for four 15-minute musicals, all set on the A train. Before each of the teams begins their journey, they pick a number between 3 and 5 to set the number of characters, then they choose headshots from a blind draw to determine who is in each piece. When the librettists reach the Far Rockaway stop, they randomly select, through another blind draw, their collaborative lyricists, composers, directors and choreographers, who have been awaiting their arrival at a nearby McDonald’s with two playwrights joining them and just beginning their journey. Two directors will meet the creators of the now finished plays at 207th Street and they all proceed to Columbus Circle where they meet the pre-selected pool of actors, decipher their scribbles, copy the scripts and begin rehearsals. They have until show time THE NEXT DAY, Wednesday night, June 25th at 8:00PM to develop these works into six exciting new musical experiences to be shared with the audience at New World Stages on the set of the hit musical Altar Boyz.

Performers will include Ashlie Atkinson, Lisa Barnes, Stephanie D’Abruzzo, Natalie Douglas, Lawrence Feeney, Eric Michael Gillett, Cady Huffman, Michael Shawn Lewis, Orville Mendoza, Donovan Patton, Christine Pedi, Michael Pemberton, Darcie Siciliano, Rene Ruiz, and Melanie Vaughan. Additional performers will be announced.

The creative team will include writers Craig Pospisil, Barbara Hammond, Jonathan Marc Sherman, Erica Silberman and Jacquelyn Reingold; lyricist-composers Gaby Alter, Brian J. Nash, and Jeremy Schonfeld; director/choreographers Barry McNabb, Edie Cowan, Tony Parise, Joe Ricci/Tricia Brouk, and director David Hilder.