New musical authored by DFW natives headed to NYC this August. Kenady Sean, Emily Horton, and Kaylee Killingsworth are the co-authors of new musical, Beyond Perfection. In this campy, techno-dystopian parable, love is scripted, happiness is AI engineered—until a glitch breaks the illusion.
Kenady Sean began writing the show at Dallas Baptist University, studying music and business. She collaborated with her classmates, (Emily Horton) and self produced a workshop production, as well as recorded demo recordings, partnering with the DBU music department and local theatre performers. A pandemic, and a much more dystopian state of reality ushered in an actor turned co-writer (Kaylee Killingsworth) to the team to develop the world building elements. A little over a decade after the idea sparked, the writers are producing this show anew with a long-established Off-Broadway festival.
The Broadway Bound Theatre Festival is a boutique festival of live theatre that focuses on developing playwrights into self–producers. Since their inception in 2016 in New York City, they’ve been devoted to the evolution of artists and their work to create great theatrical experiences that continue to live long after their premieres.
This isn’t Sean and Killingsworth’s first rodeo. Last summer they produced a 10-minute musical they wrote together based on a short story by Nathaniel Hawthore, “The Birthmark” in The 11th year of the SOUNDBITES festival at Theatre Now New York.
Kenady Sean also produced a concert reading in NYC of her musical adaptation of Hawthorne’s more famous work, “The Scarlet Letter” last fall with her co-writer (And former professor) Christine Hand.
Sean, Horton and Killingsworth welcome DFW community members to come alongside them and celebrate DFW’s art and culture.
The production is accepting tax-deductible donations towards their production budget through
Fractured Atlas: https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/a-brave-new-york-broadway-bound-theatre-festival/
All proceeds go towards the production expenses, such as renting rehearsal space, paying actors and technicians, and employing marketers and production-related staff.
Beyond Perfection
Book, Music & Lyrics by Kenady Sean,
Lyrics and Music by Emily Horton
Book & Lyrics by Kaylee Killingsworth
Performances (AMT Theater 354 WEST 45TH STREET, New York, NY, 10036):
Thursday, Aug. 14 @ 5:00 PM, Friday, Aug. 15 @ 8:00 PM, Saturday, Aug. 16 @ 8:00 PM, Sunday, Aug. 17 @ 2:00 PM
https://www.broadwayboundfest.com/