ENNIO: The Living Paper Cartoon, returns to New York for the first time in over a decade. For nine performances only, September 27th - October 12th, The New York Musical Theatre Festival presents the Jonathan Reinis (two-time Tony Award-winner for Dame Edna: The Royal Tour and Russell Simmon's Def Poetry Jam) and Glynis Henderson (international producer of Stomp) production featuring international sensation Ennio Marchetto at the 47th Street Theatre (304 West 47th Street). ENNIO: The Living Paper Cartoon is directed and designed by Ennio Marchetto and Sosthen Hennekam.
Global phenomenon Ennio Marchetto is the original transformation artist, revolutionizing the art of origami into a unique performance that is nothing short of comic genius. With his hilarious physical comedy, a sizzling soundtrack and ingenious paper costumes Ennio magically and hysterically morphs into over 50 of our favorite personalities from Lady Gaga and Eminem to Fred Astaire and Mona Lisa.
"This a dream come true for me," says Ennio. "I have performed on stages around the world, but it is especially thrilling to return to New York. So many of the characters that I transform myself into come from right here on the streets and stages of The Big Apple. It's an honor to be a part of The New York Musical Theatre Festival."
ENNIO: The Living Paper Cartoon will play at the 47th Street Theatre (304 West 47th Street) for nine performances only: Tues. 9/27 at 8PM, Wed. 9/28 at 1PM, Sat. 10/1 at 1PM and 4:30PM, Sun, 10/2 at 9PM, Mon. 10/3 at 8PM, Sun. 10/9 @ 1PM and 4:30PM, and Wed. 10/12 at 8PM. Single tickets for Festival events are $25 and go on sale September 1st at (212) 352-3101 or www.nymf.org. NYMF Memberships, which combine charitable contributions with valuable, flexible ticket packages and perks like early seating, and tickets to individual events are currently available for purchase.
ABOUT ENNO
Ennio was born in 1960 in the beautiful city of Venice, next door to the house of Carlo Goldoni. The son of an espresso machine repair engineer, everybody expected Ennio to continue the family tradition - except him. Inspired by the Disney cartoons he watched in childhood, the modern choreography of Pina Bausch and growing up amidst the Venetian Carnivale, Ennio daydreamed himself into flights of fancy - amusing his family and friends - with visions of Marilyn Monroe dressed in white paper. At the beginning of the 1980s Ennio used to make extravagant costumes and masks for the re-emerging carnivale. Growing from strength to strength, his dream became reality with the creation of his first cabaret show winning him the prestigious Golden Lion Award, at the Venetian Entertainment Festival and The Golden Mosquito award for comedy. When he met his collaborative partner Sosthen Hennekam, a fashion and costume designer, they developed enough paper characters to create a full one-hour show. Only a year later London based producer Glynis Henderson invited Ennio to perform at The Edinburgh Festival. He quickly became a cult hit and achieved massive critical acclaim. Things started to move very quickly and in 1994, after several UK Tours, West-End runs and International festivals, Ennio was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment. That same year Granada Television made a one-hour documentary called ‘Celebrations, Paper Marilyn' about Ennio's life and career. A year later, Ennio appeared at the first European MTV Music Awards in Berlin, together with several stars who were in his repertoire at the time such as Prince, George Michael and Bjork. Ennio also performed with The Spice Girls, Brian Adams and other artists for HRH Prince Charles at the Royal Variety Show, broadcast for the BBC. For his off-Broadway run in 1999, Ennio was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Shows in San Francisco and Los Angeles followed. In L.A. the show won the Garland Award. In the summer of 2001 he performed at Elton John's ‘White Tie and Tiara Ball' - an important AIDS benefit held every year at Elton John's private estate in Oxfordshire. Ennio has since continued his charity work having performed at this year's esteemed Lifeball in Vienna. Ennio has performed in over 70 countries world wide, everywhere from Singapore to Mexico. His side-splitting performances of our best-loved celebrities and his adaptability to different cultures has brought his show to royal and celebrity attention giving Ennio a huge following and a massive international fanbase. www.EnnioMarchetto.com
ABOUT NYMF
Now in its eighth year, the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) is the largest annual musical theatre event in America and is widely regarded as the essential source for new material and talent discovery. NYMF provides a launching pad for the next generation of musicals and ensuring their creators the continued vitality of one of America's greatest art forms. Hailed as the "Sundance of Musical Theatre," NYMF discovers, nurtures, and promotes promising musical theatre artists and producers at all stages of development, and inspires a diverse audience through vibrant, accessible, powerful new work. NYMF is the flagship program of National Music Theater Network, Inc., a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. NYMF 2011 is presented in association with BroadwayWorld.com, Production Resource Group and TheaterMania.com. Major supporters include The ASCAP Foundation, BMI Foundation, Inc., The Broadway League, The BWF Foundation, The Nathan Cummings Foundation with the support and encouragement of Jamie Ariel Phinney, The Charlie & Jane Fink Charitable Fund, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and The Theater League. NYMF is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. NYMF is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. NYMF Memberships, which combine charitable contributions with valuable, flexible ticket packages and perks like early seating, and tickets to individual events are currently available for purchase at (212) 352-3101 or www.nymf.org. Single tickets for Festival events will go on sale September 1. www.NYMF.org
