A.J. Shively, Ernestine Jackson, and Vivian Reed Set for Conrack

The York Theatre Company, in association with Quill Entertainment Company, will present the staged reading of the new musical Conrack, based on Pat Conroy's novel The Water Is Wide. Produced as part of its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series, presentations of the musical will take place February 27 at 7pm and February 28 at 3pm at the York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's.

The show's cast will feature A.J. Shively (Bright Star) as Pat Conroy, Tony Award nominee Ernestine Jackson (Joe Turner's Come and Gone) as Sunday Kate, Tony Award nominee Vivian Reed (Marie Christine) as Edna, Ashley Blanchet (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) as Jackie, Darlesia Cearcy (The Color Purple) as Mrs. Brown, Erick Devine (Ragtime) as Dr. Henry Piedmont, Lance Roberts (Sunset Boulevard) as Quik Fella, Dwany Guzman (Annie) as Prophet, Jordan Hall as Richard, Arica Himmel (The Layover) as Anna, Wayne Pretlow (Kiss Me, Kate) as Sam, DeAndre Sevon (Runaways) as Top Cat, Casey Watkins as Cindy Lou, and Madison Zamor (August Rush) as Mary.

With music by Lee Pockriss, book by Granville Wyche Burgess, lyrics by Anne Croswell, additional music by Doug Katsaros, and additional lyrics by Granville Wyche Burgess, Conrack will be directed by Stuart Ross with music direction by Eric Svejcar. The musical is based on Pat Conroy's real-life story of teaching on a remote South Carolina island, where he encounters a by-the-book principal and children who can hardly read.

For tickets and more information, click here.