Michael Arden News

The stars came out to support the The New York Musical Theatre Festival in a benefit at the Pink Room. Their goal is to become the premiere international festival for contemporary musical theatre. Through the month of September 2004, The New York Musical Theatre Festival will take place all across New York, from the theatre district in midtown Manhattan to the outer boroughs, celebrating the diversity, creativity and future of the musical.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jenna Leigh Green, known to many in the general public from her TV and film work, but she's most known these days, especially to New York theater audiences as Ivy, star of the Off-Broadway hit, 'Bare: A Pop Opera.'

The stars of the eagerly anticipated bare: a pop opera were out in full force at Therapy on Monday night to celebrate their Off-Broadway opening, and BroadwayWorld was there to capture the 'bare' essentials!

Let's just recognize that enormous elephant in the room right from the top, shall we? Because as soon as the flood of praise for bare began to trickle its way to New York from Los Angeles, where its scheduled 32 performance run received such raves that it was extended to four months, the comparisons to Rent came pouring out as quickly as the comparisons to Hair saturated the word-of-mouth at Rent's Off-Off Broadway opening...

Read about the Artists Showcase series, created in December 2003 to present readings of new musicals, plays and concerts featuring some of the best performers from Broadway, Television and Film.

Hosted by Charles Busch, EMBRACE! featured songs which celebrate diversity, inspiration and hope. Check for exclusive photos from the party afterwards, and details about the performance.