“MILLENNIALS ARE KILLING MUSICALS” TO RECEIVE READING & PUBLIC CONCERT

Press Contact:

Michael Jorgensen
michael@jorgensenpr.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE

“MILLENNIALS ARE KILLING MUSICALS”

TO RECEIVE INDUSTRY READING & PUBLIC CONCERT




BOOK, MUSIC, & LYRICS BY NICO JUBER

DIRECTED BY CIARA RENÉE
IN HER NY DIRECTORIAL DEBUT


ALL-STAR CAST INCLUDES

KLEA BLACKHURST
ALEX BONIELLO
NICHOLAS EDWARDS
LAUREN MARCUS
OLIVIA PUCKETT
MARISSA ROSEN
NORA SCHELL
NYLA WATSON


INDUSTRY READING TO BE HELD
MARCH 31 AT OPEN JAR STUDIOS

PUBLIC CONCERT TO BE HELD
APRIL 4 AT FEINSTEIN’S/54 BELOW


ARTWORK & HEADSHOTS AVAILABLE HERE


New York, NY (March 15, 2022) – Announced today is Millennials Are Killing Musicals, a new musical written by NAMT and Drama League Award-winner Nico Juber, which will receive an industry reading on Thursday, March 31, 2022 at 11:00am and 2:00pm at Open Jar Studios (1601 Broadway), and will be presented in a public concert on Monday, April 4th at 9:30pm at Feinstein’s/54 Below (254 West 54th Street).

Featuring direction by Ciara Renée (in her New York directorial debut), Millennials Are Killing Musicals includes an all-star cast: Klea Blackhurst (Hello, Dolly!, Everything the Traffic Will Allow), Alex Boniello (Dear Evan Hansen, Spring Awakening), Nicholas Edwards (Frozen, The Last Five Years), Lauren Marcus (Be More Chill), Olivia Puckett (Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton), Marissa Rosen (For The Girls), Nora Schell (Jagged Little Pill, Spamilton), and Nyla Watson (Waitress, Wicked).

Millennials Are Killing Musicals is an entirely original, irreverently funny, and heartfelt musical about the Millennial existential crisis, motherhood, and stereotypes that define a generation. Meet Brenda: a quirky, stressed-out, single mom who hates her job, longs to be a writer, and can’t help but compare herself to the seemingly perfect “Jake’s Mom” at school. Brenda is finally ready for love and creativity in her life when her #influencer sister Katrina shows up eight months pregnant, completely unprepared for motherhood. Torn between two men, juggling an opinionated mother and an increasingly unstable Katrina, Brenda must learn how to break her self-destructive patterns and live filter-free so she can achieve her dreams.

In addition to Juber and Renée, the creative team for Millennials Are Killing Musicals includes Music Supervisor & Arranger Ted Arthur (Diana, Moulin Rouge!) and Music Director Jane Cardona (Head Over Heels, To Kill A Mockingbird). General Management is by Evan Bernardin Productions and Casting is by Michael Cassara, CSA. Production Stage Manger is Rachel A. Zucker.

Millennials Are Killing Musicals has been in development for three years, songs have been selected for and performed at: A Little New Music, The Latest Draft Podcast, the ASTEP Art of Wellness Benefit, New York Theatre Barn's New Works Series, Feinstein’s/Vitellos mostlyNEWmusicals, and The Green Room 42. Millennials Are Killing Musicals was a 2021 NAMT Festival & O’Neill NMTC Semifinalist and is a current 2022 O’ Neill NMTC Semifinalist.

Millennials Are Killing Musicals is a fiscally sponsored project of New York Theatre Barn.

The reading as well as the concert are being produced by Jen Sandler.

To inquire about the industry reading, please email Sami Pyne: sami@evanbernardinproductions.com.

Tickets to the Feinstein’s/54 Below public concert, priced $30-$65 with an additional $25 food and beverage minimum, can be purchased at 54Below.com.

For more information, please visit MillennialsAreKillingMusicals.com.


