New York Post Entertainment Guru Produces Charity Fall Theater Festival

Chashama Presents "The Chip Deffaa Invitational" on 42nd Street Fall 2002

New York Post entertainment critic Chip Deffaa today announced he will produce a festival of 25 theatrical productions in two Chashama theaters on 42nd street, between Broadway and 6th Avenue. Offering a broad range of theatrical traditions - from a new musical based on the life of Danny Kaye and an evening of gay pop songs through the 20th century, to an eight-hour dance marathon and the U.S. premiere of a Spanish drama "The Chip Deffaa Invitational" will enliven 135 West 42nd Street and 111 West 42nd Street from September 5th through October 15th. Tickets are $15 for plays, musicals, and cabaret shows, $10 for dance programs. They can be purchased through SmartTix, www.SmartTix.com, at 212-206-1515 or at the door. For more information visit http://www.chashama.org/. Ten percent of the box office will be donated to Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS.

"We're calling it an 'Invitational,' because I invited artists I respect to create or bring us work they believe in," said Deffaa. "In the 16 years I've been writing for The Post, I've seen so much talent, I wanted to provide a showcase for it."

The 25 shows will draw upon the talents of many rising performers, along with established artists ranging from Tony Award-winner Thommie Walsh who brings us the Danny Kaye project, to Winnie Holzman (currently co-writing 'Wicked' with Stephen Schwartz), who'll be represented by an all-star staged reading of the musical "Birds of Paradise." The festival will mix tryouts of new plays and musicals with revues honoring great theater songwriters of past and present. A celebration of master showman George M. Cohan, composer of "Over There" and "You're a Grand Old Flag," will debut on September 11th.

Author of eight books including "Blue Rhythms" (Da Capo Press) and "Voices of the Jazz Age" (University of Illinois Press), Chip Deffaa has been an entertainment reviewer for the New York Post for 16 years. Chashama presents "The Chip Deffaa Invitational" in its theaters at 135 West 42nd Street and 111 West 42nd Street from September 5th through October 15th.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
135 West 42nd Street, New York City:

Thursday, September 5th, at 8:00 pm, "Danny & Sylvia" (a new musical about entertainer Danny Kaye and his songwriter wife, Sylvia Fine, starring Brian Childers and Perry Payne, brought to us courtesy of Artistic Advisor Thommie Walsh).

Friday, September 6th, at 9:00 pm, "Danny & Sylvia."

Saturday, September 7th, at 3:00 pm, "Danny & Sylvia"; at 9:00 pm, "Danny & Sylvia."

Sunday, September 8th, at 3:00 pm, "Danny & Sylvia."

Monday, September 9th, at 7:00 pm, "Wolf Kisses" (the U.S. premiere of a Spanish play, "Besos de Lobo") directed by David Gaard, starring Anita Durst and Alex Alper; at 9:00 pm, "The Other Side of the Closet" (New York premiere of a Canadian play by Edward Roy, about teens confronting homophobia) directed by Mark Cannistraro.

Tuesday, September 10th, at 7:00 pm, "Wolf Kisses"; at 9:00 pm, "The Other Side of the Closet."

Wednesday, September 11th, at 8:00 pm, "George M. Cohan, in his Own Words" (hereafter referred to as "Cohan"), written by Chip Deffaa; musical director, Sterling Price McKenney. The premiere of a revue celebrating the music of the greatest single talent the American theater has ever produced. Johnny Peterson (the emcee from the national tour of "Cabaret") sings/dances Cohan classics like "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "You're a Grand Old flag."

Thursday, September 12th, at 8:00 pm, "Hollywood Nurses" (the premiere of a new spoof by improv comedy and theater pros Peter-Michael Marino and Sheila Head).

Friday, September 13th, at 7:00 pm, "Cohan"; at 9:30 pm, "Danny & Sylvia."

Saturday, September 14th, at 3:00 pm, "Cohan"; at 7:00 pm, "Danny & Sylvia"; at 10:00 pm, "Hollywood Nurses."

Sunday, September 15th, at 3:00 pm, "Danny and Sylvia"; at 6:00 pm, "Wolf Kisses"; at 8:00 pm, "Dance: New Choreography, Curated/Produced by Jillian Harris," with Jeffrey Duval and others.

