ROBIN'S SHOW RECOMMENDATION: THE KID

(Photo credit: Serge Nivelle)

The Kid is based on the true story of what happens when sex columnist Dan Savage and his boyfriend decide to start a family. Created by Andy Monroe (music), Michael Zam (book) and Jack Lechner (lyrics), it was the winner of the 2009 BMI Foundation Jerry Bock Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre. And, I can see why. It's engaging, entertaining and particularly affecting, if you're a parent, and you had any adoption experience.

Dan Savage, author of the memoir, The Kid: What Happened after My Boyfriend and I Decided to Go Get Pregnant, is widely recognized for his syndicated relationship and sex column “Savage Love” and weekly podcast “Savage Lovecast.”

Directed by Scott Elliott, the cast features Christopher Sieber (Broadway: Shrek – Tony® Award nomination, Monty Python's Spamalot - Tony nom.; TV: "Pushing Daisies") in the role of Dan Savage,and Lucas Steele (B’way: The Threepenny Opera, Off-B’way: Oliver Twist-TFANA, Corpus Christie-Bouwerie Lane Theater, Wickets-3LD) as Dan’s boyfriend Terry.

The company also includes Kevin Anthony, Susan Blackwell, Jill Eikenberry as Dan’s Mom, Jeannine Frumess, Ann Harada, Tyler Maynard, Brooke Sunny Moriber, Justin Patterson and Michael Wartella.

Set Design is by Derek McLane, Costume Design is by Jeff Mahshie, and Sound Design is by Ken Travis. Music Supervision/Arrangements/Orchestrations are by Dominick Amendum.

Musical Direction is by Boko Suzuki, and Musical Staging is by Josh Prince. Animation is by Jeffrey Scher, whose work appears in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, Academy Film Archives, Hirshhorn Museum, Pompidou Centre, Musee d’Art Moderne, Vienna Kunsthalle and Austrian National Archive, and others.

Scott Elliott (Director) is the founding Artistic Director of The New Group, where he has produced over 45 plays, 20 of which he has personally directed. Broadway credits include Present Laughter, Barefoot in the Park, and 3 plays produced by The Roundabout: The Threepenny Opera, The Women, and Three Sisters. He is also a film director and screenwriter.

Andy Monroe (music) wrote the music and lyrics for The Tragic and Horrible Life of The Singing Nun (2006 New York Musical Theater Festival). He is the recipient of both the 2001 BMI Foundation Jerry Harrington Musical Theater Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement and the 2009 Jerry Bock Award. Dramatist Guild Fellow (2007-8) and proud member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop.

Michael Zam (book) is penning a stage adaptation of the novel Selfish & Perverse by Bob Smith for director Jerry Mitchell. Screenplays include (with co-writer Jaffe Cohen) Best Actress (Black List of Best New Screenplays, 2009), to be produced by Plan B Entertainment and directed by Ryan Murphy; and Wife Vs. Ninja for DreamWorks Pictures. With his collaborators, Zam was honored with BMI’s Jerry Bock Award for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre for The Kid. He teaches screenwriting at NYU (Award for Teaching Excellence, 1998 and 2007) and Modern British Drama every August at NYU in London.

Jack Lechner (lyrics) is a songwriter, most recently for the HBO special A Family Is A Family Is A Family (with Andy Monroe); a writer; an NYU professor; and a film and TV producer, based at Washington Square Films. Member of BMI Musical Theater Workshop (Advanced); won 2004 Jerry Harrington Award.

The Kid plays at The New Group @ Theatre Row (The Acorn Theatre/410 West 42nd Street, between 9th& 10th Avenues) as follows: Monday at 8:00 PM, Tuesday at 7:00 PM, Wednesday through Saturday at 8:00 PM, with a matinee on Saturday at 2:00 PM.

Tickets may be arranged through Ticket Central at http://www.ticketcentral.com or
(212) 279-4200, or at the Theatre Row Box Office (12:00–8:00 PM daily). Tickets are $60.00 plus $1.25 restoration fee. For more information, visit http://www.thenewgroup.org.