NEW VOICES 6 Comes to Seattle Repertory Theatreon on Dec. 29

Now in it's sixth incarnation, the New Voices series is a concert showcasing the best of today's most promising young musical theatre composers. An exciting blend of Sondheim and pop/rock, this next generation of composers is turning Broadway on its ear with musicals about grunge bands, electroshock therapy, road trips, and Anna Nicole Smith. Performed by some of Seattle's hottest talent, join us for a break from the holidays for an evening of brand new musical theatre songs. The latest installment will perform December 29 at 8:30pm at the Leo K. Theatre at Seattle Rep.

The showcase features an exciting mix of up-and-coming local talent as well as more established Seattle artists. Leading the concert will be Billie Wildrick (5th Avenue's upcoming Sunday in the Park with George), Kat Ramsburg (5th Avenue's MAME), Nick DeSantis (I Am My Own Wife), Tanesha Ross (Saint Heaven), Ann Evans (A New Brain), Don Darryl Rivera (Guttenburg, High School Musical), and Jennifer Paz (Village's EVITA and Beauty and the Beast), among others. The music director for the evening is R.J. Tancioco (EVITA and Once Upon a Time in New Jersey) and the host/curator is Contemporary Classics artistic director Brandon Ivie (Zanna, Don't!, A New Brain).

"I'm so thrilled that New Voices has grown so fast in the last two years or so," says Brandon Ivie. "When I started it I never dreamt this little cabaret concert would be performing at Seattle Rep. Many of these songs are being performed on the West coast for the first time, and these composers are thrilled that their work is being heard outside of New York. There will even be a world premiere!" Some shows are already on their way to a prominent life in New York. David A. Austin, a former contributor has his show, Writing Arthur, optioned for Broadway by producers of Spring Awakening and Drowsy Chaperone and Brian Yorkey's latest musical Next to Normal was recently seen Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre. "This is also a great chance for some fresh faces in the Seattle theatre community to strut their stuff with more established artists," Ivie says.

Composers in this edition include Scott Alan, Bobby Cronin, Joe Iconis, Michael Kooman & Christopher Dimond, Danny Larsen & Michele Elliot, Andrew Lippa, Brian Lowdermilk & Kait Kerrigan, Laurence O'Keefe, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, Jeremy Schonfeld, and local composers R.J. Tancioco, Harry Turpin and Rich Gray. The young composers featured in New Voices have won such prestigious awards as the Jonathan Larson Foundation Award, the Richard Rodgers Award, Fred Ebb Award, Ed Kleban Award and have had readings, workshops, productions and concerts of the work at Ars Nova, Joe's Pub, The York Theatre, TheatreWorks, Second Stage, National Alliance of Musical Theatre and locally at Village Originals.

About Contemporary Classics
Contemporary Classics is a new production company dedicated to producing Seattle premieres of contemporary musicals. In addition to Seattle premieres, Contemporary Classics also puts a large focus on developing new works, presenting cabarets, and re-conceiving older musicals, all while using the best up-and-coming talent Seattle has to offer. Contemporary Classics produced the Seattle premieres of john & jen, The Last Five Years, A New Brain and the recent Zanna, Don't! as well as The Songs of David A. Austin concert.

Tickets Tickets for New Voices can be purchased for $20 adult, $15 age 25 and under (with ID), $20 two students (with ID) at www.brownpapertickets.com. Cash or check only at the door.

More Info www.contemporaryclassics.org