Lights Up for the New York Theatre Barn

Posted by on 25 Feb 2010 by theBean in Editorials, News

Amidst a flurry of rehearsal schedules, meetings, and various other producer-esque duties — Joe Barros of the New York Theatre Barn sat down to giveBackstage a glimpse of what is transpiring with the young theater company, a fast-becoming powerhouse in New York’s musical theater scene.’

The affable young director recently took over as Producing Artistic Director for NYTB, and has a barnload of plans (excuse the pun) for the theater company’s 2009 season. With an awe-inspiring advisory board (including Tony award winners John Arnone, David Gallo, Anna Hould-Ward and Broadway director Tara Smith of Xanadu), and a mission to develop and nurture new performers and evocative work — NYTB is certainly one of the ones to watch.

For those who haven’t heard of it, what is the New York Theare Barn?
New York Theatre Barn is a theatre company dedicated to the development, advancement and investigation of new, evocative works, while supporting and nurturing the talents of up-and-coming artists.

What are some of the changes NYTB has recently undergone?
As of April 1, 2009, NYTB will have a new Executive Director and a staff that has doubled in size!

The Duplex is a monthly cabaret series, how do you select the material?
The event began at the Daryl Roth D Lounge in Union Square and has subsequently moved to The Duplex. The material is selected by submission as well as by recommendations from the NYTB staff, the NYTB advisory board, the NYTB board and affiliates of NYTB…as one of the major focuses of the company is about relationships.

Further, how do you select the performers?
The performers are selected in the same way that the material and writers are selected. Quite often a writer or a writing team has actors that they’d prefer to work with and that exposes them to the company. It is also common for us to pair an actor who has worked with us to a writer who is new to the company as well as pairing unfamiliar actors to the company with unfamiliar writers to the company. I urge those who are interested to contact us.  NYTB recently produced the musical WOOD, a “re-imagining” A Midsummer Night’s Dream” which centered around — well — men cavorting in a bathroom stall.

How was the musical received?
WOOD is more of an investigation or contemporary spin on MIDSUMMER. Over the past year and a half we produced a concert of the musical, a reading and ultimately a full production at NYMF this past summer. Yes, in some cases WOOD did involve men cavorting in the public bathroom stalls in the woods of Normal, Anywhere, but that was merely a storytelling device that conveyed WOOD’s overall message of accepting change especially within yourself. Like all new pieces that take great risks there was a very mixed response about WOOD and ultimately it sparked a lot of questions and conversation. And that’s when the theatre becomes an exciting place.

You graduated the University of Hartford in 2005 — do you think your personal youth will bring a new vivaciousness to NYTB?
I did attend The Hartt School at the University of Hartford which exposed me to new musicals and plays. I MARRIED WYATT EARP, a new musical I discovered at Hartt, was read by NYTB in 2007 with Graciela Daniele on board as director.

I don’t know if it has to do with my age or not, but I have always been incredibly ambitious and determined to do the things I set out to do… And I hope that never changes. I like to believe that this brings energy and urgency to the company.

Now that you’ve donned the hat of Producing Artistic Director, do you still have further aspirations to perform yourself?
Though I trained as a performer, I’m a director and choreographer.

What is Untitled 3?
UNTITLED 3 is the third installment of the UNTITLED series and NYTB’s second anniversary benefit. The concept explores the process, product and prospective of three emerging musical theatre writing teams. Details are still being determined but the event will be sometime in May.

If you were given a Broadway theatre house for three months, scot free, which musical would you put up?
I would most certainly like to produce one of the promising new plays or musicals that the company has nurtured over the past two years, most notably the musicals I MARRIED WYATT EARP (by Sheilah Rae, Michele Brourman and Tom West) and ORDINARY DAYS (by Adam Gwon) because of their eclectic scores and impeccable storytelling.

This month’s Duplex will be held Monday, February 23rd at 9:30 p.m., featuring the “Oh So Sexy Songs” of Bill Nelson, and Mitzi Michael’s “Tell Me a Mitz!”. To nab a reservation, check out NYTB’s website.