BIOGRAPHIES


NICO JUBER (Book/Music/Lyrics) is an award-winning musical theatre composer, lyricist, bookwriter, Millennial mother of two, and 20-year cancer survivor. Her songs from Millennials Are Killing Musicals have been selected for and performed at the Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP) Art of Wellness Benefit, A Little New Music, The Latest Draft Podcast, New York Theatre Barn's New Works Series, McGuire & Simon Songwriter’s Salon, Feinstein’s/Vitellos mostlyNEWmusicals, The Green Room 42, and Feinstein's/54 Below. She is a member of Dramatists Guild, ASCAP, Maestra, and Ring of Keys. Her sci-fi short musical, Holo, won one of the top awards in the 2020 NAMT Challenge. Holo had its premiere at the Beck Center for the Arts (with Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre, directed by Ciara Renée) in Spring 2021 and was chosen for the 2021 Broadway OnDemand Short Film Festival. She recently won the Drama League Light the Lights Challenge for the song “Our Next Act” (with collaborator Selena Seballo), performed by André De Shields at their benefit in October 2021. Nico holds a B.A. from Tufts University and previously worked in high-tech marketing. She gives back through her small nonprofit for other cancer survivors called Thrive/Survive Los Angeles.

CIARA RENÉE (Director). Known for her Broadway roles as "Jenna" in Waitress, and "Elsa" in Frozen, and on TV as ‘Hawkgirl’ in “Legends of Tomorrow”, Ciara Renée is grateful to be making her NYC directorial debut on her second collaboration with the wildly talented, Nico Juber. Previously, Ciara directed a short film of another musical by Nico Juber, entitled Holo for NAMT's 5x15 Festival, in collaboration with BW and Beck Center for the Arts. She also co-directed (with Michael Dallatorre) the short documentary, Beating the Odds - Children’s Defense Fund of California. She is the writer, EP, and co-director of the short film Reddy Records. And though she is a millennial, she quite misses having a doorbell.

KLEA BLACKHURST (Actor) is an actress, singer and comedienne known for her award-winning tribute to Ethel Merman, Everything The Traffic Will Allow. Most recently she appeared Off-Broadway with Hayley Mills in the comedy, Party Face, at City Center Stage 2. She starred in Hazel during its world premiere production at Drury Lane in Chicago, as Dolly Levi in the highly acclaimed Fiftieth Anniversary production of Hello, Dolly! at The Goodspeed Opera House and as Miss Lemon in The Nutty Professor, which premiered in Nashville, directed by legendary comedian, Jerry Lewis and featuring a score by Marvin Hamlisch and Rupert Holmes. Klea also played Rose in Drury Lane Chicago’s production of Gypsy, garnishing rave reviews in 2012. Other theatre credits include: in New York – A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, Bingo, By Jupiter, Radio Gals, Oil City Symphony; Regionally – Ragtime, Call Me Madam, Chicago, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Red Hot and Blue and Anything Goes.

ALEX BONIELLO (Actor) is an actor, musician, writer, and Tony Award winning producer. He most recently appeared on Broadway as Connor Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen, and will be seen in the upcoming Netflix feature Love & Gelato. Other Broadway: V/O Moritz in Deaf West Theatre’s Tony nominated revival of Spring Awakening, Hadestown as co-producer. Other theatre: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 21 Chump Street (This American Life/BAM); Whisper House (59e59), Stilyagi (Vassar/NYSAF), Cruel Intentions the Musical (LPR), Brooklynite (Vineyard Theater); I Am Harvey Milk (Lincoln Center); and the national tour of Green Day’s American Idiot. Select TV: "The Other Two," "The Bite," Marvel’s “Jessica Jones,” “Happyish,” “Saturday Night Live.” Film: Alt Space, Contest, Detachment. In 2022, Alex's first illustrated children's book, co-written with April Lavalle, A Case of the Zaps, will be released on Abrams Kids. His original songs are available wherever you stream music. fall of 2022, his debut children's book A Case of the Zaps, will be available wherever books are sold.

NICHOLAS EDWARDS (Actor) is known for his turn as Jamie in the Drama League nominated virtual production of The Last 5 Years with Out of the Box Theatrics. In the summer of 2020 Nicholas starred as Jesus in Berkshire Theatre Group’s production of Godspell- the first AEA approved musical since the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The production received nationwide acclaim for pioneering the rebirth of American Theatre during the pandemic. Broadway: Frozen (u/s Kristoff and Pabbie), National Tour: Les Misérables (u/s Enjolras), Sister Act (Pablo). Off-Broadway: Spamilton. Select regional credits include the world premiere of Unmasked: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at Paper Mill Playhouse, Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar (DC’s Signature Theatre) and Valentin in Kiss of the Spider Woman (Triangle Productions). BFA Musical Theatre, Montclair State Univ.

