Creative Teams Set for Yale's Music Theater Institute

The Yale Institute for Music Theatre has announced the full creative teams and casting for The Daughters and Stuck Elevator, the original music theatre works receiving two-week workshops in New Haven through June 27.

The two-week workshops culminate with two readings of each open to the public held at the Off-Broadway Theatre (41 Broadway, New Haven) on June 25 and 26. A reception follows each reading. Dates and times for each reading are included below.

Tickets for the readings and receptions are $15 each, and can be purchased online at www.artidea.org, by phone at (203) 562-5666, and in person at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas Box Office (Shubert Theater, 247 Chapel St.). Arts & Ideas Members and Yale Repertory Theatre subscribers may purchase tickets for $10 each by phone or in person only.

THE DAUGHTERS
Music and libretto by Shaina Taub
Directed by Mark Brokaw
Musical Direction by Jesse Vargas

Cast: Emily Jenda (Grace, Orion), Jo Lampert (Aphrodite), Carrie Manolakos (Athena), Christina Robinson (Grace), Sarah Sokolovic (Grace), Rachel Stern (Artemis), Aisha de Haas (Zeus)

Readings: Friday, June 25, 4 pm; Saturday, June 26, 4 pm

In a work infused with an eclectic and exhilarating blend of soul, jazz and pop, we follow the three daughters of Zeus as they embark on separate and intersecting journeys of self-discovery: the child prodigy Athena grows up, the iconic vixen Aphrodite gets knocked up, and the reclusive rocker Artemis opens up. The Daughters is a timeless, and timely, story of three women coming of age in the very public eye.

Shaina Taub received her BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in 2009. Her other credits include Stuff: The Musical (music, lyrics), Post Secret: A New Play (music), The Reality Show (contributing songwriter), and the ten-minute musical Lord of the Flies, Chapter Eight.


STUCK ELEVATOR
Music by Byron Au Yong
Libretto by Aaron Jafferis
Directed by Chay Yew
Conducted by Perry So
Sound Design by Hillary Charnas

Cast: Francis Jue (Kuang)
Readings: Friday, June 25, 7 pm; Saturday, June 26, 1 pm

Stuck Elevator is a hallucinogenic roller-coaster ride through the swirling and claustrophobic mind of an illegal immigrant Chinese food delivery man. Trapped in an elevator, he is terrified the authorities will discover his status if he pushes the call button for help and deport him back to China.

Byron Au Yong received his MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. His other projects include Kidnapping Water: Bottled Operas, Surrender: A T'ai Qi Cantata, Tzu Lho: Simmering Songs, Salt Lips Touching, and Forbidden Circles. He has been honored with awards from the American Composers Forum, Creative Capital, Ford Foundation, and Meet the Composer.

Aaron Jafferis received his MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. His other works include the hip hop musicals Kingdom (with music by Ian Williams; Richard Rodgers Award; Most Promising New Musical Award, New York Musical Theatre Festival), Shakespeare: The Remix (music by Gihieh Lee), and The Weird Sisters (music by Ian Williams).

Established by Yale School of Drama (James Bundy, Dean) and Yale School of Music (Robert Blocker, Dean), the institute eeks to identify distinctive and original music theatre works by emerging writers and composers, and to serve those writers by matching them with collaborators such as directors, music directors, and actors/singers who can help them further develop their work. By limiting production resources and values, the workshop will keep the focus on the creative process of the artistic team.