Monday, September 16th, at 8:00 pm, "Dance: Chris Elam and his Misnomer Dance Theater."

Tuesday, September 17th, at 6:00 pm, "Wolf Kisses"; at 8:00 pm, "Hollywood Nurses."

Wednesday, September 18th, at 3:00 pm, "Danny & Sylvia"; 7:00 pm, "Danny & Sylvia"; 10:00 pm, "The Other Side of the Closet."

Thursday, September 19th, 7:00 pm, "Danny & Sylvia"; 10:00 pm, "Hollywood Nurses."

Friday, September 20th, at 7:00 pm, "Cohan"; 9:30 pm, "Danny & Sylvia."

Saturday, September 21st, at 3:00 pm, "Cohan" at 7:00 pm, "Hollywood Nurses"; at 10:00 pm, "Hollywood Nurses."

Sunday, September 22nd, at 3:00 pm, "Danny & Sylvia"; 6:00 pm, "Dance: New York Choreographers"; 8:30 pm, "Dance: Chris Elam and his Misnomer Dance Theater."

Monday, September 23rd, at 6:30 pm, "Wolf Kisses"; 8:30 pm, "Dance: Chris Elam and his Misnomer Dance Theater."

Tuesday, September 24th, 7:00 pm, "Wolf Kisses"; 9:00 pm, "Hollywood Nurses."

Wednesday, September 25th, at 6:00 pm, "Wolf Kisses" (u/s); at 8:00 pm, "Hollywood Nurses."

Thursday, September 26th, at 6:00 pm, "The Other Side of the Closet"; at 8:00 pm, "Hollywood Nurses"; 10:15 pm, "Dance: Chris Elam and Misnomer Dance Theater with special guest Ann Carlson."

Friday, September 27th, at 7:00 pm, "Cohan"; at 9:30 pm, "Hollywood Nurses."

Saturday, September 28th, at 3 pm, "Cohan"; at 7:00 pm, "Hollywood Nurses"; at 10:00 pm, "Hollywood Nurses."

Sunday, September 29th, from 12:30 pm - 8:30 pm, "Dance: A Marathon," produced/curated by Alexander Lyle, with Fay Simpson, Corey Gosselin, Amanda Schiller, Jeffrey Duval, and many others; 9:00 pm, "Dance: Chris Elam and his Misnomer Dance Theater."

Sunday, September 30th, 8:00 pm, all-star staged-reading of the musical "Birds of Paradise" by Winnie Holzman and David Evans, directed by Mark Cannistraro. (Holzman, who created the popular TV series, "My So-Called Life," is currently collaborating with Stephen Schwartz on a new Broadway musical, "Wicked"; Evans is currently conducting "Flower Drum Song" on Broadway.)

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
111 W. 42nd STREET:

Tuesday, September 17th, at 6:30 pm, "Lost in Fairyland," the U.S. premiere of a British play, directed by Ryan Davis; at 9:00 pm, "Befriending Beau," a newly revised version of this play about youths, drugs, and sex, written/directed by David Gaard, starring Eric Millegan and Adam Barta.

Wednesday, September 18th, at 5:00 pm, "Befriending Beau"; at 7:00 pm, "Comden & Green's New York" (with Julian Brightman and Brandon Savage; musical director Paul Trueblood); at 9:00 pm, "Welcome Home, Marian Anderson," a new three-character musical starring Vanessa Shaw as the famed singer.

Thursday, September 19th, at 7:00 pm, "Hitchhiking all the way to the Nut House" (hereafter referred to as "Hitchhiking..."), a drama (about a boy in the South, in the 1940s, going to visit his mother in a mental hospital), written and directed by Okey Chenoweth; at 9:00 pm, "Nights of Drama: One-Acts by Emerging Playwrights (and Others)" (including plays Deborah Savadge, Jeremy Soule, Howard Cruse, and more, with director Tomi Tsonuda and others)

Friday, September 20th, at 7:00 pm, Larry O'Keefe (composer of "Bat Boy: The Musical") premieres "The Straight Man's Guide to Show Tunes: A One-Guy Show."; 9:00 pm, "From this Day Forward, " a unique Stephen Schwartz Celebration with 64 numbers by Schwartz (composer of "Pippin" and "Godspell") woven into a new story, directed by Robert Cronin; 10:30 pm, "Befriending Beau."