LAUREN MARCUS (Actor). Broadway: Brooke Lohst in the original cast of Be More Chill (Lyceum Theatre). Other select credits: Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors (Pittsburgh Public), Brigid in The Humans (St. Louis Rep), Amy in Company (Barrington Stage). Lauren just made her feature film debut in tick, tick…Boom! She is also a singer-songwriter who held two sold-out residencies with her band at Rockwood Music Hall in 2019 and 2021. Lauren is a 2021 Jonathan Larson Grant Finalist, a recipient of Penn State’s 2021 New Musical Theatre Initiative Commission, and will be developing her television pilot, “Honest Living”, this coming year with New York Stage and Film. BM: NYU, MA: Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

OLIVIA PUCKETT (Actor). Broadway: Dear Evan Hansen (OBC), Motown The Musical. National Tours: Motown, American Idiot.

MARISSA ROSEN (Actor) Broadway: For the Girls w/ Kristin Chenoweth. Off-Broadway: R.R.R.E.D., The Marvelous Wonderettes, My Big Gay Italian Wedding, BedBugs the Musical, Tony & Tina’s Wedding. Favorite regional/International/Tours: A Taste of Things to Come, Jawbreaker, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Bare, & Into the Woods & Grease. She can be seen dancing alongside Anne Hathaway on the Amazon Prime show “Modern Love”. Marissa works as a recording artist and back-up singer for some of New York City and Nashville‘s finest! She has had the honor of singing backup for Kristin Chenoweth, Shoshana Bean, Patti LuPone, Jessica Vosk, Betty Buckley, Ariana DeBose, Krysta Rodriguez, Jason Gotay, Marty Thomas & Lillias White to name a few. Marissa has also released her debut album, The Award Winning Holiday Album with Marty Thomas which is available on all streaming platforms! She is proudly represented by The Talent House.

NORA SCHELL (Actor) graduated from The University of Michigan with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Gender, Race and Nation. They received Drama Desk, Drama League and Clive Barnes Award nominations for their performance and Off-Broadway debut in Spamilton. Nora made their Broadway debut in Jagged Little Pill. With their educational background, Nora continues to cultivate a career focused on the intersection of performing and social justice. 

NYLA WATSON (Actor). Giving all glory to God, Nyla Watson is a Cleveland-born NYC-based actor, concert artist, voice teacher and acting coach. She joins us after shining bright in the star-studded new musical Black No More off-Broadway and after making her Broadway debut in Waitress the Musical. Other notable performances include Gigantic (off-Broadway), touring with Wicked and The Color Purple revival and having the honor to play both Reno Sweeney and Mama Rose at NYU. She attributes her success to her faith, her parents, her education, the team at CGF Talent, and her professional and personal influences. Proud graduate of Baldwin Wallace and NYU - Steinhardt.

TED ARTHUR (Music Supervisor & Arranger) is a New York-based Music Director/pianist and is currently the Associate Music Supervisor for Moulin Rouge! Ted was the Music Director for Diana on Broadway and helped to film the show in quarantine for Netflix in 2020. He was the music director for Cyrano off-Broadway starring Peter Dinklage and was the associate music director for The Prom on Broadway. Ted has also worked on Mean Girls, Once On This Island, Dear Evan Hansen and Wicked.

JANE CARDONA (Music Director) Broadway: To Kill A Mockingbird (Pump Organ), Head Over Heels (MD (Replacement), Associate MD), Moulin Rouge! (Sub Conductor, Transcriptionist), Jagged Little Pill (Sub Conductor, Music Assistant), SpongeBob SquarePants (Understudy Rehearsal Pianist), Misery (Music Assistant). Off-Broadway: The Public. Regional: Williamstown Theater Festival, New York Stage and Film.

MICHAEL CASSARA, CSA (Casting Director) and his team have cast over 500 theatre and film projects since the founding of Michael Cassara Casting in 2003. Recent credits: Mr. Holland’s Opus (BD Wong/Wayne Barker – upcoming), Punk Rock Girl! (Joe Iconis/Rob Rokicki – upcoming world premiere) An American In Paris (international tour, dir. Christopher Wheeldon), Spamilton: An American Parody (Off-Broadway/Chicago/Pittsburgh CLO/cast album/current tour), Forbidden Broadway (most recent three editions/cast albums), Enter Laughing (York Theatre), Gigantic (Vineyard Theatre, dir. Scott Schwartz), The 12 (Denver Center/world premiere), and regional productions at Gulfshore Playhouse (13 seasons), Ogunquit Playhouse, The Old Globe, Asolo Rep, Hangar Theatre, Argyle Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Denver Center, and dozens of other companies. From 2007 to 2019, Michael served as the resident casting director for the New York Musical Festival (NYMF), and he has proudly served in that position for the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) since 2013. Native Clevelander, BFA graduate of Otterbein University. Member, Casting Society of America and two-time Artios Award nominee.

