WONDER BOY and SHAPESHIFTERS: Musical Theatre Factory Brings Queer Superheros To The Stage

On Wednesday January 23rd and Thursday, January 24th, Musical Theatre Factory will present a staged reading of Jacob Jarrett's latest musical Wonderboy. Wonder Boy tells the story of Jackson, a young man navigating his identity as a transgender man and as a superhero. When Jackson's super genius twin sister creates a mysterious super drug, Jackson steals it, consumes it, and transforms into Wonder Boy. He becomes his college campus's superhero, and saves the day ("but in a feminist way"). However as he takes on his new responsibility, he soon learns that his new powers may be destroying the life he planned for himself. Through an imaginative pop rock score and libretto, Wonder Boy explores vulnerability, masculinity, and the connections we make to survive the dissonance we all feel between our bodies and brains.

Directed by JJ Maley, Wonder Boy will take place at Playwrights Downtown Studios (440 Lafayette St) on Wednesday, January 22nd, and Thursday, January 23rd at 2:00pm. Tickets are free of charge and are available at mtf.nyc/events.

Performers for Wonder Boy include Luke Zimmerman*, Futaba Shioda*, Kuhoo Verma*, Holly Gould*, Jari Jones, Conor Sweeney, Olivia Abiassi, Terran Scott, Alex Guhde, JD Simpson.

*=Appearing courtesy of Actors Equity Association

About the artist

Jacob Jarrett is a composer/playwright whose mission is to bring radically honest and nuanced queer stories to the stage. Writing credits include: Queer Baby Jesus (Dixon Place '19), Wonder Boy (New York Musical Festival's Developmental Reading Series '18, The Dare Tactic '18), Normativity (Polyphone Festival '17, New York Musical Festival '16). Music direction credits include: The Elementary Spacetime Show (Associate Music Director, Powerhouse Theatre), Noise (Associate Music Director, The Public and Playwrights Horizons Downtown), and Retrograde (Associate Music Director, Polyphone Festival). Jacob is the recipient of NYMF's "Outstanding Emerging Artist" award, and the Ira Brind School of Theatre's "Excellence in Playwriting" award. Jacob is also currently a member of Musical Theatre Factory's inaugural Maker's Co-Hort and is studying composition with BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Pronouns: he/him

An Equity Approved Showcase

Featuring:

Jaiya Chetram, Tatiana Wechsler*, Basit Shittu*, Jacob Michael, Zach Infante*, Trevor Bachman, JorJa Brown, Sofia Dobrushin

Directed by Zhailon Levingston

Coproduced by Kenny Smoak

Judson Memorial Church 8:00pm January 29th, 2020

Presented at Judson Memorial Church as a part of Judson Arts Wednesdays (JAW), SHAPESHIFTERS is an exciting new musical that tackles the experience of non-binary youth in the very real oppressive environments in which they find themselves. Bridging the past, present, and future, SHAPESHIFTERS is a musical survival guide for uncertain times. "Teenage comic book genius, Mel, has run away from home. Secretly the leader of an underground tribe of

superheroes called The Shapeshifters, Mel creates impossible futures. When ancient monsters resurface, Mel must transcend body and binary to galvanize a new generation of heroes and prevent a Final Shapeshifter Extinction. A time-bending love letter to queer legacy and community, "Shapeshifters: A Queer Comic Book Musical" persists, resists, and survives our living nightmares."

Directed by Zhailon Levingston, Shapeshifters will take place at Judson Memorial Church, as part of Judson Arts Wednesdays (JAW). JAW is the completely free, completely uncensored creative arm of Judson Memorial Church, a sacred and profane place that has nurtured artists and their work for decades. Started in the fall of 2009, just after several U.S. banks were bailed out by our Federal Government, JAW was designed to serve those in need of a human bailout, whether that be in the form of free food, free art, or just free company in a free space. 10 years later every Wednesday provides all three. Doors open at 7:15pm for a free community meal. Performance starts at 8:00pm

*=Appearing courtesy of Actors Equity Association

About the artist

Trevor Bachman is a composer, vocalist, and writer of socially-focused musicals. Creator of Shapeshifters: A Queer Comic Book Musical (MTF, Joe's Pub, The Delacorte, Afterglow) and FARMED: A Live Podcast Album (Joe's Pub, The Greene Space/WNYC, Kickstarter HQ), and others. Off-Broadway: Black Light (Public Theater, Greenwich House Theatre, Oberon), The Nomad (Flea), and Piano Bar with Liz Swados. Alum of 2019 Joe's Pub Working Group and New Dramatists 2019 Composer-Librettist Studio. @trevorbachman #shapeshiftersmusical #farmedpodcast Pronouns: They/Them/Their