Saturday, September 21st, at 2:00 pm, Larry O'Keefe's "The Straight Man's Guide to Show Tunes"; at 4:00 pm, "Comden and Green's New York"; at 7:00 pm, "Jonathan Larson's Musical Heirs: the Next Generation of Theater Songwriters" (with Karen Oberlin, Timothy Britten Parker, and others singing songs by writers like John Bucchino and Mindi Dickstein, who have been awarded Larson grants; Scott Barnes, director; Brett Kristofferson, musical director); at 8:30 pm, "Mad About the Boy: Gay Songs from the 1920s to the Present" (written by Chip Deffaa; John McMann, musical director, with Baby Jane Dexter, Keith Anderson, Christine Zbornik, Matthew Helton, and others); at 10 00 pm, "the Johnny Mercer Jamboree" (with Jim Caruso, Paul Bernhardt, Dave Warren, and others; Ryan Blanchard, director; Tex Arnold, musical director).

Sunday, September 22nd, at 2:00 pm, "From This Day Forward," a Stephen Schwartz Celebration; 4:00 pm, "Comden and Green's New York"; 5:30 pm "Lost in Fairyland"; 8:00 pm, "Befriending Beau"; 9:30 pm, "Mad About the Boy: Gay Songs from the 1920s to the Present."

Monday, September 23rd, at 7:30 pm, "The Man on the Rock," a new revue by MAC-nominated songwriter Brett Kristofferson; at 9:00 pm, "Murder, Madness, and Lady Macbeth" (written and performed by Rebecca Ortese, directed by Leigh Silverman).

Tuesday, September 24th, at 7:00 pm, "The Other Side of the Closet"; 9:00 pm, "Befriending Beau."

Wednesday, September 25th, at 7:00 pm, "Comden and Green's New York"; at 9:00 pm, "Welcome Home, Marian Anderson."

Thursday, September 26th, at 7:00 pm, "Hitchhiking..."; at 9:00 pm, "Nights of Drama: One-Acts by Emerging Playwrights (and Others)" (plays by Howard Cruse, Jeremy Soule, Deborah Savadge, and more, with director Tomi Tsonuda and others).

Friday, September 27th, 7:00 pm, "Befriending Beau"; at 9:00 pm, "From this Day Forward," a Stephen Schwartz Celebration; at 10:30 pm, Deb Rabbai: Little Miss Magic. (This well-loved improv comedienne tries out a new show.)

Saturday, September 28th, 2:00 pm, "It Must Be Love," the premiere of a new one-act musical by Michael Boyton and Kevin Paul Giordano, about a therapist and a client; at 4:00 pm, "Afternoons of Drama: New One-Acts" (by Daniel Talbott, Rami Metal and Mark Schultz, directed by Brian Roff); 7:00 pm, "Jonathan Larson's Musical Heirs: the Next Generation of Theater Songwriters"; 8:30 pm, "Mad About the Boy: Gay Songs from the 1920s to the Present"; 10:00 pm," the Johnny Mercer Jamboree" (musical director, Tex Arnold).

Sunday, September 29th, 2:00 pm, "From this Day Forward," a Stephen Schwartz Celebration; 4:00 pm, "Afternoons of Drama: One Acts" (by rising young playwrights Daniel Talbott, Rami Metal and Mark Schultz, directed by Brian Roff); 5:30 pm, "Lost in Fairyland"; 8:00 pm, "Befriending Beau"; 9:30 pm, "Mad About the Boy: Gay Songs from the 1920s to the Present."

Monday, September 30th, at 1 pm, a reading of a work in progress - "Meet John Doe: The Musical" (based on the Frank Capra film) - by Eddie Sugarman and Andrew Grell.; at 7:30 pm, "The Man on the Rock," a new revue by Brett Kristofferson; at 9:00 pm, "Murder, Madness, and Lady Macbeth."