RACHEL A. ZUCKER (Production Stage Manager). Current: HELP at the Shed. Broadway: SIX, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, The Prom, True West, Pretty Woman, Farinelli and the King, Indecent. Select Off-Broadway: The Public Theater: Tiny Beautiful Things, Twelfth Night, Plenty, Southern Comfort, Grounded; Shakespeare in the Park: Othello, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Troilus and Cressida, Cymbeline; New York City Center: Working: A Musical, Roadshow; New York Theater Workshop: Lazarus; Signature Theatre Company: Curse of the Starving Class. Various Readings & Workshops in NYC. Regional: Studio Theatre (Washington, DC), Roundhouse Theatre (Bethesda, MD). MFA: Stage Management, Columbia University. Love to Cary, Mom & Dad, Hannah, Joan, Family & Friends.

JEN SANDLER (Producer) is a creative producer and theatre administrator based in New York City. She recently co-produced Joe Iconis’ Broadway Bounty Hunter at the Greenwich House Theater. Jen serves as Associate Artistic Director of New York Theatre Barn and as an Original Programming Producer at Feinstein’s/54 Below. She is also the A&R Director of Theatre Barn Records, an imprint of Broadway Records dedicated to musicals in development. Previously, Sandler has worked on Penn and Teller on Broadway as well as at prominent theater companies such as Playwrights Horizons, Primary Stages and MCC Theater.

EVAN BERNARDIN PRODUCTIONS (General Manager) is a full-service theatrical management company that provides general and production management for productions and immersive experiences. Immersive: Seven Deadly Sins (NY), The Bad Years, Counting Sheep (European Tour), Oscar @ The Crown (PM), Blueprint for Accountability. Select credits: Million Dollar Quartet (Tour), Charlie Brown Christmas (Tour), Afterglow (NY/LA), We Are The Tigers. Additional collaborative projects have included performances at Lincoln Center, The United Nations, The Harvard Club, The White House, Cornell University, Georgetown's Gaston Hall, The Culture Project, The Ohio Theatre and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.


ABOUT FEINSTEIN’S/54 BELOW


Feinstein’s/54 Below, Broadway’s Supper Club & Private Event Destination, is a performance venue in the grand tradition of New York City nightlife. A few blocks from the heart of Times Square and just below the legendary Studio 54, Feinstein’s/54 Below is a classically designed state-of-the art nightclub in the theatre district that hosts audiences with warmth and style. Feinstein’s/54 Below presents iconic and rising stars from the worlds of Broadway and popular music and has set a new standard for culinary excellence worthy of the world-class entertainment on the stage. The management team includes proprietors Steve Baruch, Richard Frankel, and Tom Viertel, and restaurant general manager Mandisa Boxill.  

Feinstein’s/54 Below is one of the most in-demand performance venues in the city, presenting over 700 shows each year. Unique in its mission, it has become an indispensable member of the Broadway eco- system, providing a safe place for seasoned and emerging artists to hone their craft, try out new music, grow their fanbases, and gather as a community. It’s streaming programs and YouTube videos have garnered millions of video views introducing Broadway talent to new audiences and showcasing the art of cabaret to fans across the world.  

Located at 254 West 54th Street, the club presents live shows at 7pm and 9:45pm. Late night programming will resume in the coming months. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com. 


SAFETY INFORMATION


Feinstein’s/54 Below is committed to the health of its performers, staff, and guests and has created a Safety Plan to ensure safe conditions along with optimum performing conditions. The new policies require that performers, production, kitchen, and dining room staff, as well as all audience members show proof of vaccination to enter the premises. Additional information on our safety protocols can be found here. Feinstein’s/54 Below has installed improved air circulation and filtering systems as well as added plexiglass barriers between some tables. Based on CDC and New York State guidelines at the time of performance, safety protocols and seating capacity may change, and policies may be adjusted as is appropriate.  


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