FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                     Contact: Scott Guy, Executive Director

Academy for New Musical Theatre

818-506-8500

academy@anmt.org

ANMT Presents Concert Reading of AT HOME IN MITFORD

(Los Angeles, Monday, September 28, 2009)  On Monday, October 26, The Academy for New Musical Theatre will kick off its third season of concert readings at The Colony Theatre in Burbank at 7:30 pm with At Home in Mitford, a delightful musical based on the popular Mitford series by Jan Karon.

With book by Cynthia Ferrell, lyrics by Chana Wise and music by Carl Johnson, At Home in Mitford is the story of Father Tim, a cherished small-town rector, and the eclectic group of people that make up the town of Mitford, North Carolina - an American village where ‘the grass is still green, the pickets are still white, and the air still smells sweet. The rector's forthright secretary, Emma Garret, worries about her employer, as she sees past his Christian cheerfulness into his aching loneliness. Slowly but surely, the empty places in Father Tim's heart do get filled. First with a gangly stray dog, later with a seemingly stray boy, and finally with the realization that he is stumbling into love with his independent and Christian-wise next-door neighbor. Much more than a gentle love story, this is a homespun tale about a town of endearing characters-- including a mysterious jewel thief--who are as quirky and popular as those of Mayberry, R.F.D.’ --Gail Hudson, Amazon.com

"The characters Jan Karon created in her novel, At Home in Mitford, are memorable and lovable and dimensional – and I think they’ve been dying to sing!" said lyricist, Chana Wise. Adds bookwriter, Cynthia Ferrell, "Tim's complicated relationships with people are reflected in his complicated relationship with food. The problem nearly kills him. It's a universal theme. Casseroles, side dishes, cake recipes - the line of food stretches from one end of the script to the other. Overall, it's probably best to eat before you show up."

At Home in Mitford will feature the members of the Academy Repertory Company (ARC) – the elite ensemble of sight-singing and cold-reading actors in residence at The Academy for New Musical Theatre along with ARC’s musical director, Darin Goulet.

"I'm very honored that ANMT is going to include At Home in Mitford in their Concert Reading series” says composer, Carl Johnson. “I feel that although the book is known mostly as a religious or inspirational novel, the characters and situations in the book should be familiar to almost everyone.”

The Colony Theatre is located at 555 North Third Street in Burbank, CA. $10 tickets can be reserved through the ANMT website at www.anmt.org

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Academy for New Musical Theatre, 5628 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood, CA, 91601

818-506-8500                        academy@anmt.org