The First Annual Broadway Theatre Project Festival Held At University Of South Florida 7/30-8/1

The 2009 session of Broadway Theatre Project culminates in an exciting new festival taking place in Theatre 1 at USF from July 30th to August 1st. Numbers in the four festival performances have been directed and choreographed by members of the BTP faculty including Artistic Director Debra McWaters, So You Think You Can Dance's Ryan Kasprzak, Radio City Rockette Kelly King, and Broadway Fight Director Ron Piretti (West Side Story, In the Heights). Performances also include premieres of workshops by Broadway Music Director David Loud and Broadway Composer Frank Wildhorn.

Frank Wildhorn's number is from the upcoming show Bonnie & Clyde, which heads to La Jolla Playhouse in California and will then make its way to Broadway. Wildhorn also wrote the musical Wonderland, which had its world premiere workshop during the 2007 session of Broadway Theatre Project. Numbers were choreographed and directed by BTP Artistic Director Debra McWaters and presented in the final Broadway Theatre Project performance. Producer Judith Lisi from the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center acquired the show after seeing the BTP workshop production of Wonderland. David Loud's numbers are from an upcoming concert of Kander and Ebb music called First You Dream that is heading to the Signature Theatre in Washington, DC this September.

The Festival will also feature seminars designed to help young artists and their families navigate the business side of a career in the arts. Producer and former President of the League of American Theatres and Producers Jed Bernstein, Broadway casting director Dave Clemmons and Peak Performance coach Dr. Denise Federer will lead the seminars.

Festival tickets are available at the University of South Florida Box Office as of July 27 from 12-4pm by calling 813-974-2323 or by visiting ticketmaster.com (searching for "BTP") and can be purchased for individual performances or for the entire festival.

About BTP: Founded in 1991, Broadway Theatre Project (BTP) is described by Playbill magazine as "the world's most prestigious musical theatre arts education program for high school and college students." Under the Artistic Direction of Debra McWaters, the not-for-profit BTP (a 501c3) is an intensive three-week training program focused on the key disciplines of musical theatre including acting, dancing, and singing, as well as the critical life skills necessary to work in the professional world of entertainment.