Tuesday, October 1st, at 4:30 pm, a reading of a work in progress - "Meet John Doe: The Musical"; at 7 pm, "The Other Side of the Closet"; 9 pm, "Befriending Beau" (u/s).

Wednesday, October 2nd, at 5:00 pm, "Ryan Davis' Rising Stars"; at 7:00 pm, "the Johnny Mercer Jamboree"; at 9:00 pm, "Welcome Home, Marian Anderson."

Thursday, October 3rd, at 5:00 pm, "Ryan Davis' Rising Stars"; at 7:00 pm, "Hitchhiking..."; 9:00 pm, "Nights of Drama: One-Acts by Emerging Playwrights (and Others)" (plays by Ruth McKee, Elizabeth Rheinfrank, Deborah Savadge, Okey Chenoweth, Jeremy Soule, Amy Gargan, with director Brian Roff and others).

Friday, October 4th, at 5:00 pm, "Ryan Davis' Rising Stars"; at 7:00 pm, Larry O'Keefe's "The Straight Man's Guide to Show Tunes"; at 9:00 pm, "From this Day Forward," a Stephen Schwartz Celebration; at 10:30 pm, Deb Rabbai: Little Miss Magic.

Saturday, October 5th, 2:00 pm, "Comden and Green's New York"; at 4:00 pm, "Welcome Home, Marian Anderson"; at 7:00 pm, "Jonathan Larson's Musical Heirs: the Next Generation of Theater Songwriters"; at 8:30 pm, "Mad About the Boy: Gay Songs from the 1920s to the Present"; at 10:00 pm, "Barry Kleinbort's Big City Rhythms" (with musical director Christopher Denny).

Sunday, October 6th, at 2:00 pm, "From this Day Forward," a Stephen Schwartz Celebration; at 4:00 pm, Dance/Performance: "Two Perspectives on Change" produced by choreographers Sarah Donnelly and Rachel Buschert; 5:30 pm, "Lost in Fairyland"; 8:00 pm, "Befriending Beauu" (u/s); 9:30 pm, "Mad About the Boy: Gay Songs from the 1920s to the Present."

Monday, October 7th, at 7:30 pm, "The Man on the Rock," a new revue by Brett Kristofferson; at 9:00 pm, "Murder, Madness, and Lady Macbeth."

Tuesday, October 8th, at 7:00 pm, "The Other Side of the Closet"; at 9:00 pm, Befriending Beau."

Wednesday, October 9th, at 7:00 pm, "The Johnny Mercer Jamboree"; at 9:00 pm, "Welcome Home, Marian Anderson."

Thursday, October 10th, at 7:00 pm "Hitchhiking"; at 9:00 pm, "Nights of Drama: One-Acts by Emerging Playwrights (and Others)" (plays by Elizabeth Rheinfrank, Amy Gargan, Jeremy Soule, Deborah Savadege, Okey Chenoweth, with director Brian Roff and others)

Friday, October 11th, at 5:00 pm, "It Must be Love"; at 7:00 pm, Larry O'Keefe's "The Straight Man's Guide to Show Tunes"; at 9:00 pm, "From this Day Forward," a Stephen Schwartz Celebration; at 10:30 pm, Deb Rabbai: Little Miss Magic

Saturday, October 12th, at 2:00 pm, "Comden & Green's New York"; at 4:00 pm, "Barry Kleinbort's Big City Rhythms"; at 7:00 pm, Jonathan Larson's Musical Heirs; at 8:30 pm, Gay Songs from the 1920s to the Present; at 10:00 pm, "The Johnny Mercer Jamboree"; 11:30 pm, "Diva Diaries" (a sneak peak at a new musical in development, about aging drag queens, directed by Marlo Hunter).

Sunday, October 13th, at 2:00 pm, "From this Day Forward," a Stephen Schwartz Celebration; at 4:00 pm, Dance/Performance Art: "Excavations" {with Patrick Lacey and Friends"; at 5:30 pm, "Lost in Fairyland"; at 8 pm, "Befriending Beau"; at 9:30 pm, Gay Songs from the 1920s to the Present.

Monday, October 14th, at 7:30 pm, "The Man on the Rock," a new revue by Brett Kristofferson; at 9 pm, "Murder, Madness, and Lady Macbeth"

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