#CMTF2020
2 FREE readings!
In addition to our 7 fully-staged productions, CMTF is hosting two readings during the festival. Reservations are now open!
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Monday, February 12 at 8 pm
MURDEROUS INNOCENT
Book by Tommy Jamerson, Music and Lyrics by Mark Contorno
Synopsis: Jacob Freeman seems to have it all; a thriving career, a bestselling novel, and an adoring wife. But when his past comes to haunt him in the form of his estranged seventeen year old daughter, Jacob’s perfect life is suddenly turned on its head and secrets long since buried begin to rise to the surface yet again.
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Monday, February 19 at 8 pm
NOTES AND LETTERS
Book, Music and Lyrics by Annabelle Revak
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Elevator pitch: Notes and Letters, inspired by a true story, chronicles four friends living in Chicago during WWI as their music, business, relationships, and pride are put to the test.
Synopsis: Joe Loula departs war-torn Bohemia for Chicago in 1917 seeking a new job and a new independence. He quickly befriends Charlie, Nora and Olivia at Williams’ Custom Pianos. As the foursome become inseparable, the U.S. plunges into the World War I: businesses, relationships and pride are put to the test. A true story set to a jazz score, Notes and Letters chronicles the attempt to find an even beat in a world where the meter is constantly shifting.
Great if you like: Fans of Wonderful Town or Thoroughly Modern Millie will love Notes and Letters!
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Creative Teams
Annabelle Revak (Composer, NOTES AND LETTERS/Music Director, both readings) is a junior at Columbia College, studying music composition and musical theatre. Recent credits as a music director include Lysistrata Jones (Refuge Theatre Project), [title of show] (Columbia College Chicago), and Abduction (Locked Door Productions). Current project is orchestrations and music direction for Make Me Bad (Columbia College Chicago).
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Mark Contorno (Composer/Lyricist, MURDEROUS INNOCENT) – Though a native of Chicago, Mark’s musical theatre career began in New York City where his first show, THIS CRAZY LIFE premiered off-off Broadway. After a few more successful ventures in New York, Mark returned to Chicago and wrote two musicals, THE HARLEQUIN and TO FIND GOD. Currently he is a writer in workshop with the Access Development Workshop program at Victory Gardens Theatre where he has completed writing the musical, HOW DO YOU WRITE A MUSICAL along with the play, THE REST OF OUR LIVES. He is thrilled to have had the opportunity to collaborate with playwright, Tommy Jamerson, and is grateful and thankful to the folks at Underscore Theatre Company for choosing their musical MURDEROUS INNOCENT to be part of their staged reading series.